The AI Debate and your Brand

Over the last few years, AI has become THE hot topic in all things business. From debates on the environmental impact to discussions on the ethics, it is a heated topic, and will likely only get more heated as its use becomes more and more ambiguous.

The debate has several key points, such as the fact that, currently, AI data centers utilize massive amounts of fresh water every day, returning to the environment, waste water that is negatively impacting communities all over.

And beyond the environmental impact, there is the ethical debate. Generative AI is built on images, artwork, and graphic content swept from the internet and stolen without permission. The Supreme Court has already ruled that AI images cannot even be copyrighted.

That is the debate on the MACRO level. But on the micro level, we need to consider the impact AI is already having on local businesses. In almost every area, it’s easy to see that the promise of free creative work has enticed local businesses across the country to use generative AI in favor of artists and designers for logos, flyers, marketing, and more. It is a seductive thing, but ultimately, overreliance on it can seriously harm your business and overall brand by watering down your iconography and brand personality with a feeling of sameness that is consistent across much of the current AI-generated content.

Building a brand takes time, care, and most importantly, creative considerations that technology cannot replicate. AI offers short-term savings, but has the potential to do long-term harm to your brand and your community.

Written by the GBS Team