Marketing Chiefs react to UK’s AI Safety Summit Plans

Following meetings with the US president, Congress and business leaders, the government says the UK will host a global AI safety measure summit this autumn to evaluate the tech's “most significant risks”.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claimed the UK was the "natural place" to lead the conversation on AI with recent meetings with the bosses of leading AI firms as evidence of this.

It also highlighted the 50,000 people employed in the sector, which is said to be worth £3.7 billion to the UK.

However, with further dire warnings circulating about the potentially existential threat AI poses to humanity, global regulators are scrambling to invent new rules to contain its risks.

Who shall be attending the summit is not yet known, but the government has planned on bringing together “key countries, leading tech companies and researchers to agree safety measures”.

Mr Sunak wants to ensure the benefits of AI are "harnessed for the good of humanity” as it “has an incredible potential to transform our lives for the better, but we need to make sure it is developed and used in a way that is safe and secure."

Many have discussed how AI may impede upon the creative industries, but research shows that 73% of brands already use AI to drive success in 2023 and over 41% of marketing agencies switch to growth-oriented and AI-fuelled models.

Alfie Dawson, Founder & Executive Creative Director at Bordeaux and Burgundy added: “Artificial Intelligence presents numerous benefits to business operations across all sectors, especially when it comes to the future of the creative industries.

If deployed proportionately and correctly, AI can enable marketers and designers to deliver better work, with traditional admin tasks reduced and allow businesses to boost a test-and-learn culture to help them grow ahead of their competition.

The introduction of AI should not be seen as a threat, but an opportunity. It has already revealed some of its potential, including the ability to accomplish ten-year campaigns in one, and fears around job security for creatives should be tackled as it is here to help, not replace. Working with and not against emerging tech is an exciting way and will become best practice when designing campaigns.”

Sjuul van der Leeuw, CEO of Deployteq, commented: “Innovative tech is consistently being introduced within the creative industries and should always be considered as a tool to optimise marketing strategies. For example, the use of generative AI can play a significant role within the realm of customer engagement and email marketing, helping build tailored content.

Whilst new technologies need to be properly regulated and adopted with a level of caution, deployed correctly, they can improve rather than hinder the future of the creative industries.”