Artificial intelligence, also known by the abbreviation AI, has been a topic of discussion in almost every corner of the Internet and beyond for months! A topic as fascinating as it is frustrating, just like AI itself (whoever has tried it knows).

But let’s start with the basics.

Artificial Intelligence – what the heck is that?

Artificial Intelligence – what is this?

“Artificial intelligence is the magic of digital algorithms and machine learning that enable the creation of modern tools based on artificial intelligence.”

Did you understand anything from the above sentence? Me neither! This is how AI writes about itself. It also writes:

“Artificial intelligence is a field of computer science that is concerned with creating systems capable of performing tasks that normally require human intelligence. These systems may incorporate a variety of technologies, including machine learning, neural networks, natural language processing, computer vision, and robotics.”

Better? Definitely! And now how about something that is understandable to an everyday man?

“Artificial intelligence is a technology that enables computers and machines to think and act somewhat like humans.”

Now, would you look at that, you can do it simply, easily, pleasantly, and sensibly! I have to admit that I am impressed, and for a moment I was skeptical. It seems that AI can actually be useful for something. When asked what, ChatGPT answers:

“AI has wide applications in various fields such as medicine (diagnostics, personalized treatment), finance (risk analysis, algorithmic trading), industry (production automation), transportation (autonomous vehicles), and many others. The goal of AI is not only to automate routine tasks but also to enable machines to solve problems in an intelligent, adaptive, and efficient way.”

As you can see, the possibilities of using AI technology are impressive and the scope is so wide that it would take months to delve into the subject in detail. Unfortunately, deadlines are approaching, so I will focus on what interests us most today, i.e. marketing and design. As you can easily guess, AI is also widely used here.

How to use AI tools in marketing?

There is no denying that machine learning is becoming more and more widely used in the marketing industry, enabling a better understanding of customers, adapting communication, and thus increasing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Artificial intelligence is commonly used to quickly and effectively analyze data to:

• Market segmentation: AI can analyze big data to identify different customer groups based on their behavior, preferences, and demographics.
• Trend predictions: by analyzing historical data, AI can predict future market trends and consumer preferences.
• Content personalization: algorithms can suggest products or services based on previous purchases and product browsing (I wonder if algorithms will ever stop recommending products I’ve already bought – that would be a game-changer!), or they can help create more relevant and effective e-mails that meet the individual needs and interests of recipients.
• Sentiment analysis: AI can analyze social media posts, comments, and reviews to assess how customers are responding to a brand, product, or campaign. This insight allows you to quickly respond to negative feedback and improve your communication strategies and customer relationships.
• Optimize ad campaigns: AI algorithms can automatically buy ads in real time, optimizing ad spend and increasing ROI (return on investment). In addition, AI can conduct and analyze A/B tests on marketing campaigns to determine which versions of ads are most effective.
• SEO Optimization: AI can analyze and suggest keywords and SEO optimizations to improve a website’s visibility in search engines.

It is worth using the potential of AI in online customer service in the form of a Chatbot or virtual assistant that is supposed to answer customer questions in real time, potentially increasing customer satisfaction (Does it actually increase, do you think?) and reducing the burden on the customer service team. Chatbots can also collect information about potential customers and qualify leads, which makes the work of sales teams easier.

Let’s not forget about AI content creation, mentioned at the very beginning of this article, which is worth using to create basic and repeatable texts, such as product descriptions, and assistance in writing articles or blog posts(!), which saves time for marketing teams.

The use of AI in marketing allows for more precise and effective actions that can lead to a better understanding of customers, increased sales, and improved overall effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

What about Design? – possibilities of using artificial intelligence in creative work

I won’t hide the fact that this aspect of the subject interests me the most. Not only me, but the entire Digital Art industry has been shaking in its foundations for months, and discussions about whether algorithms will replace artists do not cease. Are these fears justified? Is it time to start retraining, or is it too late?

ChatGPT claims – and it amuses me so much when AI explains itself – that: “Artificial intelligence can significantly support an artist’s work, automating routine tasks, improving work efficiency, and opening up new creative possibilities.”

I applaud that! As long as AI is another tool that makes my work easier and faster, I have no complaints. However, I cannot disagree with the words of Joanna Maciejewska:

I would definitely prefer intelligent machines to do everything I absolutely do not want to do and leave creativity to people. I think most of you will agree with me. However, since artificial intelligence can help me in the process of creation, let’s see what it is worth using it for:

Let’s start with the aforementioned automation of routine tasks. AI-based tools, such as Adobe Photoshop with Content-Aware Fill, allow you to automatically remove unwanted elements from photos or fill in missing fragments. A feature that I find extremely useful is automatic object detection and cutting, which allows you to quickly replace the background in photos and graphics. Also useful are tools that allow you to automatically remove noise or increase the image resolution while maintaining its high quality, which is useful for printing large formats and improving the appearance of old photos.

See also: Marketing and PR – why would you pay when you can do it yourself!

Machine learning programs that generate images from text descriptions, such as the popular Midjourney, are a useful source of inspiration, while the ability to transfer the style of one image to another quickly generates many options and speeds up decisions in the design process. AI can also automatically create mood boards, which are combinations of images, colors, and textures that help define the aesthetic of a design. AI-generated visual objects can be creatively used in collage graphics.

In the case of video animation, AI is an indispensable tool for creating smoother animations by automatically generating intermediate frames between two frames of animation. And tools like Adobe Character Animator can use AI to capture facial and body movements to animate characters in real time based on the user’s movements.

Will AI replace artists?

For months, the world has been flooded with rivers of images generated by algorithms, and article after article predicts the end of yet another creative profession. But is there anything to fear?

In 2023, the world heard the news that the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards, in the creative category, had not been won by a photograph, but by an image generated by artificial intelligence algorithms. The author (prompter? – is this a new profession?) Boris Eldagsen refused to accept the award, pointing out the need for a deeper discussion about what is photography and what is not, and in a broader context, are works created using artificial intelligence still art? Is it just a tool in the hands of an artist, or is it the creator itself?

Eldgasen claims that he wanted to check whether the competitions are currently prepared to accept AI images. And his victory proves that they are not and that “AI images and photography should not compete with each other in such competitions.” This is undoubtedly a valid postulate, because can a human win against an algorithm?

Miles Astray entered his work FLAMINGONE into the 1839 Photography Awards in the AI-created image category. He came in third and won the People’s Choice award. However, he was disqualified after it turned out that his work was not a digitally generated image, but a human-made photograph! As you can see, nature is not yet defeated in the fight against computers. Just look at this flamingo!

Miles Astray’s F L A M I N G O N E

In summary

Artificial intelligence has burst into our world and is conquering new areas and fields, and what the consequences will be, remains to be seen. AI is undoubtedly a versatile tool that is worth using to make your work and life easier. Let’s remember to use it wisely, though, so that we don’t end up with a basket full of laundry 🙂