The pope wore Balenciaga, and Biggie Smalls returned from the dead to sing a Nas song. Or did they?

Generative AI has created startlingly lifelike, otherworldly images, showcasing the immense power of this emerging technology. Companies worldwide are now wondering how (or if) to integrate AI into their operations. Can humans and machines enhance each other’s strengths? Are some projects better suited for humans and others for AI? Here are some ways to gain clarity on how businesses can approach this emerging tech.

AI is becoming adept at many “human” jobs, from providing customer service, writing emails, and diagnosing diseases to translating languages—improving at breakneck speed—understandably raising reasonable fears that AI will come to replace human workers across industries. But according to Harvard Business Review, “that’s not the inevitable, or even most likely, outcome… While AI will radically alter how work gets done and who does it, the technology’s larger impact will be in complementing and augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them.” Many companies are leaning into AI to automate processes, but according to HBR, “those that deploy it mainly to displace employees will see only short-term productivity gains.”

HBR researched 1,500 companies and found that the organizations achieved the most significant performance improvements when collaboration reigned and humans and machines worked together. The collaborative intelligence of humans and AI work synergistically, enhancing each other’s complementary strengths. For humans, creativity, leadership, teamwork, and social skills—and AI, speed, quantitative capabilities, and scalability. What comes easily for humans can be hard for machines—like writing a joke, and what’s simple for machines can be impossible for humans (like analyzing gigabytes of statistical data). Companies that leverage the power of the humans working for them and emerging AI come out on top.

Say hello to “cobots”—robots moving from potentially dangerous and “dumb” industrial machines to become smart, context-aware cobots working in tandem with humans, not apart. For example, a cobot arm in an automotive factory may handle challenging repetitive actions that require heavy lifting. In contrast, the person handles more nuanced tasks that demand dexterity and human judgment, like putting together a gear motor.

In the more creative sphere, AI can uplevel creative efforts. Autodesk’s Dreamcatcher AI can augment the imagination of even the most maverick of designers. Say, for example, that a furniture designer provides Dreamcatcher with information about a design concept, like a bench that should:

  • Seat at least three people
  • Support 500 lbs.
  • 24” high
  • Made of ecologically sustainable materials
  • Cost less than $125

The designer can input additional information, like other benches, that they find inspiring. Dreamcatcher then concepts thousands of designs that match the criteria, often sparking ideas that the designer might have yet to consider or dream up. The designer can then guide the software by winnowing down which benches they like or don’t like, leading to a new round of concept designs. Through each conceptual iteration, Dreamcatcher calculates all needed to ensure that each proposed bench design meets the specified criteria, freeing the designer to focus on uniquely human strengths like aesthetic sensibilities and professional judgment.

 

In short, here is when AI is smart to use and when it’s not.

Use AI for:

Automation

By automating routine tasks using AI, you can free up human resources to focus their energies on more creative and complex work, like in the Dreamcatcher bench concept example.

Detailed Data Analysis

Large amounts of complex data can be analyzed with AI to glean deep insights. Doctors and research facilities use this technology to refine disease diagnosis, and economists leverage AI to understand macroeconomic trends better.

Predictive Analytics

Future outcomes can be predicted using historical data. AI can extrapolate trends that can be predictive, which can be incredibly useful for sales and marketing, financial projections, and more.

Personalized recommendations

A hallmark feature of AI is its ability to personalize content and services for individuals using their preferences and insights from past behavior. For example, AI can recommend products based on someone’s browsing and purchase history, crafting a unique user experience that feels more bespoke.

 

Don’t use AI for:

Human expertise needed:

AI cannot replace human expertise in many fields; while great at automated tasks, AI does not possess human intuition or emotional history, which figures into all creative fields. Screenwriting requires a person to draw from lived experience to craft resonant stories, something innately human.

Professional judgment:

Understanding the context of a situation and how it relates to a project or work is best left to humans, who have the emotional and psychosocial background to ascribe meaning and value to different circumstances. For example, McDonald’s has tailored its menu offerings for all the countries it operates in, considering taste variance and other cultural nuances.

