In the current race to use AI-generated content and graphics in everything, product manufacturers are being tempted to substitute it for human-generated output.

According to a LinkedIn.com/pulse article published last fall, “Generative AI can be used to automate label design and content generation. It can understand product information, regulations, branding guidelines, and user inputs to create label designs efficiently and accurately. This technology can significantly reduce the time and effort required to design labels.”

As another tool to research and brainstorm the best approaches to label creation, AI can be a great support tool. Likewise, label links (e.g., QR Code) to expanded content and information can benefit from the use of AI.

But, all of this requires an additional significant element – human critical thinking and contribution. Without this due diligence, AI can become an inaccurate, misleading, and even dangerous tool. Imagine a line of nutraceutical products carrying AI content that has not been thoroughly vetted and verified by human beings. It may sound stellar, but if not documented as truthful, it could lead consumers to buy lies that could imperil their health. In turn, that impugns a critical customer service commitment to provide complete and accurate information to consumers.

Even when AI turns out to be accurate and complete, it still may prove damaging to manufacturer reputation. Concurrent with the release of a variety of AI creation tools has been the introduction of tools to identify if content, graphics, etc. have been AI-generated. Product credibility is key to consumer comfort and loyalty. What doubts get planted if label readers determine the information they’re seeing has been created by AI?

A March 2024 SurferSEO.com article helps clarify the importance of this AI conundrum. The article notes: “There are several reasons AI content detectors have become so popular recently. If you’re a business owner who decided to outsource content writing, AI content detection can be immensely helpful in ensuring the content you receive isn’t created mindlessly using an AI tool.”

The article continues, “AI content detectors can also help uncover academic dishonesty. Since the rise of AI-generated content, numerous schools and universities have implemented them to combat different forms of cheating, most notably essays created by AI without proper research. Such tools can also improve the peer-reviewing process to rid academic publications of low-quality or inaccurate pieces.”

“Low-quality” and “inaccurate pieces” increasingly are rattling consumers. Say the word “Boeing” to most, and it becomes clear that its once lofty reputation is being called into question big-time. That translates into anxious and fearful flyers, hardly the stuff of positive customer service.

Here are key takeaways about the AI label discussion:
1. Use it as a conscientious content creator/graphic designer would: as one tool to research, brainstorm, and augment output. Just as writers typically verify claims via respected sources, so should AI-generated creations be thoroughly checked out. Even clever slogans and catchphrases merit critical review to make sure they weren’t directly copied from somewhere else (especially a direct competitor). In short, use AI chiefly to generate ideas and insights, then rely on human skill to develop the finished product.

2. Figure that nothing in AI is yet “locked down” one way or another. As this field evolves, there are claims and debunked claims everywhere. For example, even the validity of AI content detector programs is subject to major dispute. Notes a University of Maryland report from May 2023: “Is AI-Generated Content Actually Detectable?…University of Maryland computer scientists are working to answer an important question: can these detectors accurately identify AI-generated content? The short answer: No – at least, not now. ‘Current detectors of AI aren’t reliable in practical scenarios,’ said Soheil Feizi, an assistant professor of computer science at UMD. ‘There are a lot of shortcomings that limit how effective they are at detecting. For example, we can use a paraphraser and the accuracy of even the best detector we have drops from 100% to the randomness of a coin flip. If we simply paraphrase something that was generated by an LLM, we can often outwit a range of detecting techniques.’”

3. Beware of lookalike AI creation. As product manufacturing competitors begin using AI to create labels and other elements, there’s an increasing possibility that multiple manufacturers will see similar output based on their input to an AI platform. Generally, success is tied to differentiating one’s product, messaging, and branding from the crowd – not becoming part of it. Use human critical thinking to make sure what’s being created is unique (or at least unusual) to avoid looking like others.

When such digital communication as email became popular decades ago, there were rampant predictions that digital would replace print. That hasn’t happened, nor will it happen. The two co-exist. Each has benefits and downsides. And along the way, “old” became “new” again. Print direct mail campaigns are making a comeback as the “new” alternative to “junk mail” email campaigns. That junk mail was print-generated once upon a time.

In the same way (albeit with admittedly far advanced technology), AI will become a complement to human endeavor and creation – not its replacement. Proceed with this in mind.

Mark Lusky (www.markluskycommunications.com/mark-lusky-bio) is the president of Lusky Enterprises, Inc. (www.markluskycommunications.com), a 41-year-established marketing communications company dedicated to clients that live and breathe trust, likeability, and respect (thereby eschewing the “lie, cheat, steal” culture so prevalent today). Contact him at: 303-621-6136; [email protected].