MOLLY WOOD: Right this moment I’m speaking to James Thomas, world head of expertise at Dentsu Artistic, about his group’s early expertise with generative AI at work. Dentsu is among the world’s largest world artistic companies and was additionally one of many first to check out Copilot for Microsoft 365 as a part of Microsoft’s Early Entry Program. James has a report from the entrance strains. He shares how incorporating generative AI into on a regular basis operations has reworked his crew’s workflows. And he talks about what enterprise leaders ought to consider as they start getting their arms on this expertise too. James, thanks a lot for becoming a member of us.
JAMES THOMAS: Thanks for having me. It’s nice to be right here.
MOLLY WOOD: Okay, so Dentsu was one of many first corporations to check out Microsoft’s Copilot as a part of its Early Entry Program. Inform us about it. What has the expertise been like for the groups that took it out for a check drive?
JAMES THOMAS: Yeah, so, an enormous quantity of individuals wished to get their arms on it. Sadly, we didn’t have that many licenses. However the fortunate 300 or in order that bought entry is known as a actual recreation changer. Lots of people can’t see themselves going again to how they used to work earlier than. Folks see the efficiencies. They see the standard of their output being improved and the standard of their collaboration, notably in artistic roles. You already know, lots of time is spent planning—advanced manufacturing conferences and artistic periods the place lots of notes and lots of motion and subsequent steps are wanted to be created, lots of advanced budgetary Excel paperwork to handle, even simply summarizing a protracted e mail chain. You already know, these financial savings and efficiencies are enormous. It means individuals can get straight onto the duties that they’re presupposed to do.
MOLLY WOOD: How has AI impacted the artistic course of at Dentsu?
JAMES THOMAS: So within the precise artistic course of itself, you understand, ideation, we’d sometimes work with a consumer in what we name a chemistry session, which is, you understand, we get everybody in a room, we’ll actually simply form of collaborate, provide you with some nice concepts over a number of hours. Sometimes then what occurs is we’d go away as an company and we might come again, you understand, days, weeks, generally even months later with some artistic therapy, visualizations of those concepts, proper? And, uh, it’s taken months to even get to that stage. By utilizing Copilot in Groups and DALL-E, we are able to ideate whereas we’re within the room with a consumer. We are able to sketch down concepts into Phrase and have ChatGPT develop that out into thought out concepts. We are able to create visualizations in DALL-E. The laborious bit with artistic is making an attempt to convey different individuals on board with the thought you will have in your head. And, uh, the extra artistic the thought, the tougher it’s to attempt to get it to individuals. So the thought of with the ability to actually visualize issues in a short time or simply take a number of strains of copy and all of a sudden flip that into some form of proposal is large. And once more, it simply means we are able to get going quick with the consumer. We all know the place the lifeless ends are and we all know, proper, that is the precise thought. And it simply helped us to iterate quite a bit sooner. I believe lots of these use instances are ones we hadn’t considered earlier than. You already know, creatives, I believe it’s truthful to say, have been fairly apprehensive about this expertise when it was changing into extra widespread, you understand, like, like lots of us—what does it imply for the long run, their work, their jobs, humanity—however, you understand, now I believe artistic individuals have seen that it’s truly only a device of their toolkit and it means they will get to their concepts quite a bit sooner. In reality, because the Copilot deployment at Dentsu has proven, yeah, we’ve bought a ready listing of hundreds. We are able to’t get these instruments in individuals’s arms quick sufficient.
MOLLY WOOD: What was that preparation like? As a result of I do assume the artistic realm is kind of an area the place the straightforward reply is, we’ll get all this effectivity and that may enable us extra time to be artistic. However discuss somewhat bit extra concerning the evolution, like as you began to find, oh, this works within the means of being artistic as effectively.
