SEBI cracks down on unregistered finfluencers, but loopholes remain

Modenik Lifestyle ups ad spends by 25 percent; to double revenue growth in three years

Warner Bros. Discovery threatens legal action against NBA over media rights

Meta ordered to delete AI-generated photographs of public individuals

Esports industry divided over forming anti-poaching body

Representational image via Unsplash

Relief for advertisers as MIB restricts SDC for ads to food and health sectors only

Why are Indian brands advertising in NYC's Times Square?

What Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick teaches us about leadership

Advertising is in the position where tobacco was: IPG's Arun Kumar 

Biz Moves: Interactive Avenues, Verve Media, Foxymoron and Grapes

There is an opportunity for building a better agency, not just a different one: Manja's Prajato Guha

Paris Olympics to garner 150 million viewership on Digital, 120 million on Linear TV

Publicis Groupe to acquire Influential for $500 million

Google has a new competitor - SearchGPT by OpenAI

News influencers to be called 'digital news broadcasters', proposes new draft of Broadcasting Bill

Piyush Pandey

SC directs MIB to file affidavit within three weeks with recommendations on SDC | Ampverse shuts 7Sea Esports

Sachin Tendulkar, Adar Poonawalla-backed JetSynthesys to exit from Skyesports?: Exclusive

Quick-commerce players' ad revenue stream grows; a key investment focus for advertisers

FSSAI cancels licences of 111 spice producers due to high levels of ethylene oxide found in samples

The CRED Point: Relying on advertising virality without product virality?

Time to 'Share The Spotlight': Storyboard18's one-of-a-kind initiative to bring together women sparking change

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan highlighted how viewers are watching YouTube on the big screen, how YouTube using AI to expand creativity and more. He said at Brandcast, "I’ve never been more excited to see what comes next at YouTube!" Mohan discussed the growing influence and reach of creators and how they are driving growth in YouTube viewing on connected TV. It was creator-heavy pitch to advertisers with key announcements. Check them here. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/youtube-to-use-google-ai-to-place-non-skippable-ads-into-ctvs-31694.htm">Read more: YouTube to use Google AI to place non-skippable ads into CTVs</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/youtube-offers-a-new-creator-takeover-ad-format-31691.htm">Read more: YouTube offers a new creator takeover ad format</a>

Mohan said, “Creators are drawing audiences on the big screen because they’re the new Hollywood. They have business strategies, writers’ rooms, and production teams. They’re reimagining classic TV genres, from morning shows to sports commentary. And they’re inventing entirely new ones.”

Creators are redefining what we think of as ‘TV’, Mohan added, and "they deserve the same acclaim as other creative professionals. I believe it’s time a creator won an Emmy.”

[caption id="attachment_32041" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/05/Untitled-design-2024-05-20T103832.767-2024-05-903279704f55b3e47bab5ff7538a7d36.jpg" alt="Neal Mohan's key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast" width="1280" height="720" class="size-full wp-image-32041" /> Neal Mohan's key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast[/caption]


[caption id="attachment_32042" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/05/Untitled-design-2024-05-20T104040.111-2024-05-e6da2d04f64e565d888b1c4c07a09f4d.jpg" alt="Neal Mohan's key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast" width="1280" height="720" class="size-full wp-image-32042" /> Neal Mohan's key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast[/caption]


[caption id="attachment_32043" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/05/Untitled-design-2024-05-20T104202.805-2024-05-a367df17fa19ab08602cc81b9f7e35c5.jpg" alt="Neal Mohan's key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast" width="1280" height="720" class="size-full wp-image-32043" /> Neal Mohan's key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast[/caption]


[caption id="attachment_32044" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/05/Untitled-design-2024-05-20T104347.133-2024-05-ca6e72ab5d2f4554ab0d7e5a2d89fd53.jpg" alt="Neal Mohan&#039;s key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast" width="1280" height="720" class="size-full wp-image-32044" /> Neal Mohan's key takeaways from YouTube Brandcast[/caption]

Neal Mohan, YouTube CEO: Creators are the new Hollywood

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said at Brandcast, "I’ve never been more excited to see what comes next at YouTube!"

