The Chief Executive Officer of Noah’s Ark, Mr. Lanre Adisa, has argued that the advent of technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) will avail practitioners in the sector the opportunity of a better way of carrying out their tasks, and not necessarily constitute any threat, as being feared in some quarters.
Adisa, who oversees the affairs of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Heads of Advertising Sectoral Group (HASG), stated this while responding to a question, during an interview, regarding the likelihood of AI stifling creativity in the nation’s advertising industry.
He argued that despite the far-reaching effects they would have on the industry, AI and other technologies can not function effectively without the human touch.
Adisa likened the fears being expressed in some quarters about the emerging technologies, to those expressed in the past, about the Television sounding the death knell of Radio when TV was first introduced.
The Noah’s Ark boss, however, charged industry practitioners to strive to remain relevant. He believed the only way to achieve this is by inculcating these new techs in their work culture, and brace up for whatever challenges they might bring; since they are needed to make their tasks easier.
“We are always scared of the unknown. At a point in time, Radio was a novelty. TV was a novelty. A lot of people believed the print would die because internet had been introduced.
“For me, that natural instinct of being scared is what we have to deal with. AI is just a way of doing things faster, doing it better than a human being could possibly. But there is still the role that will be played by human beings,” he added.
The AAAN’s boss hinted on the association’s plans at ensuring members stayed relevant in the ever-changing tech-induced space.
“The environment is changing rapidly. The practice is also changing. So, what is important is; how do we stay relevant in the scheme of things? Technology is making the entry level lower and lower by the day. So, for people in our business, the only way you can justify your role and competence is that you keep getting better at what you do.
“So for us, the key aim of this particular administration is how do we strengthen the industry? How do we shore up standards to ensure that we are ready for that future?” he added.
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