AI LEADERSHIP

Fall 2022. During an all-agency Zoom meeting, our then-CEO read a submitted question: “Do we have plans or policies in place for how we will use AI in creative development?” I had sent the question. The CEO’s reply was both telling and a little concerning.

“I have no idea what you mean.”

Oh, how times have changed. In the four years since first floating the idea that AI could be part of our creative process, our generative AI usage has grown to the point of creating TV spots from scratch. Throughout that transformation, I have been part of various teams leading the company forward. Are there still ethical and legal concerns with the use of generative AI in final creative products? Absolutely. As with any revolutionary new technology, the track is being laid while the train is in motion. But we must keep our eyes on the horizon, imagining new and responsible ways to employ these tools.

My goal has always been to use AI to deliver more than the client expects, to help meet limited production budgets, or to create in ways that previously weren't possible because of technological, time, or budgetary constraints. I have no interest in replacing humans with these tools, but to empower creative human minds to do more than they could have ever dreamed possible.

Through research, experimentation, and my own personal projects, I'd begun to recognize the creative possibilities of generative AI. I was convinced it could solve real creative problems.

Now I just needed a problem to solve.

It arrived in the form of a fundraising and awareness campaign for a children’s hospital. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the local Minor League baseball team, the hospital had a built-in media buy — but no budget for a full production. We were limited to using only footage captured by the baseball team’s media department. This was early 2024, and though the tools were still limited, I immediately suggested the use of AI to create enhanced, painterly animations that visualized the dreams of young children, to demonstrate that they were much more than mere patients. The campaign excited the client, delighted viewers and made the kids featured in it feel like stars.

As the tools improved, my use of them grew not only in scope but in complexity. I was the first AI “power user” to lead virtual symposia on the implementation of AI tools across the agency’s offices. What I discovered was that reactions to AI were as varied as the people in attendance. Some feared it. Others were dismissive. Others were engaged and curious. And to some, it appeared to be nothing short of magic. Those sessions unlocked imaginations. Barriers were removed and ideas took their place.

That experience led to me becoming a de facto AI expert within the agency, serving on committees that helped to shape usage policies.

While other departments were primarily using AI for speculative work or creative previsualization projects, need propelled our business unit to employ it in final products. Applications grew increasingly diverse, including VFX, relighting, directable hybrid voiceover performances, de-aging, hybrid photography and videography, and the creation of fully synthetic assets.

Where once we employed a dozen or more tools, the rise of AI aggregators and the implementation of AI within existing creative software simplified our list of applications. But with more gen-AI assets finding their way into final products, the need grew for not only security but also legal indemnity. 

I initiated an in-depth comparative study of available AI aggregation platforms to determine which best met the needs of creative, legal, and IT. The evaluation encompassed available models and toolsets, user experience, security protocols, enterprise-level credit management, and legal indemnification policies. My recommendation is now being implemented across our agency and our sister agencies as well.

The journey goes on, and we continue to lay the track. I'm currently involved in developing an archival framework for documenting AI production processes, helping us prepare for potential legal challenges as the regulatory landscape evolves.

When will I give up on the use of AI and return to the old way of doing things?

“I have no idea what you mean.”