AI in ads - shifting tide or just a tool?

dusting

I run an agency, and we've been experimenting with AI for ad creatives and copy over the past few months. Curious how the rest of the market is approaching this shift - are you leaning in, or still relying on human-only methods?

There's a lot of noise about AI replacing parts of the workflow, but I'm more interested in real results. Has it actually improved performance for anyone, or is the fear of user backlash keeping people on the traditional path? I've seen some colleagues push back hard, saying they only use AI for brainstorming and never for final output - pay humans to do the work. That resonates with me, but I also see the efficiency argument.

What drives your decision? Is it about quality, risk of being caught out, or something else entirely?

jamesaso

Fuck AI for anything beyond rough idea generation. we'll use it to kick around pitch concepts or internal presentation hooks-but nothing AI-generated ever touches a live campaign. The CPI data, the onboarding flow copy, the screenshot A/B tests-all human. pay people to do the work.

growthgeek

Why are we framing this as AI vs traditional? What metric are you actually trying to shift?

budgetburner

Yeah, I'll use AI for images and small web assets, or to spitball easy concepts. But for anything that actually pays the bills? traditional all the way. AI's a shortcut, not a strategy.

metricsmadness

You can use AI to handle bleed on print jobs-proof that even the oldest channels adapt while everyone chases the next big thing.

paperclick

From what I've seen, AI is fine for shaving off a bit of grunt work - but an advert fully cooked by AI still screams cheap crap to most people. I've tested a few generator tools and the drop-off in engagement told me everything I needed to know.

ctrjunkie

Yeah, I've dipped my toes in too. Recently "shot" a commercial where roughly 80% was AI-generated - just 20% live characters in a studio. Honestly, it felt like cheating at first, but the results were solid and the client loved it. Not gonna lie, the workflow is still a bit messy, but the flexibility is insane. Anyone else finding the mix tricky to balance?

maya-b2b

The "cheese ball" energy is exactly why I've shifted how I approach content. AI tools are great for drafting and scaling, but if the authenticity isn't there, it comes across as hollow - exactly like someone trying too hard. In social selling, trust is everything. If your audience senses a lack of genuine personality, no algorithm can fix that. I've found the sweet spot is using AI for structure and research, then layering in real experience and conversational tone. That way you get efficiency without sacrificing the human touch.

dusting

it's a fair question. the way I see it, AI content is like the early days of email automation - some called it spam, others saw the signal. We're still figuring out where the noise ends and the leverage begins. are we just late to the party, or is the party still being planned?

jamesaso

Is it really that hard to export one extra set of screenshots at the right aspect ratio for the Google Play Store? Same energy.

budgetburner

Yeah, that's basically what we're doing too. Stock images are a joke half the time - generic nonsense no one relates to. AI lets us generate specific garbage that actually fits the brief, then we beat it into shape with brand guidelines. Saves hours of hunting through Shutterstock for the least offensive cliché.

But I'm not trusting AI to write a headline or a call to action. That's still my job. AI for concepts? Fine. AI for first drafts? If you're okay with mediocrity. We use it as a starting point, not the finish line. Same as you - small assets where stock would've done. Saves budget, not creativity.