Mastering the Art of AI in Content Creation

(00:00) I recently had the pleasure of speaking alongside Michelle Vincent at an event hosted by our mutual friend, Epi, who organizes the Bold Awards.

Michelle was one of the guest speakers, and it was just a few weeks before the Marketers Guild launched. From the moment I heard her insights, I knew we needed her perspective here.

Michelle is an incredible community builder and deeply involved in the creative space. When I meet a fellow community organizer, my enthusiasm kicks in, so I’m thrilled to have her with us today. Michelle, why don’t you introduce yourself and what you’re up to, and then we can dive into how AI fits into everything you’re doing. 

(00:43) Michelle: Thank you for the kind introduction, David. Great to reconnect since our last event with Epi.

The topic of AI is evolving so quickly, and it’s incredibly relevant to everything we do right now. As David mentioned, I’m the CEO of Mofilm. Mofilm started in 2007 as a creative content agency that connects brands with a global creator community of over 10,000 creators to produce diverse content.

When AI became a dominant topic in the creative world, we knew it was essential to explore what this means for our community, the implications for our business, and the path forward. So, we started investigating AI tools, experimenting, and educating our community to help them leverage AI as a creative superpower rather than feeling threatened by it. 

(02:33) I’ve brought a slide deck that reflects a bit of the talk I gave with David a couple of months ago. Since AI is rapidly advancing, I’ve updated it to reflect where we are today. First, let me gauge the room—do we have mostly marketers or creatives here? I see a few nods, so it seems like we’re all on the same page. 

(04:28) Let’s dive in. At Mofilm, we aim to empower tomorrow’s creators to embrace AI tools as creative aids rather than feel displaced by them.

The visual on the right was generated by our Executive Creative Director, using prompts through Midjourney to give a creative, AI-inspired touch. Working with our larger holding company, The Brandtech Group, we’re exploring AI investments to enhance what we can offer our clients.

Right now, the AI visuals we’re seeing, as good as they may be, are probably the worst they’ll ever be. For example, look at the progress AI-generated images have made in just a year, from awkward features and strange fingers to near-photorealistic quality. This improvement is only going to continue as AI matures.

(06:11) Many people think AI is new, but it’s been around in some form for years. For instance, in 2018, an AI-generated painting, *Portrait of Edmond de Belamy*, sold for $432,500 at Christie’s. This year, an AI-generated photo won the Sony World Photography Award. The artist who created it declined the award to make a point about AI’s place in photography. His statement—that AI and photography should not compete—raises questions about authenticity, transparency, and the role of AI in art. With AI technology here to stay, we need to determine how to integrate it responsibly and ethically.

(09:09) At Mofilm, we decided to check the pulse of our creative community regarding AI. With over 10,000 members, we wanted to understand their perspectives. About 38% felt neutral toward AI, perhaps due to uncertainty or fatigue from trends like NFTs and the metaverse. However, 40% expressed fear that AI might take over creative jobs, and another 15% weren’t sure. This means over half of our community harbors some concern about AI’s impact on their futures. Despite these mixed feelings, we knew we needed to dive in and explore the ways AI could help rather than replace them.

(10:23) When we started experimenting with AI, we were blown away by how quickly it could transform creative ideas. Take, for example, an image our Creative Director used at an AI film festival. He took a simple photo, ran it through Midjourney with the prompt “giant pink bunny mascot,” and got an imaginative and polished result almost instantly. The potential for rapid ideation is incredible, but there’s still a skill to crafting effective prompts, which is where experienced creatives excel. Using AI can be a powerful brainstorming tool, but it’s not replacing human creativity—it’s enhancing it.

(12:10) At Mofilm, we operate under the mantra “many voices are better than one.” Collaborative ideation leads to high-performing content, but it raises the question: what happens when one voice—an AI—is the only one creating? For example, research has shown bias in AI-generated images, with fewer than 20% of AI-generated depictions of professionals, like doctors or CEOs, showing women. Recognizing the biases within AI models is critical. Human oversight is essential to ensure inclusivity and prevent harmful stereotypes from creeping into AI-generated content.

