By Emily Hawthorne
Associate Creative Director
Just a few years ago, most of us probably wouldn’t have known what this question meant.
Of course, just a few years ago, we naturally assumed that humans were writing the blogs, articles and content we read — the notion that a computer system could write coherent articles would have seemed like something from a sci-fi movie.
Yet, the term “artificial intelligence” was introduced decades ago. In the summer of 1956, researchers at Dartmouth College held a conference to explore how machines can replicate human learning and intelligence. While the rest of America was enjoying drive-in movies, Elvis’ new songs and watching “I Love Lucy,” math professor John McCarthy was imagining the tools that would shape our future.
Less than 70 years later, McCarthy’s vision of understanding “how to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve kinds of problems now reserved for humans, and improve themselves” has become reality — so much so that AI is now prompting (no pun intended) us to ask:
To answer the original question: no. This article was written by a human — a human who genuinely enjoys writing. And in full disclosure, I’m also a human who has serious concerns about the capabilities of AI. Beyond the more existential questions AI asks us to confront about creativity and human expression, there’s a more pressing threat of job security — for myself, for other writers and ultimately for millions of employees across all industries.
History, however, provides perspective. When the printing press was introduced, many feared the impact of ideas spreading too rapidly. Critics of the telephone worried it would unravel social norms. While AI’s capabilities may be new, our fear of new technologies is a worldwide tradition. But just as the phone’s earliest users couldn’t imagine that dialing three numbers would become essential to saving lives, it’s too early to know all the ways AI will shape society —likely for both better and worse. In the meantime, we will identify the responsible methods of deploying these new tools to ensure they serve people — not replace them.
Note to reader: As someone who personally loves using em dashes, I will not allow ChatGPT’s reputation to replace my preferred punctuation!
Building this trust is especially essential given our work with service members, Veterans and military families. Since 2019, Aptive has been proud to support the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ ChooseVA campaign, contributing to over 4.4 million disability claim approvals for Veterans and more than 796,000 Veterans enrolling in VA health care.
Sadly, Veterans and service members are all too familiar with scams and deceptive marketing practices from predatory corporations. “Our campaigns must be authentic, or we risk not making the connections between our military audiences and VA benefits that can be life-changing,” says Associate Creative Director Andrew Varenhorst. “My job is to maximize the awareness of critical VA benefits among service members, Veterans and their families. These types of benefits can be the difference between a Veteran going bankrupt, or keeping their home, in some cases.”
And while it might be faster to ask AI to generate images of service members and Veterans for our creative materials, there are both ethical and technical challenges. Military uniforms, for instance, are a canvas of highly specific details. “If we have creative where a uniform isn’t the right shade of green or has a misplaced patch, we will lose credibility automatically,” cautions Grant, who was also a military spouse for 12 years.
(Pictured left: Members of Aptive’s creative team on location for a video shoot with the Department of Veterans Affairs)
Aptive’s role as a trusted service delivery partner to the federal government is critical in understanding the “less artificial” commitment in our AI approach. In the internet age of constant information, it is essential that institutions providing services to the American people are trustworthy. Without the foundational tenet of trust, audiences may avoid engaging with agencies and miss out on the life-changing — and lifesaving — programs and resources available to them.
“If someone who needs a service does not end up utilizing a program available to them because they dismiss an ad we create for being disingenuous, the stakes can be high,” says Aptive’s Creative Director Taylor Grant. “We have a responsibility to our clients, and to the American people, to create work with integrity.”
Grant underscores the challenges of using AI-generated images, “We already avoid using stock photos whenever possible, as audiences can sense these are posed, and have trouble connecting,” she continues, “AI-generated people are another step away from reality.” She points to AI-images of humans often containing extra fingers, or other blatant inconsistencies.
It is our team’s dedication to amplifying our clients’ missions — whether supporting VA’s programs to end Veteran homelessness or delivering solutions for the nation’s largest integrated security services provider — that grounds our approach to AI.
“AI tools are great to enhance our workflow and processes — and we certainly make use of them,” says Grant. “Still, AI will never replace our belief that work for other humans is always better when it is made by humans.”
I agree — the creative process relies on humanity. No software can substitute the creative process involved in storytelling. However, I do use AI tools that can help me tell a story in the best way possible. As I often write multiple versions of scripts varying from 15 seconds to 10 minutes, I leverage AI to read my scripts out loud to me as I work. The tool circumvents the need for another team member to spend their afternoon reading scripts to me — which would not only be costly, but frustrating for them, as I am a bit of a perfectionist and tend to ask the AI reader to read me dozens of drafts before I am happy with the composition.
Video Director Kaveh Rezaei highlights the value AI brings to our clients, “We appreciate how AI is allowing us to save our clients’ money and iterate in shorter time frames, ultimately allowing us to focus more on the elements of our work that matter: the research, the storytelling and the creative execution.”
Still, AI plays a helpful role in the planning process. “When brainstorming how a shoot might look, we can use AI to quickly generate what backdrop options might fit the tone and goals of the campaign,” says Rezaei. “Using AI in this way allows us to show the client multiple options, without using their budget and taxpayer dollars on sample images we don’t end up using.”
Rezaei and his team also use AI in post-production, particularly for voiceover, visual effects, auto color, image stabilization and object removal. “A few years ago, we may have needed to spend time and money re-recording audio if a word was missing or re-shooting an image if it was unstable. Now, AI tools allow us to make these small adjustments to our original work quickly,” he says. Still, there are firm lines this team won’t cross. “There are some companies out there using AI audio for voiceovers. We will never be comfortable asking audiences to believe an AI voice is the same as hearing from a real Veteran, or an AI-generated image is reality.”
“I like to think of AI like a GPS system for creative development,” explains Rezaei. “We know the destination, but AI can help us determine some faster routes. We are driving the car — AI is just a helpful assistant that ensures we reach our destination smoothly.”
Aptive’s creative team is eager to continue exploring how AI tools can serve our clients. As we embrace new tools, we will always maintain the integrity of our work, and ensure that our creative remains just that, creative.
We appreciate how AI is allowing us to save our clients’ money and iterate in shorter time frames, ultimately allowing us to focus more on the elements of our work that matter: the research, the storytelling and the creative execution.
– Video Director Kaveh Rezaei
About the Author
Emmy Award-winning associate creative director Emily Hawthorne brings stories to life with imagination, heart and a sharp eye for visual impact. At Aptive, she leads creative campaigns that inspire action, elevate brands and make a difference for clients across the federal landscape.
