How brands can leverage AI while prioritizing a human touch for the most brilliant ideas

To sell the idea of last year’s Wienie 500 to Oscar Mayer, creative agency Johannes Leonardo used AI to show what a race among the iconic Wienermobiles might look like when they took to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s historic oval. “That is an inherently brilliant idea that most people will go, ‘That’s fun,’” said the agency’s CEO, Helen Andrews, during a panel discussion at the Fast Company Grill at SXSW. “It’s a good example of how AI can accelerate creativity, not replace it.” While AI can be a powerful way for brands to accelerate production and analyze consumer data, creative types must recognize that just because they can use these tools doesn’t mean they should. This is particularly true as consumers become better attuned to sussing out what’s authentic and what’s not, which puts a premium on good ideas and experiences that really resonate with audiences. THE PREMIUM FOR A PERSONAL TOUCH While Liquid Death has found that AI can be useful for “little bits here and