JAMES THOMAS: I believe everyone seems to be utilizing it in several methods. What we have now performed very well, due to Dominic Shine, our CIO, and Brian Klochkoff, who’s enabling all these providers at Dentsu in a scaled means, we have now actually nice workplace hour conferences, city halls, the place the entire customers are coming collectively, sharing their very own suggestions and methods they’ve discovered. Um, so we’ve actually put lots of work into serving to individuals know find out how to use it.
MOLLY WOOD: What do you think about as you go ahead and finally all people has this, and these efficiencies begin to pile on prime of one another? What do you think about that may enable?
JAMES THOMAS: Effectively, that’s an amazing query. I believe notably, and I can solely actually communicate for artistic, however what we’ve been battling towards for fairly a number of years is that want from CMOs for nearly limitless content material—simply continuous content material, new variations, new iterations for brand new channels and all the things else. Due to that, and since lots of the workflows have been guide, you would automate some issues, however what it meant was creatives have been actually up towards it, overloaded, proper? And so they have been simply churning out numerous completely different iterations and never having the time to spend on the upfront artistic thought. The concept of with the ability to use AI and expertise to generate content material, generate copy, generate photos, it frees up the time that creatives must be artistic. Creativity just isn’t a quick course of, normally. You want time, you want area to assume via these concepts. But when you understand, oh, I’ve bought to create a thousand variations of this concept, I don’t have too lengthy to consider the thought in itself. I’ve to get on and make all these variations. But when I do know I can provide you with a extremely nice thought, marketing campaign, set of property that I can take quite a bit longer to do, after which use generative AI and different expertise to assist scale that, infinitely virtually, then that’s an amazing place to be. And that’s what everybody needs. Everybody needs the absolute best thought.
MOLLY WOOD: Speak somewhat bit extra concerning the help within the artistic course of. You already know, I’ve spoken to people who find themselves utilizing ChatGPT, for instance, to brainstorm concepts or, you understand, please problem me on this, or to form of bat round ideas. I ponder how a lot of that’s taking place with you, that precise interplay within the artistic course of and iterating and possibly utilizing these instruments to proceed to generate or enhance in your concepts.
JAMES THOMAS: Nobody likes to begin with a clean web page. You already know, it turns into very fast and simple to only throw down a number of concepts, get them scaled out into, you understand, from one line right into a paragraph, from a paragraph right into a proposal. However then it additionally permits you to—as a result of you will get extra concepts out, it means you may hopefully get to a greater thought faster. Once more, all this stuff enable for extra creativity, and it helps while you’re promoting the thought to individuals since you will be like, look, that is the message, however look, right here’s how we inform it to your 10 completely different audiences.
MOLLY WOOD: You’ve been utilizing this for some time and it, you understand, kind of sounds prefer it’s sunk in for you, however was there a second when it blew your thoughts?
JAMES THOMAS: Yeah, I imply, a few issues that maintain wowing me each time is, you understand, I spend my life in conferences, on Groups largely, and the be aware taking, the transcribing, and the motion steps—and likewise, should you be part of a gathering late then simply form of recapping what’s occurred to this point. The accuracy is unbelievable and I’m again to again in conferences, so sadly, very often I’m somewhat bit late for the following one. I can hit recap assembly and I’ll be in control immediately. It’s far more correct than the assembly notes I take or anybody else I do know takes. So that’s at all times an enormous one for me. And likewise, I journey quite a bit and I get lots of emails. So catching up on emails is at all times a fairly daunting job whereas on the transfer or getting back from vacation. And now simply with the ability to summarize lengthy e mail chains in Outlook with Copilot is nice. I don’t want to take a seat via these 30 emails on this one topic. I can get a two-paragraph abstract on what’s occurred and who’s doing what.
MOLLY WOOD: So let’s speak about recommendation to enterprise leaders when it comes to adopting this and integrating it into a corporation, particularly within the artistic business, as a result of such as you mentioned, there may be— [interruption] What occurred?
JAMES THOMAS: In order that’s my computerized cat timer. And it’s my voice telling my cat it’s meal time. Fairly embarrassing.