Work that is sensitive to bias:

AI systems can perpetuate bias and discrimination. If there are ethical concerns around using AI—don’t. There is demonstrated bias against people of color and the accuracy of certain types of insights; for example, facial recognition algorithms are often trained to recognize a white person more easily than a black person, which can negatively impact people, hindering equal opportunity and stoking oppression.

 

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Takeaway

AI has the potential to transform whole industries in the same way that personal computers and the internet previously revolutionized how we live and work. It is a powerful tool—but only when used responsibly.

Business leaders who want their companies to thrive technologically must use their workers and machines intelligently. Let machines do what they do best: sift through immense amounts of data and recommend courses of action. And let humans do what they do best: utilize good judgment and intuition to select the best options from available choices. And to keep top of mind that combined forms of intelligence lead to superior outcomes than when separated.

 

About the author.

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

Finding the sweet spot between valuing your work and striking a fair salary deal is a total game-changer for both job seekers and employers. Whether you’re a candidate aiming to earn what you’re truly worth or an employer seeking to optimize compensation and attract top talent, understanding the value of work is paramount. Here are our tips on how to secure a competitive salary that’s a win-win for both clients and candidates!

Step 1: Conduct Thorough Research

Before engaging in any salary negotiation, conducting thorough research is crucial. Explore industry-specific salary ranges, job market trends, and local economic factors. Resources like Creative Circle’s Salary Guide offer valuable insights tailored to the unique needs of both candidates and employers via a fully digital experience. This knowledge equips candidates with a clear understanding of their worth and helps employers make informed compensation decisions.

Step 2: Assess Your Unique Value Proposition

Candidates should assess their unique value proposition, considering their accomplishments, experience, and skills. By recognizing their strengths and the value they bring to the table, candidates can confidently articulate their worth during salary discussions. Employers, too, should assess the value candidates can add to their organization and ensure that their compensation decisions align with that value.

Step 3: Define an Equitable Salary Range

We all know that salary transparency is key to building trust between employers and their employees. Based on thorough research and self-assessment, candidates should determine a realistic salary range that reflects their value and aligns with their financial goals. This step is about assessing the value added by both candidates and employers, with the aim of establishing a fair compensation structure that recognizes a candidate’s worthwhile understanding of the employer’s budgetary considerations.

Step 4: Navigate Negotiations Confidently

Approach salary negotiations with confidence, understanding the importance of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. Clearly articulate your skills, experience, and contributions, highlighting how they can benefit both candidates and employers. By engaging in open and constructive discussions, both parties can work towards a positive outcome that aligns with their respective goals and interests. Remember to stay focused on effectively communicating your value and advocating for what you believe is fair.

Mastering the art of valuing work and optimizing compensation benefits both candidates and employers alike. By following these steps, candidates can increase their chances of earning what they’re worth, while employers can attract top talent and make informed compensation decisions.

Remember, for candidates seeking to maximize their earning potential and employers aiming to optimize compensation decisions, Creative Circle’s Salary Guide offers valuable insights tailored to the unique needs of both candidates and employers. Gain hiring and career insights tailored to your role and unlock your full potential.

 

Explore the Salary Guide here.

The 2023 job market has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, see-sawing up and down—so it makes sense if you’re looking for a way to gain an edge over your peers. Recent research from ResumeBuilder shows that Chat GPT may be the latest in-demand job skill companies seek when hiring creatives. According to data gathered from a survey of 1,000 American business managers, 90% said that having ChatGPT experience listed on a resume is a plus for jobseekers.

Chat GPT is part of the burgeoning generative AI tech taking the world by storm. A 2022 study by McKinsey found that businesses had doubled their use of AI in the last five years. If that scares you, it may be time to reframe your thinking (though we will get into some of the controversy around this tech a bit later).

Generative AI can augment the capability of workers by doing tedious tasks that would otherwise take up time, freeing one up to do work that is more creative or conceptual. You are still in charge, you just have more freedom to dream, think big, and create.

Nearly half (49%) of the companies surveyed by ResumeBuilder already use ChatGPT to draft meeting summaries, write code, create content, or assist with customer support. Of the companies surveyed that are not yet on the generative AI bus, 30% plan to start using it, and a whopping 85% will begin within the next six months.

