By Namita Gupta-Hehl, Global Head of Audience Experience and Engagement, SAP
Since the very beginning, humans have used stories to connect. From cave drawings and spoken tales to some of the world’s finest literary masterpieces, storytelling has been passed down through the generations. Eventually came digital media, bringing in a whole new era of photos, videos, audiobooks, online articles, and even short social media posts. This gave stories a whole new way to be told!
I love getting lost in books, being swept away by the worlds created by words. Visual storytelling, through films and streaming content, offers another captivating avenue. Now, storytelling is on the brink of a new era, propelled by generative AI (GenAI), a technology capable of crafting original content. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize how stories are conceived and shared, opening exciting possibilities for creators and audiences alike.
Despite the exciting potential of GenAI in storytelling, there was an initial fear that AI would replace storytellers entirely. However, a shift in perspective has emerged.
GenAI is not here to steal the show; it’s here to collaborate. A key aspect of this collaboration is creating a more engaging experience for audiences. Will GenAI still take away the creative jobs? I strongly feel that we’re heading towards a future where genAI and humans co-exist and collaborate, rather than compete against each other.
How GenAI Augments Creativity
Telling great stories takes time and effort. You need to dig through data, keep up with audience interests, and brainstorm until you find a winning idea. This is where GenAI tools come in. They can do the heavy lifting of research, like analyzing competitors and target audiences. By compiling this data, you can create more compelling, targeted content while freeing up time to focus on turning insights into captivating stories.
Have ever found yourself in a writer’s rut? Also here, GenAI is an ideal companion. Thanks to the chat-like interfaces, you can use AI tools as a writing partner to bounce ideas back and forth and get those creative juices flowing. More times than not, GenAI will contribute a response that sparks something in your brain and unlocks your creativity.
Moreover, GenAI democratizes content creation, making it accessible to a wider audience. Even those who wouldn’t consider themselves natural writers can leverage genAI to generate initial drafts or create images to explain complex topics. This ease allows everyone to better articulate their thoughts and communicate effectively.
Standing Out in the GenAI-Powered Era
While GenAI excels at crunching data and generating content at scale, it’s crucial to remember that it can inherit biases from the data it’s trained on. Human oversight remains essential to ensure content is fair, unbiased, and ethically sound. The core of compelling content lies in solving human problems, and GenAI can’t grasp these nuances on its own. This is where the human element steps in, leveraging GenAI-generated content as a springboard to weave in personal anecdotes and experiences that differentiate your content.
For instance, in a travel blog, GenAI can provide factual information, but it can’t capture the thrill of an unexpected detour or a heartwarming interaction with a local. The human perspective is the secret sauce that makes an impact and forges a connection with the reader.
To make the most of GenAI, it’s crucial to remember that it is a tool that requires skillful use. Effective prompt engineering is key, as the output is only as good as the input. Learning prompt engineering basics and understanding GenAI’s capabilities is the best place to start. Additionally, it’s important to be aware of potential issues like hallucinations and plagiarism in AI-generated content. Human critical thinking is essential to ensure information is reliable and presented ethically.
In essence, GenAI streamlines the content creation process, while humans infuse it with the emotional intelligence and storytelling magic that builds connections with audiences.
The Way Forward
Imagine GenAI as your ultimate storytelling copilot. It’s there to support you every step of the way, freeing you up. Need help researching a topic? GenAI can find the perfect information. Stuck during brainstorming? Use GenAI as a sounding board to spark new ideas.
This frees you up to focus on what you do best – adding the emotional, human touch that truly connects with your audience. GenAI can’t replicate human experience, empathy, and the power of a well-told story.
Think of it like this: GenAI provides the logical foundation (logos) for your story, but the heart and soul (ethos and pathos) still come from you.
As Reese Witherspoon said at SAP Sapphire, “…you’ve got to get in there, because tech can only do so much, but then we must layer our own creativity on top of it. We must layer our own humanity on top of it, our own ethics.”
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