Day 27: Artificial Intelligence

100% artist proof

Kenau is known as one of the best people in the world for manufacturing fake strawberries. It seems that if you are looking for that extra pop in your ice cream photo shoot, she can fake it better than most.
Why is it that we have gravitated towards selecting products and people based on an artificial projection of what they intended to be, rather than developing the skills to select something on what it actually is? I am as guilty as the next person. The beauty shoot Kristian did for us at speedo ultimately was a composite of six different photos and, as with all fashion photos, was stretched by 15% to make the model appear longer and slimmer.

Dove's campaign for real beauty was a valiant attempt (which ultimately failed) to deprogram our intelligence of the artificial; the heart felt belief that the best thing for us, is a thing that does not exist. The UK's stand on manipulated images in advertising is encouraging yet the tsunami of reality TV keeps pushing consumerism to new levels of artifice.

Is this what is needed to prepare mankind for life in an information age, the anthropocene mind? Perhaps the ability to navigate fake is the most important skill that our children and the next generation need to learn. As the cultural nuance necessary for 'fitness' becomes more and more refined, our abilities need to evolve along with capabilities to modulate reality. The challenge though is that most people are not seeing the difference and like the boiled frog become consumed by the desire to consume. One billion obese people meet one billion starving people in a world of manufactured intent.

Last week I asked the question if there is an alternative to the hockey curve growth model in business planning. This week I ask if there needs to be a go-to-market strategy that delivers truth? Do businesses who try and out-compete each other for the most desirable fake, ultimately hollow out their ability to innovate on core value? With all their efforts focussed on engineering "engagement" shifting attention and resources away from creating post transactional purpose. Can we bring intelligent integrity to this artificial EQ?