One way to look at this new tech is that it’s the same as other in-demand skills, like PowerPoint, and candidates familiar with this emerging field will have a leg up on those not yet comfortable using the latest tech tools. Generative AI will continue to entrench itself into the fabric of our professional (and personal) lives, making it an increasingly important skill. Layering knowledge of generative AI into your arsenal of creative skills will help you stand out today.

Since its launch in late 2022, ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies have swept the tech world by storm. Companies like Microsoft and Canva have incorporated this type of AI into their products, opening new possibilities. But this new technology has also raised some concerns for creatives that their expertise may become obsolete with the rise of these new tools.

48% of the business managers surveyed by ResumeBuilder shared that ChatGPT has already replaced workers. With companies like Canva augmenting their creative AI offerings, job displacement is a fear for designers as these new AI design tools proliferate. There is growing concern that some creative jobs may become increasingly automated and that the threat of decreased creativity looms for those still employed.

So, what can designers and creatives do to protect themselves from the potential challenges of generative AI?

One way to stay ahead is to master this new tech and use that knowledge as a differentiating skill on your resume. Staying ahead of the curve and keeping current with emerging developments in the AI space, particularly as they relate to design and creative endeavors, will allow you to grow your skills and expertise and figure out how to leverage this tech to work for you.

Hiring managers want to see what you can accomplish using this new tech—so play around and create a small trove of work generated with ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. Employers want to see that you are on the vanguard of what’s new and are excited to explore what’s possible with new tech—which is valuable no matter your industry.

If you want to enhance your Chat GPT and generative AI skills, there are various training and certification courses available online from Coursera and other e-learning platforms.

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Takeaway

Learning to use Chat GPT and generative AI may offer you a smart competitive edge over your peers. Consider staying ahead of the curve and positioning yourself as an early adopter of new tech to ensure you can be noticed and succeed in this dawning age of AI.

Job ads can be just as telling as interviews. From tone to language, job ads can help you understand what the job culture and boundaries look like. From our Creative Circle audience to yours, here are the things you absolutely must know when applying for jobs. Save these job ad tips and your future self will surely thank you!

1. 

*GASP* The nerve of this client!

2. 

*Insert vague and generic job description here*

3. 

Make it make sense!

4. 

5. 

6. 

Salary transparency is a must!

7. 

We want a unicorn with ALL the skills but NONE of the pay 🙂

8. 

9. 

No one. Literally, no one likes surprises during interviews.

Say hello to everything designed all at once—sales decks, social media posts, party invites, logos, brand assets, and more. Australia-based Canva, the seemingly ubiquitous web-based design platform, has wooed over 125 million people with an intuitive user interface—or UI—that makes it easy to design almost anything within its app. Canva is treating AI as a natural extension of its interface.

And now, after adding 40 million new users over just the last six months, the company has announced a momentous makeover of its platform. Canva introduced a colossal suite of new brand assets and generative AI-powered design tools as part of its Visual Worksuite, intended to help companies streamline their content creation efforts. Canva is the first company to integrate ChatGPT-style AI across its suite of products—making a convincing case for AI as a type of UI, part of CEO Melanie Perkins’ decade-long singular vision to make Canva operate as efficiently as possible.

There are now new ways to create custom presentations and image templates, automatically sync video footage to music, and translate words in designs into more than 100 different languages. Canva has added new tools that cater to marketing and creative organizations via a new “Brand Hub,” where companies can store style guides, quickly scale marketing assets, and even replace logos and images across all of a company’s designs.

“We’re infusing magic across the entirety of our products,” shared Perkins in an interview with Fast Company. “Magic” here is not just a sparkly descriptor but the word Canva uses to describe its new AI-infused suite of products. All the company’s new AI tools have the prefix “Magic.” The “Magic Eraser” can delete anything from an image, like people or errant objects. “Magic Edit” can replace an object with something else, and “Magic Design” selects personalized templates for any images you upload and can craft an entire presentation seemingly from the ether, including text and images. “Magic Write” generates text and a text-to-image feature the company says has been tested by a whopping 60 million users.

Most of these new features are designed to democratize creating content like presentations, social media graphics, and advertising materials that were not recently accessible to those without professional design experience or designers on staff.