(14:02) Some brands and platforms have already faced backlash from these issues. Levi’s, for example, leaned into AI-generated models, which sparked criticism from the modeling community and brand advocates concerned about displacing real people. And in another instance, an error during Google’s Bard reveal cost them a significant chunk of their stock value. Mistakes are inevitable, but AI’s risks haven’t scared brands away; rather, they’re embracing AI and pushing forward, especially when AI can be paired with human creativity.

(17:15) David: And Michelle, just curious—did the Screen Actors Guild strike, which highlighted concerns over AI’s impact on performers and writers, change views among your creators? 

Michelle: Great question. We took that initial poll early this year and started a webinar series to educate our community. We’ll survey again at the end of the year to track changes. Regarding the writers’ strike, it has huge implications for creatives and marketers alike. The recent settlement means studios can’t replace writers with AI, but writers can use AI tools in their work. For marketers, this signifies that creatives will need individual AI sandboxes that allow them to personalize AI in line with their unique voice and style. We’re even investing in technologies that will equip our creators to do this, ensuring that AI supports rather than replaces their creativity.

(20:40) It’s possible that AI could lead to smaller teams, as you mentioned, Tom, but I believe the technology will redefine roles rather than eliminate them. AI will allow teams to work more efficiently, but the need for human input and iteration in the creative process remains essential.

(23:25) David: Great points. I was surprised to learn that even in procedural shows, like *Law & Order*, writers need to be on set to make on-the-spot adjustments. It reinforces the idea that AI can support but not fully replace the creativity and flexibility required in production.

(25:38) Lam: With concerns about AI misuse, such as a book selling on Amazon created without the author’s knowledge, what’s your take on AI and copyright issues?

Michelle: Excellent question. The European AI Act is likely to set the standard on this. It will require transparency around AI-generated content, ensure models don’t infringe on copyrighted content, and potentially set up a system for royalties to compensate creators whose work is ingested by AI models. Copyright laws, which require a human author, differ from licensing, which allows use but may restrict ownership. These areas are still evolving, and it’s vital for small businesses and freelancers to understand their rights and protections as these legal frameworks take shape.

(30:42) For businesses, the broad licensing terms of platforms like ChatGPT, Runway, and Descript can be problematic. We’ve worked extensively to ensure that anything we create for clients using these tools is fully protected. Small businesses and freelancers should be especially vigilant about platform terms to ensure they’re protected.

(33:26) David: Thanks, Brooke! Any thoughts to add from a legal perspective?

Brooke: Absolutely. Reviewing terms closely is critical, especially as terms often mask their true meaning. Working with a lawyer, particularly one familiar with AI and IP law, can help navigate these nuances and protect your work. Not all lawyers are equally experienced in this area, so it’s beneficial to find one knowledgeable about AI’s legal landscape.

(35:22) David: Practically speaking, are there platforms that are particularly creator-friendly?

Brooke: OpenAI, for example, has stated they won’t mimic living authors’ voices, and some platforms even offer IP indemnity for creators. Platforms that provide such protections show they’re thinking about creators’ rights and trying to reduce the risk of infringement.

(38:46) Kate: Michelle, how do you decide when to use AI-generated versus human-created content in your campaigns?

Michelle: Great question. We’ve found that AI can accelerate the early stages of creative ideation. For example, with DoorDash, we used Midjourney to create quick visuals for storyboarding that ultimately guided the live production process. AI was used here to spark ideas, but the final product was created with real people, ensuring both authenticity and quality. We’re also guiding our community on using ChatGPT for tasks like research, audience profiling, script development, and translation. AI enhances each step of the creative process but doesn’t replace the human touch.

(43:56) David Cutler: There’s a need for practical tools in this space. Could AMG play a role in creating tools for AI-generated content and copyright management?

David: Definitely an area to explore. There are experts, like Richie Glassberg at Safeguard Privacy, who are building tools focused on these challenges. Partnering with established experts while engaging our community could be very beneficial.