Diego Lastra

Among the many things that I’ve been worrying about in the last few months, one may seem quite strange: I’m worried that AI is going to destroy the internet. What I mean about is that the explosion of AI tools, bots, and AI-generated content is quickly changing how people interact with others and with brands online. In the race to drive and grow user engagement, more and more websites—social media in particular—are relying more and more on a barrage of quick AI-generated updates.

Don’t let automation undermine what makes advertising effective: the human element. There can be no doubt that in the rapidly and constantly evolving landscape of digital marketing, artificial intelligence is dominating the conversation. Vendors are rushing to deploy AI-based solutions for campaign optimization, machine learning, consumer targeting based on behavioral data, data analysis, etc.

The new media landscape is opening doors to new content, but it’s also closing the doors to important content that minority audiences need. We all know how much the rise of streaming has changed the way we interact with and consume entertainment. It has also caused a seismic shift in content producers’ approach to production and distribution. Networks used to allow their shows time to develop creatively and grow their audience.