Canva has positioned itself as a game-changer for individuals and Fortune 500 companies alike, including L’Oréal, Starbucks, FedEx, Zoom, and Salesforce, indicating that its design tools are increasingly the gold standard for large enterprises.

Canva is just one of several design-platform juggernauts rapidly rolling out new generative AI features. Adobe recently unveiled its Firefly platform, which features several new AI-driven tools; Microsoft introduced a new text-to-image generator for Bing and Edge, updates for AI image creator Midjourney, and more. Simply put, the AI sector is growing fast—according to a recent report by Pitchbook, the global market is expected to reach $42.6 billion in 2023.

All these innovations are leading to a brand-new era where anyone with a dollar and a dream can and will be able to create something. While the hype is huge, there are major concerns about the misuse of copyrighted materials and worries about potentially harmful misinformation that have brands and marketers wary of dancing into legal grey zones. Gartner research released in December 2022 found that 705 marketers surveyed feel that ethical AI will be a top concern by 2025. And professional designers and creatives are concerned that with the advent of these new tools, their expertise may become obsolete.

Job displacement is a fear for graphic designers as these new AI design tools proliferate. Will their jobs become automated, leaving them out of work? As generative AI takes off, designers worry that they will soon be replaced by computers that can create faster and more accurately than a human can match. Another concern is the threat of decreased creativity. As AI algorithms become better at generating designs, many fear that creativity will be stifled and forced to rely on a pre-existing machine-created templates and designs, which could lead to the homogenization of design, with an increasingly narrow range of templates and styles coming to dominate the visual ecosphere.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Elon Musk, the billionaire bad boy entrepreneur and founder of Tesla, and the co-founder of OpenAI, the U.S. firm that developed the popular generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, has actually been one of the most vocal critics of AI, warning that one day it may pose a threat to humanity. Yikes. “One of the biggest risks to the future of civilization is AI,” Elon Musk shared with those attending the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Is there anything designers can do to protect themselves from the potential pitfalls of AI?

The first thing is to stay ahead of the curve by keeping current on the latest AI developments to maintain skills and expertise.

Also, it may pay off to focus on developing a unique style and voice that is not easily replicable by machine. Think of incorporating hand-drawn sketches and illustrations in new and innovative ways.

Consider collaborating with developers and designers to craft designs that computers cannot make. Use the growing adoption of AI as an opportunity to be even more creative.

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Bottomline

Generative AI offers exciting new opportunities for creativity and innovation, but questions abound about how exactly it will impact the lives of creatives. By staying ahead of the curve and embracing collaboration and retrenched creativity, you can help ensure that you are well-positioned to thrive in the age of AI.

1. Social media is the intern’s job

Working in social requires brand intimacy, strategy, implementation, and content analysis. Also, one slip-up could cause a whirlwind of negative attention for the company — it’s not the role to give the most junior person on the team.

2. Social media professionals are also social media influencers

Building a popular personal account will not necessarily make you a qualified social media professional. Your personal account, good or bad, is not a reflection of your professional skill.

3. We’re not Emily in Paris

Unfortunately, our days are not spent taking random pictures, going to posh parties, or dating French chefs. We’re most likely analyzing data or creating a strategy and content.

4. A post must be viral to be successful

Success depends on your strategic goals. Non-viral posts can be just as, if not more, successful than viral ones.

5. Followers>engagement

Followers mean nothing if no one is engaging. Ever seen those accounts with 17k followers, but 32 likes and 0 comments?

Marketing is all about using the right words to elicit a reaction in the intended audience, so it can be bewildering as a job seeker to spend countless hours poring over listings that leave you questioning if you’re better off setting up a folding table on your street corner with a sign that reads: “Will make content for food.”

The language used in job ads matters—a lot. A well-written job advertisement can be the difference between applying for the role and not. Specific terms can alienate certain candidates—and some lists of qualifications read more laundry list than realistic. Simply put—words matter.

Here are five RED flags to look for in marketing job ads. Do your current—and future—self a favor and save these tips when searching for new opportunities.

 

🚩# 1: Beware of Biased Language

Ads that use phrases such as “hit the ground running” should make you think about running in the opposite direction. Typically, this line can point to jobs with little to no onboarding process, and you are expected to pick up the leftover mess(es) of whoever came before you.

