So it’s interesting to see a big company like Coca-Cola choosing to start its own generative AI journey with projects aimed at incorporating and enabling creativity.
The company recently appointed Pratik Thakar as global head of generative AI, becoming one of the first major multinational companies to do so. This is a sure sign of how important the company thinks this technology is.
It also won accolades for its stunning AI-generated advertising campaign, which shows how amazing AI can be when combined with human talent.
A theme running through other initiatives is giving generative AI opportunities to independent creators and small studios.
The message seems to be that artists need not fear AI, but should instead embrace its power and improve their skills.
Sounds great, but can it actually hold water?
Here’s an overview of some of the ways the world’s most famous soft drink companies are using (or planning to use) generative AI. While technically impressive, these use cases raise interesting questions about how AI will change the relationship between technology, artists, and the companies that fund them.
Head of Generative AI
Earlier this year, Coca-Cola appointed Pratik Thakar as global head of generative AI.talk to drumHe said he believes AI will bridge the gap between human creativity and brand identity.
He said, “Coca-Cola has always been about bridging gaps. How can we make Coca-Cola more approachable, more delicious, and useful to everyone?”
Thakar believes the democratization of AI means the democratization of Coca-Cola, or at least its brand identity. The plan is to accomplish this by creating tools that allow anyone to experiment with new ways to communicate their identity.
Ethics is an important aspect of AI, and you would want ethics to be a concern for those in charge of an entire business as large as Coca-Cola. It is therefore reassuring that he is committed to carefully selecting his partners in technology based on the knowledge that their models are trained “the right way.”
generative video ads
One of the first fruits of Coca-Cola’s transition to generative AI is this ad masterpiece. This acclaimed video brings some of the world’s most famous works of art to life, seamlessly integrating AI-enhanced animation and live-action.
It was created in collaboration with OpenAI using their DALL-E2 generative image model and ChatGPT.
This is the result of a partnership formed in early 2023, when Coca-Cola announced it would work with agency Bain & Company to find innovative generative AI use cases in marketing and advertising.
Beverage manufacturers’ relationship with AI is many yearsHowever, predictive and prescriptive AI is already being used for localized and personalized marketing efforts.
Masterpiece works on several levels. This is visually striking content that communicates your brand identity. This also signals that Coca-Cola is looking for people who can use generative AI to do amazing things. Finally, this signals that generative AI is coming to the advertising industry and is about to shake things up.
How to strengthen your creativity?
In line with Takhar’s belief in helping creators unlock the power of AI, Coca-Cola hosted the first Real Magic Creative Academy this year.
This event helped build connections with the independent art and design community. By nurturing these relationships, we hope to discover the talent and inspiration needed to follow Masterpiece.
This is an extension of the brand’s ‘Create Real Magic’ campaign, which invited artists to use Coke’s digital platform to create images using Coke’s platform and assets, with the winning images appearing on billboards in New York and London. will be exhibited at.
Staying with the theme of empowering creators, we also have: coke studio. It is a free music creation platform with enhanced generation AI capabilities.
Held at various festivals across the United States, attendees can create songs, music videos, and even album covers by answering questions from a ChatGPT-powered bot.
Once you’ve completed the process of filming in your dressing room studio and inserting it into your video, you can download and share your work.
It’s clear that the brand wants to engage with AI and the next generation of artists and creators who will use it. Of course, it’s probably no coincidence that many of them are likely to be recognized as influencers by marketers because of what they do.
Is this really a good thing for human creators?
As generative AI becomes more commonplace in advertising, its impact on broader society, especially the human creatives working in this rapidly changing field, cannot be ignored.
Appointing someone to lead generative AI is a big statement for any company that it understands the power of technology to transform its business. But when a company like Coca-Cola does it, it means they know it will transform an entire industry. If you are an artist or other creative worker and you rely on companies and businesses to hire you or commission you, is that a change that is in your best interest?
We find that generative AI gives us the opportunity to create and express ideas in new and surprising ways. It also democratizes the creative process, allowing independent artists and small studios to produce work that can compete with big agencies.
But there are very real concerns that an industry that has always paid for creative, from corporate logos and packaging design to movie advertising, will divert that money toward AI art. So some creators might see this as being given the tools to dig their own grave.
Another concern is that the growing closer ties between industry and technology giants like Coca-Cola and OpenAI facilitated by the AI boom means that not everyone will have equal access to these world-changing tools. It shows that. We often see AI providers offering greater access to enterprise users. Can ensuring access to the latest and most powerful models and algorithms position companies toward a future where they have even more influence over the world of art and design than they do today?
However, I personally do not believe that any of these are predetermined outcomes. The steps we take in the coming years to bring AI into society responsibly and ethically, while managing its impact on human life, will determine the world we end up in.
I think it will take a long time to be able to fully simulate human creativity. Masterpiece advertisements would not have been possible without human cooperation. And I don’t think you can think of anything more iconic than the Coca-Cola logo. Or Santa Claus in a red coat.
Of course, this does not mean that companies do not try to use it to save costs wherever possible, especially for repetitive tasks, for example mass personalization. But in the short term, as commercial artists and designers, being able to enhance your skills with AI could open the door to new and interesting opportunities.