MOLLY WOOD: That’s unbelievable. You actually have all of it. You could have all of the toys.
JAMES THOMAS: Yeah, I didn’t know that will get picked up.
MOLLY WOOD: There’s a timer that tells your cat that it’s meal time in your personal voice? Oh my god.
JAMES THOMAS: Yeah.
MOLLY WOOD: Okay, so that you’ve given us some actually tactical examples to this point on how Dentsu leaders are incorporating Copilot into their workflows. What could be your recommendation for different enterprise leaders who haven’t gotten their arms on it but? What ought to they be protecting in thoughts as they get began?
JAMES THOMAS: We’re an enormous holding group. So, you understand, there’s equal worth in artistic as there may be within the finance crew, as there may be within the HR crew. Everybody’s utilizing it another way, and I believe serving to to convey individuals collectively. Assist them to share their findings and their perception on how they’ve been utilizing it, and likewise promote it to them within the use instances they perceive. In the event you’re speaking to a artistic a part of what you are promoting, discuss to them concerning the artistic use instances. You already know, they won’t be so interested by what you are able to do in an Excel doc, however they’ll be very interested by a number of the different use instances which are far more particular to their world. So I believe possibly tailoring it in your viewers will assist drive the adoption.
MOLLY WOOD: As you will have described it to this point, it kind of feels like these are instruments that may let you sustain with and succeed within the media world that we reside in now, proper? The place there are, such as you mentioned, completely different fashions and completely different distribution retailers and alternative ways to get consideration. As soon as you’re feeling caught up, are you able to think about how this may additionally enable you create new enterprise fashions and providers?
JAMES THOMAS: Yeah, completely. And I believe the expertise with Microsoft and OpenAI, and what we are able to do with ChatGPT and DALL-E and the way through APIs we are able to begin to plug this stuff collectively and construct out instruments. One factor we launched this yr, actually to form of meet this problem, is what we’re calling the Technical Supply Middle of Excellence. It’s a mixture of expertise from our India, Brazil, and Poland groups, innovation and generative AI consultants and specialists. And we’re actually scaling these groups so as to meet the demand of what’s coming. And what’s coming is lots of customized experiences, lots of customized platforms and instruments. You already know, we’re already doing award-winning work. We had two awards at Cannes this yr, the highest two awards, the Grand Prix awards—one for Scrolling Remedy and one for The Inflation Cookbook, each AI-powered instruments. There are such a lot of completely different merchandise. Additionally, constructing customized fashions and customized algorithms, you understand, that’s the place lots of the IP and lots of the differentiators will come. This expertise goes to be obtainable to everybody—manufacturers, companies. Everybody’s going to have the ability to come up with it, nevertheless it’s the way you piece it collectively, how good you might be at constructing a customized mannequin. They are saying you can provide anybody a guitar, however not everybody can play it the identical, or play it effectively, proper? Simply because you will have instruments or have entry to these items doesn’t imply you’re going to be efficient with it. So yeah, I believe there are such a lot of alternatives if these applied sciences and experiences can allow extra consideration and extra engagement and in the end extra gross sales, more often than not, then that’s a very good factor for everybody.
MOLLY WOOD: You’re to this point forward of all people else, proper, in adopting these instruments and having this early entry. And so, I ponder, what do you say to AI skeptics, or people who find themselves reluctant to combine generative AI into their lives?
