Roman Vrublivskyi is the experienced CEO of Attekmi, a global ad tech company that provides white-label programmatic solutions.
Generative AI is reshaping digital advertising. In fact, 99% of marketing and business leaders are using AI in some fashion, according to a 2024 survey from the Marketing AI Institute.
The reasons for the growing adoption are obvious. GenAI automates repetitive tasks like creating ad copy, allows marketers to produce content at scale and can provide inspiration for campaigns. Companies are also seeing results: Bain and Company found that retail marketers are seeing 10% to 25% higher returns on ad spending from AI-powered campaigns.
But using generative AI in advertising also comes with risks. Here are five key concerns to keep in mind before using AI in your campaigns:
Generic And Impersonal Ads
Programmatic and other digital ads rely on emotional depth to resonate with audiences, drive engagement and increase conversion rates. However, GenAI lacks emotional understanding, so advertising content generated by AI tends to feel generic, turning off users.
There’s only one way to mitigate this risk when using GenAI to create copy, headlines and other ad content: Have a human review everything thoroughly. Even if a marketer doesn’t create the content on their own, adding some human touch is still a must.
Low-Quality Content
Most people know that content generated by AI may include fake or low-quality information. The risk of low-quality content is amplified when used to create images, videos and voiceovers. Moreover, ads generated by AI may have a so-called “uncanny valley” effect, making some users feel uneasy.
Spotify recently launched a generative AI feature that allows advertisers to create scripts and voiceovers. There is major upside here in terms of convenience, but brands may struggle to stand out if the platform’s advertising ecosystem gets filled by ads voiced in a more or less similar way.
If advertisers don’t have the resources to design creatives from scratch, they can still work on their prompts thoroughly. The success of the outcome of an AI-generated ad heavily relies on these prompts. And, again, everything generated by AI should be reviewed and edited by a human.
Biased Content
Unfortunately, the vast datasets used by generative AI may reflect societal biases, which can result in stereotypical advertising content and creatives. For instance, an ad reinforcing gender stereotypes (like women being associated with domestic roles, and men with professional ones) can be perceived as offensive by some users.
Sometimes, this may not have serious consequences. In the worst-case scenario, though, ads promoting stereotypes may result in reputational damage.
As always, human oversight is required, as well as ensuring diversity in training data. Whether using GenAI or not, brands are responsible for promoting fairness and inclusivity in their advertising campaigns.
The Lack Of Relevant Regulations
From a regulatory perspective, there is still a lot of confusion about who owns AI-generated content.
That said, using AI-generated content can still lead to legal disputes, as AI models may generate advertising content that resembles established brands, famous works of art, etc. In addition to the risk of legal issues, ads using content derived from other sources may mislead customers and damage trust in a brand.
Apart from following regulatory advancements, marketers need to be transparent regarding AI usage. Some channels require this, but transparency across all the environments helps build trust and prevent potential legal problems.
Likewise, if referencing outside content, reaching out to the original author and asking for permission is a must.
The Over-Reliance On AI
Last but not least, using generative AI poses a threat to human skills. Over-relying on the technology can reduce critical thinking, affect creativity and decrease one’s ability to perform tasks independently. For instance, if a marketer only knows how to create ad copy with the help of AI, they may lose their ability to write original and catchy text on their own.
The solution is straightforward: Perceive AI as an assistant, not a replacement for human expertise. Marketing professionals should still rely on their own skills throughout the process of using GenAI tools, instead of merely delegating their responsibilities.
Final Words
Generative AI can be a powerful ally, but only when used responsibly and with clear prompts. Using it to create different versions of an ad originally created by a human for A/B testing, for example, can significantly accelerate the process.
To ensure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, it is essential to follow the three key rules.
First of all, everything that AI creates must be reviewed thoroughly and edited if necessary. Second, don’t over-rely on AI; human creativity and emotional intelligence should always be part of the process of creating content. Third, come up with clear practices regarding the usage of generative AI for your brand.
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