COVER INTERVIEW

campaign , intellectual property and published work from around the globe – at our fingertips .

“ It has made us agile and efficient and helped us to adapt to working in a borderless way . It is now a big part of Grey culture and has proved to be a highly effective platform during challenging times . Add emerging technologies to the mix , and the process can be turbocharged and save an immense amount of unnecessary work and time that can be applied to add value to clients instead .”

AI will enhance human creativity , not replace it It does not take long these days for talk to turn to emerging technologies , and one in particular – artificial intelligence . Rewind just over a year ago and most commentators believed that blue-collar jobs would be the ones most under threat from AI . But then in November 2022 , ChatGPT happened , the generative AI genie was let out of the lamp , and suddenly those in the creative industries were seemingly first in the firing line .

Nirvik has been in the industry longer than most , and he remains upbeat on the potential for AI to enhance rather than replace human creativity .

“ We rely on insightful , visionary and imaginative people who instinctively know how to reach an audience . Technology merely assists in bringing our visions to life ,” he says .

“ Innovative technologies find their feet fastest in creative cultures that already embrace innovation , and AI can bridge the gap in a world where time and creativity are often at odds . However , the human element is essential in leveraging and getting the most

out of AI . The quality of data matters , and what output is delivered depends on decisions that humans will make .

“ There are still tough questions surrounding AI-produced work , particularly with deepfakes , copyright and origin issues . It ' s our job to build trust for brands , and we can ' t underestimate how much AI will change the way people perceive the content they view . That ' s why our focus will be on using AI tools to enhance human-led creativity , not to replace it .”

Grey Group ’ s 100-year history When you are an agency with more than 100 years of heritage , you could be perceived as being part of the establishment , or the ‘ old school ’. In fast-moving times , and with the media landscape shifting , is that history a benefit or a hindrance to Grey Group ?

Nirvik believes it is down to “ trusting our muscle memory and collective experience ”. He says being curious and having wide-eyed ambition to never stop learning about the world helps the agency to lean into innovation .

“ Something I said a few years ago still holds for me – tech , digital , and AI are all innovations everyone has access to – but what ' s important to remember is how to make the best use of it ,” says Nirvik .

56 December 2023