AI-Driven Ad Campaign Provokes Controversy
“This was our inaugural venture into this realm, yet it will undoubtedly be our final attempt for the foreseeable future,” stated the communications chief of the Metropolitan Area Transport.
A recent advertising initiative launched by the Helsinki mass transit authority has ignited both intrigue and disapproval, primarily due to the incorporation of an AI-generated animation.
In recent weeks, the campaign has prominently graced screens aboard buses, trams, and various social media platforms.
The advertisement features an animated, grey-bearded figure clad in a vibrant yellow jacket, whose expression shifts into a cheerful smile.
The accompanying text, when translated, reads: “No, not only boomers work for us.”
Yet, the character’s persona and grin are purely fabrications, rendered by artificial intelligence.
Ulla Paukku, the head of the company’s communications division, noted that they received between 20 and 30 direct messages pertaining to the ad and that it has generated considerable buzz online.
“The primary critiques revolve around concerns that artificial intelligence may jeopardize employment opportunities,” she elaborated.
Additional grievances surfaced regarding environmental accountability and the apparent lack of representation for minorities within the advertisement.
As reported by Svenska Yle, which highlighted the situation, the company had previously employed AI-generated content in its recruitment marketing last year, which drew little backlash at the time.
This year, the graphic designer aimed to push the envelope by experimenting with animated visuals, a decision supported by Paukku, who believed it would offer an opportunity to enhance the designer’s proficiency with AI.
“Artificial intelligence permeates our lives in various forms,” Paukku remarked, although she did not foresee the torrent of criticism that would ensue from this choice.
High Volume of Applications
To date, the company has amassed over 400 applications for 23 available summer roles in the capital region.
While detractors suggested the use of AI was a cost-cutting measure to sidestep hiring a traditional graphic designer, Paukku clarified that this was not the case.
“On the contrary, our intention was to empower our external graphic designer to explore AI capabilities,” she stated.
The sheer volume of discontent surprised her, leading to a realization that public sentiment towards AI appears predominantly negative.
Conversations with the graphic designer and her team have yielded reflective insights.
“This was our first experience with such an approach, but it will undoubtedly be our last for an extended period,” Paukku concluded.
Additional Issues Raised
Other critics expressed environmental concerns, accusing the company of neglecting the adverse effects AI can have on climate change.
Artificial intelligence capabilities necessitate extensive computational processing, predominantly executed in large data centers that consume vast amounts of energy.
However, Paukku contested this viewpoint, asserting, “Given that this was our initial foray into animated AI, I find it implausible that this solitary initiative has inflicted significant environmental harm. Many of us already utilize AI in various forms.”
Thus far, no complaints have arisen regarding the advertisement’s implication toward “boomers,” which some interpret as discriminatory against older demographics, according to Paukku.
Svenska Yle suggested that the ad could imply a lack of value placed on older employees, to which Paukku countered.
“That is not our stance; they are immensely valuable to us. The majority of our workforce falls within that age group, and our organization could not function without our boomers,” she affirmed.
According to her, the overarching goal of the recruitment campaign was to rejuvenate the company’s image, which could otherwise be misinterpreted as drab and overly technical.
Source link: Yle.fi.
