The advertising and marketing industries are currently navigating the complex challenge of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their creative processes while preserving the indispensable human element of creativity. As AI technologies advance at a rapid pace, industry leaders emphasise a balanced approach that harnesses AI as a support tool rather than a substitute for human imagination and emotional nuance.
In Australia, the adoption of generative AI tools among marketers is growing but remains nascent. A recent report from the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing found that only 8% of Australian marketers have reached advanced levels of AI maturity and capability, while over half are beginners with limited implementation or strategic frameworks. Industry experts such as Alex Creamer, Creative Director at Houston Group, highlight AI’s capacity to democratise creativity and accelerate production but caution against undervaluing the skill and originality that human creativity brings. Creamer suggests that the future of brand and content creation lies “somewhere in the middle,” where AI affirms and supports innovation without replacing true originality. He notes that “a unique point of view and personality” remain essential to creating meaningful connections with audiences.
Colleen Ryan, Partner at insights agency TRA, articulates that while AI might be capable of generating content, it lacks the idiosyncratic, imaginative synthesis born from human memory, experience, and emotion. She finds that great brand work often emerges from “absurd and contrary juxtapositions that only an imaginative human mind could stitch together.” This perspective is echoed by Harry Preston, Managing Director of MBCS, who points out that AI is not visionary. AI can improve efficiency and personalise content, but it cannot replace the human “gut feeling” that shapes culturally resonant and emotionally moving stories. Preston warns of the risk that brands relying too heavily on AI could end up producing “homogenised” and forgettable content.
These views find resonance internationally. At the Cannes Lions festival, a premier event celebrating creativity in advertising, organisers introduced a new humour category to underscore the unique qualities human creators bring that AI struggles to replicate. While AI effectively produces realistic imagery and optimises campaigns, it struggles with generating authentic humour—a key differentiator that makes campaigns memorable. The emphasis on humour reflects concerns that AI’s growing role might threaten the imaginative depth and originality traditionally associated with creative advertising.
At the corporate level, global advertising giant WPP exemplifies the transformative tension. It has heavily invested in AI-driven tools to produce high-quality campaigns quicker and cheaper. Despite encouraging technological breakthroughs, investor doubts persist amid fears that tech platforms like Google, Meta, and Amazon could circumvent traditional agencies entirely by offering direct-to-client AI advertising services. WPP’s leadership recognises this challenge as an urgent call for restructuring and innovation to maintain relevance in this shifting landscape.
The fashion industry is another sector exploring AI’s potential. Brands such as Etro and Mango are leveraging generative AI to accelerate campaign production and reduce costs while still relying on human creativity to ensure authenticity and aesthetic integrity. This use of AI raises ongoing questions about representation and diversity, as well as the evolving role humans will play amid AI-driven creative tools.
Transparency and ethical use of AI remain crucial concerns. Research in Australia and New Zealand shows that while people broadly accept AI’s role in business progress, trust is contingent on honesty and clear communication about how AI benefits customers. Brands that authentically demonstrate the value AI brings to consumers, not just businesses, are better positioned to win loyalty. Adobe Asia Pacific’s Vice President of Digital Experience Marketing emphasises ethical AI development, with initiatives such as embedding Content Credentials in AI-generated outputs to promote transparency and reduce bias. This approach seeks to foster consumer trust by clarifying when and how AI contributes to creative content.
The industry also faces practical risks and cultural implications. Alex Creamer notes a “brain drain” effect, where excessive reliance on AI might inhibit the learning and development experiences crucial for junior creatives. Meanwhile, Harry Preston stresses the necessity of maintaining human oversight to prevent AI from leading creative decisions, a path that could lead to bland and uninspired outcomes. Ethical considerations around copyright, bias, and inclusivity demand ongoing vigilance as AI becomes more embedded in production workflows.
Looking ahead, the consensus among industry leaders is that AI should augment rather than replace human creativity. Colleen Ryan envisions AI as a tool to extend imagination and emotional nuance, helping creatives enrich their work without diluting what makes it uniquely human. Alex Creamer sees AI effectively supporting early stages of research and end-of-project tasks but warns that relying on AI end-to-end risks losing “distinction and provenance” in brand storytelling. Harry Preston urges marketers to resist the temptation of automation-driven complacency and instead focus freed resources on “taking creative risks that earn attention.”
In this evolving dynamic, the future of marketing and advertising lies in a complementary partnership between man and machine. AI can streamline processes, enhance personalisation, and unlock new pathways to innovation, but the core of remarkable brand storytelling—truth, bravery, a unique voice, and cultural insight—remains a distinctly human domain. As the industry reshapes itself around these technologies, preserving this creative soul amidst efficiency gains will be key to sustaining relevance and impact in an AI-driven world.
Source: Noah Wire Services
