2024-01-16 18:44:16
by ROBERTO MARSEGLIA
The role of individual intuition in a context of dizzying technological developments. Many AI opportunities arise in the world of marketing and advertising
Doubt thou, the stars are fire,/ Doubt, that the sun doth move,/ Doubt truth to be a liar,/ But never doubt I love. Doubt that the stars are fire, / doubt that the sun moves, / doubt that the truth is a liar, / but never doubt my love: in these lines recited to Ophelia by Hamlet in Shakespeare’s play of the same name, the protagonist suggests the beloved that she can doubt what she sees and what science suggests to her, but that she cannot doubt the feelings that he feels for her and that (in all probability), vice versa, she feels for him.
Denying the evidence proposed by the observation of the universe and in general by reality is certainly a practice that in the following years partially went out of fashion and indeed the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were the centuries that proposed progress, reason and scientific method as widespread and shared.
More than four hundred years have now passed since the publication of Hamlet and today we are in an era in which extremely rapid technological progress (in English what we are witnessing is defined as an exponential growth of technology) and in which the artificial enters the life of all in a pervasive and, so to speak, even natural way. in this context the relationship between human beings and the very concept of truth and reality becomes more complicated, generating new ethical and epistemological challenges that start from the small things to reach the most important ones.
It is no secret to anyone, in fact, that the reality proposed by social networks is freely inspired by what happens in what Americans define as irl (in real life) where little lies, filters and image editing allow everyone to present yourself as rich, active, fit and aesthetically pleasing.
But there’s more. The production of realistic and plausible digital images and videos, which portray people in acts that they have never carried out and perhaps not even thought of, is now just a click away and requires citizens of digital squares to take appropriate precautions in establishing the truthfulness of what they see and hear. ; distinguishing what is real from what is not, and being able to do so in the immediate consumption of digital material, remains largely the responsibility of each individual’s nose: to paraphrase Hamlet, therefore, we must go back to trusting our sensations more and less than what we see.
In history there is a further famous example of the complicated relationship with the truth that deserves to be reconsidered with today’s eyes. In particular, the story of Saint Thomas contained in the Gospel of John, when the apostle, doubting the truth, is faced with tangible evidence of the resurrection. Jesus says: Because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are those who did not see and yet believed! Today, seeing is believing is no longer enough and, in a reversal of the evidence, we must doubt while seeing.
The impact of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is still only in its infancy, is particularly significant in the media and has recently already created some problems of some importance. For example, the dissemination of images generated by Artificial Intelligence regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas which, mistakenly interpreted as real, contributed to misinformation and the polarization of some people’s positions.
Thinking about risks and opportunities is therefore fundamental and an institutional action already in place with a commission chaired by Father Paolo Benanti. At the same time, initiatives like Ansacheck, which use blockchain to certify the origin of news, are emerging as potential solutions to, at least in part, counteract the spread of false information, demonstrating that the same technology that poses challenges can also offer solutions.
Among the enormous opportunities of this technology, many lie in the world of marketing and advertising. AI is indeed revolutionizing the way content is created and distributed. Example: the emergence of virtual influencers such as Aitana Lopez, a virtual model created by AI, who has received great following and popularity on social media, with over 120 thousand followers on Instagram.
This phenomenon is not confined to the European continent alone. In Asia, for example, AI-mediated digital influencers are becoming increasingly numerous, with China standing out for its use of digital clones to continuously produce content and drive online sales. These developments offer unprecedented opportunities but also raise concerns about the authenticity of product messages and reviews.
The future of Artificial Intelligence in publishing and digital marketing at the beginning of a fascinating and complex journey. These emerging technologies will continue to challenge our traditional conceptions of creativity, authenticity and human interaction. Virtual models like Aitana Lopez are redefining the boundaries between reality and virtuality, outlining a future in which the limit between human and digital becomes increasingly blurred.
This new scenario presents both unique challenges and opportunities, requiring a balance between accepting the potential of AI and safeguarding the principles of authenticity and truth in which, pace Hamlet, our intuition, creativity and emotion — along with right technologies — will have to distinguish us and contribute to a balanced orientation.
The author of the article
Roberto Marseglia (Milan, 1988), after obtaining his PhD in Automation and control in Pavia, and spending a period of study in the United States (at MIT in Boston and in Berkeley), works as a consultant in the field of digital transformation and innovation with main focus on Artificial Intelligence.
January 16, 2024 (modified January 16, 2024 | 10:36)
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