JAMES THOMAS: The most important false impression is that it’s simply going to take all people’s jobs. I imply, clearly AI has been round for a very long time, however generative AI particularly, clearly hit the massive time as a result of I assume it’s a bit extra attractive. It’s a bit extra enjoyable. You possibly can log on and switch your self into Drake and make a track. You already know, there are such a lot of enjoyable issues that anybody can do. For individuals to have the ability to go on and simply create content material, it’s nice. And as a artistic, I’m at all times in this sort of slight battle with myself: I’m a artistic first, then a technologist. Something that may make individuals artistic is an effective factor, proper? You already know, if I can log on, and I may not be the most effective video editor or photograph retoucher ever, but when I can create one thing and log on and AI can help me in bringing it to a a lot increased stage, then that’s nice. I believe everybody ought to be capable of be artistic and create the issues they’ve of their thoughts with out expertise or talent, to a level, changing into a blocker. I make the most of that on a regular basis. As I talked about earlier than, it’s simply discovering methods for individuals to be extra artistic and increase their workflows and make higher content material, or sooner content material. However you’re at all times going to want people. You’re at all times going to want the human really feel and human contact over this work. And it opens up new alternatives for careers and talent units and skills as we see individuals entering into immediate engineering.
MOLLY WOOD: What’s, apart from feeding your cat, the newest factor that AI has helped you with at work and never at work?
JAMES THOMAS: At work, it’s helped me to ship unbelievable work to shoppers, work that we’d by no means been in a position to do with out this expertise. Personally, it’s enabled me, as I used to be speaking earlier, to create my very own content material higher. I even have a music profession I’ve had for a very long time, and that makes me must launch different content material on a private be aware. And yeah, the instruments to get that content material higher, edit it faster, sooner, enhance it’s nice.
MOLLY WOOD: What sort of music do you make?
JAMES THOMAS: All kinds, I work with lots of huge hip-hop artists within the US to movie scores to manufacturers. I’ve performed quite a bit. We used to do it full time for a very long time as effectively.
MOLLY WOOD: What do you do with any additional time that AI creates for you?
JAMES THOMAS: Be taught concerning the subsequent factor that’s coming with AI, normally. [Laughs] You already know, everybody’s enthusiastic about generative AI and the place we’re proper now. My job, and my crew’s job, is at all times to be one step forward.
MOLLY WOOD: Quick forwarding three to 5 years, what do you assume would be the most profound change in the way in which we work?
JAMES THOMAS: Uh, wow, that’s an enormous query. It’s truly actually laborious to consider the place issues are going to go. You already know, a yr in the past, we weren’t even fascinated by generative AI, actually, you understand, on probably the most half, and look the place we at the moment are. So, it’s laborious to say, however I believe virtually all people in virtually something they do career-wise, you understand, professionally, and as a client, can be leveraging AI of their day-to-day work, whether or not it’s Copilot, whether or not it’s specialist instruments. I believe everyone seems to be about to get much more environment friendly, hopefully quite a bit happier, taking a number of the legwork out of a number of the mundane duties, however I can’t see a world now the place individuals aren’t going to be leveraging AI to reinforce the way in which they work and the way in which they reside.
MOLLY WOOD: James Thomas is world head of expertise at Dentsu Artistic. Thanks a lot for the time.
JAMES THOMAS: Thanks a lot for the chance.
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MOLLY WOOD: Thanks once more to James Thomas. And that’s it for this episode of WorkLab. Please subscribe and test again for the following episode, the place I’ll be speaking to Microsoft Chief Scientific Officer Eric Horvitz about how leaders can leverage the super potential of AI to finest serve humanity. In the event you’ve bought a query or a remark, drop us an e mail at [email protected], and take a look at Microsoft’s Work Pattern Indexes and the WorkLab digital publication. There you’ll discover all of our episodes together with considerate tales that discover how enterprise leaders are thriving in right now’s new world of labor. You’ll find all of that at microsoft.com/worklab. As for this podcast, please charge us, evaluate, and observe us wherever you hear. It helps us out a ton. The WorkLab podcast is a spot for consultants to share their insights and opinions. As college students of the way forward for work, Microsoft values inputs from a various set of voices. That mentioned, the opinions and findings of our friends are their very own they usually could not essentially replicate Microsoft’s personal analysis or positions. WorkLab is produced by Microsoft with Godfrey Dadich Companions and Cheap Quantity. I’m your host, Molly Wooden. Sharon Kallander and Matthew Duncan produced this podcast. Jessica Voelker is the WorkLab editor.