Any mention of being a “family” can mean the company cares little about work/life balance, worker autonomy, and time boundaries.

Then there’s “wears lots of hats,” which could mean the company expects you to complete the workload of multiple positions for only one salary. Say hello to possible burnout, resentment, lower rates of productivity, and higher turnovers.

And beware of the use of words like “ninja,” “rockstar,” or “unicorn.” What works for a can of beer does not work for a job ad. These terms, in particular, turn off female candidates. Employers should post job ads with neutral, straightforward titles, like “Engineer” or “Account Executive,” to attract the most diverse candidates.

Smart Tip: If you see something, say something—don’t be afraid to incorporate questions about questionable language during the interview process. Ask about employee turnover rates, the history of the position you’re applying for, the actual working hours, and company expectations on after-hours communication.

 

🚩 #2: “Boilerplate” Job Ads

If it seems like you’ve read the ad before and it gives you no real insight into clear job responsibilities or duties, you may be applying for a company with little knowledge of marketing and what it takes to succeed in the role. Here are two big red flags:
No mention of a team or department
“Sales” is listed as a job duty

Language like this telegraphs that you are likely looking at a role where you may be the only person running the marketing show—not part of a marketing team.

Smart Tip: If the job description is vague and there are no clearly listed tasks, research whether there is a whole team or marketing department or if it’s a marketing team of one at the company. Ask directly about the history of the role and what the company considers as successes and failures of folks who had previously held the positions.

 

🚩#3: No Salary Job Ads

In the dawning age of pay transparency laws across the country, any company not providing a salary band or starting salary for an advertised role is raising a big red flag, indicating that the company negotiates salary based on each candidate—opening a can of ethics worms as women and people of color often make considerably less than their white, male counterparts.

No mention of a salary band can signify that the company doesn’t value workers as team members but merely sees them as cogs in a machine. If there is no mention of what you will be making if hired for the role, you will likely struggle with being valued in the company, which may indicate little potential for growth.

Smart Tip: Asking about salary isn’t taboo! An employer should expect to hear this question during an interview, so feel free to apply and inquire about the salary band for the role. As much as the company is interviewing you—you’re also interviewing the company. Don’t settle for less than what your work is worth.

 

🚩#4: Unpaid Sample Project Requests

Beware of this common pitfall. While a potential employer should do the due diligence and ask about your previous work experience, references to contact, and see examples of past projects—a line must be drawn when a company asks you to complete a pitch or do some other type of free work under the guise of a “sample project” for consideration for the role. See this for what it is: taking advantage of your labor. If it’s a dream position and you genuinely don’t mind doing the work, that’s your call. But for it to be a requirement in the application process is a giant red flag and indicates how you will likely be treated as an employee should you accept a role.

Smart Tip: Remember: if an application/interview process makes you uncomfortable, that’s a sign that your employment there is also likely to as well. If asked to do a sample project, politely ask the hiring manager what they are compensating candidates for this work. If they insist that candidates are doing the work for free, ask yourself if this is a place you want to call your next professional home.

 

🚩#5: No Mention of Benefits

If a full-time job offer does not come with benefits, consider it a significant sign that they’re not trying to attract top talent but rather see you as a cog with little worth. Companies looking to fill slots are not interested in investing in the fullest potential of their employees, and it likely signals that their organization is likely rife with low productivity and high turnover rates.

Smart Tip: When in doubt, ask. Inquire what benefits are offered and dig into the details—there’s more than just health insurance. Ask about vacation time, 401K, fertility benefits, life insurance, continuing education benefits, and more. If you care about the organization’s ethics, ask questions like “do LGBTQIA+ employees receive domestic partner benefits?” Remember, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask questions about demographics you don’t fit into—how else will we evolve the workplace toward a more equitable place?

 

Bottom Line

Tap into your gut. If things feel off in the courting stage, it will likely feel off if you accept a job with the company. Remember that as a marketing professional, you are essential to a company’s success. Marketing is pivotal for the growth of all organizations, and those in marketing deserve employers who respect their time, work, rights, and boundaries.