Human Intelligence is an occasional series to help PBJ readers better understand how they might use AI to improve their businesses. We'll highlight takeaways and best practices shared by people who are adding AI to their products or who study the technology.
After about three years of development, Portland-based Thread Creative Studio released a generative AI tool that writes product copy for brands and e-commerce.
The tool is trained on the studio’s 15 years of copywriting and produces copy using five key words related to the product. It's designed for e-commerce customers who have high volumes of product copy. The tool streamlines the process by changing out and creating copy at scale.
Thread Creative is a full-service copywriting shop that writes copy for e-commerce, campaigns, blog posts, and more, said Sarah Lewis, Thread’s creative and strategic planner for artificial intelligence.
The studio has been developing its generative AI tool since late 2019, when Thread staffers first saw the potential for the technology in its space.
“We were at a translation summit and the translators were using AI. That’s when it started, like, ‘oh, this is something that’s happening in our industry,’” said Lewis, whose role at the studio has been to spread AI literacy among the team.
“I think one of the most important things during this time is AI literacy and having people really understand what AI is and what it can do,” she said.
We caught up with Lewis to talk about how companies can approach incorporating AI into their strategies. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
As you have been working with AI and developing this tool, what limits have you found or where does the tech not quite work? When it comes to AI, that human element is missing. Whether it’s predictive or it's learning patterns there’s biases that can be built in, especially when you are talking about general AI, where you don’t have control. I think bias is one (challenge). I think repetition and lack of creativity (is another). It depends on what you are working with, but we definitely see it in writing. AI doesn’t work without humans. Even if AI can get you 70% there, 80% there, 90% there, it needs that human touch on the other side of it. Where AI goes wrong, and not just as a tool, is (around) who is adopting it. That is where it can really go wrong (like with the eating disorder hotline that tried to replace human employees with a chatbot). It’s a lack of understanding of how to utilize it properly. There’s this feeling of urgency, that we have to use AI. AI is great in a lot of places but not without humans.
That’s a great segue into my next question. Are you making a tool that is going to put you out of a job? No. The reality is you can’t ignore the fact that with any sort of technological advancement jobs get lost. And also jobs get created. People talk about AI as if it’s something that is separate from humans, that AI will replace humans. But, like I said, AI doesn’t work without humans, not if you want to use it right and with impact. The opportunity for our industry, for brands, companies to connect further and deeper with people and consumers is made possible because of AI. AI can streamline processes, it can open up resources and spark that inspiration that saves you time to create that foundation. What that does for your writing team is that opens them to put their creativity and energy and time to other campaigns and strategy.
How should business owners or executives approach AI and all the hype? The biggest thing that I would recommend to business owners, to anyone, is to ask questions. Whether that is you read a headline and it's telling you that you can save a lot of money replacing your staff with AI, whether you have someone coming to you saying we can do this much faster and much cheaper than a human can. Question it. Because there are people who are just trying to sell what is a hot topic right now. I just think taking a moment, not getting caught up. Ask questions. What is it that you need? What are the problems that you have? What are the solutions that you think AI might be able to help you with? It’s not something to go into blindly. AI is full of opportunity, but it is something that to do right you need to understand what that even means.