Neal Mohan, YouTube CEO, Youtube Creators

Global technology company HCLTech plans to train 50,000 people on Gen AI and AI skills this fiscal, with 33% of the target achieved in the June quarter. CEO and Managing Director of HCLTech, C. Vijayakumar said during the company's Q1 FY25 Earnings Call, "In terms of business trends and GenAI, we continue to see a lot of AI and GenAI-related opportunities." The company had launched HCLTech AI Force, a generative AI and automation platform couple of months ago and now it has launched another suite of products, HCLTech Enterprise AI Boundary to simplify and scale enterprise AI journeys.

Sharing multiple ongoing engagements where HCLTech is working with clients to deliver value, Vijayakumar added, "The Gen AI momentum is driven by the attractiveness of a full stack proposition, which delivers to the entirety of the enterprise covering business processes, product applications, data, cognitive infrastructure and the semiconductor design. These full stack capabilities are key in the market right now and the flagship offering of AI Force and AI Foundry along with a global network of Gen AI labs are bringing them to life for our clients across the globe." 

He said HCLTech is seeing unprecedented levels of activity in its AI labs, which provide strategic advisory services, hands on engineering acceleration and a unique ideate to MVP experience designed to quickly prepare clients for scaled AI deployment. 

"Our AI labs have curated 200 plus MVPs for our clients till date. Fueling this activity is a solid investment in people, places and
partnerships. In terms of people, we have a target of training 50,000 people on Gen. AI and AI skills this fiscal. 33% of this target has already been achieved in this quarter alone," Vijayakumar highlighted during the earnings call. "Our focus on data AI, Gen AI
developer skilling across the stack with a special focus to create a cohort of data and AI principals." 

HCLTech targets training 50,000 people on Gen AI and AI skills

Epic Games has intensified its battle against Apple over the launch of its own game store on iOS. In a series of tweets, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, wrote, “Apple’s DMA saga has taken a turn towards the absurd. Apple is now telling reporters that this approval is temporary and they are demanding we change the buttons in the next version, which would make our store less standard and harder to use. We’ll fight this.”

Epic has been fighting Apple for years over the company’s revenue-sharing requirements in the App Store. While Epic’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple was defeated last year, many of its criticisms were echoed in a different lawsuit filed against Apple in March by the Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general.

The new Digital Markets Act in Europe allowed Epic to launch its own Epic Games Store on iOS and to bring Fortnite back to the platform with reduced commissions to Apple. However, Apple supposedly rejected the game store twice over elements it said were too similar to its own App Store, particularly the “install” and “in-app purchase” buttons.

Once Epic went public on Friday with its complaints about Apple’s “arbitrary, obstructive” rejections and said it reported its concerns to European regulators, Apple approved the game store but said Epic would still need to make changes in a future update.

It looks like Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, will resist making further changes to its game store. "We are using the same 'Install' and 'In-app purchases' naming conventions that are used across popular app stores on multiple platforms and are following standard conventions for buttons in iOS apps," Epic said in a series of posts on X.

"Apple's rejection is arbitrary, obstructive, and in violation of the DMA (Digital Markets Act), and we've shared our concerns with the European Commission," it said. Apple stated it was working with Epic to resolve the issue and launch its games marketplace.

Epic and Apple have been embroiled in a legal battle since 2020 when the gaming firm alleged that Apple's practice of charging up to 30 percent commissions on in-app payments on its iPhone Operating System (iOS) devices violated U.S. antitrust rules. Early this year, Apple proposed changes to its App Store policies to comply with certain directives of the DMA that went into force in March.


Epic Games CEO to fight against Apple’s app store policies

Members from global tech organizations pivotal in developing Internet standards have penned an Open Letter to the United Nations expressing concerns about the UN’s approach to the Global Digital Compact (GDC). The technical bodies involved include the Internet Engineering Task Force, World Wide Web Consortium, Internet Research Task Force, and the Internet Society’s Board of Trustees.

 

The GDC aims to establish a framework for global digital cooperation, define principles for an open, free, and secure digital future, and accelerate progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The latest draft of the GDC will undergo review this week by UN representatives in New York.

 

Addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Technology Envoy Amandeep Singh Gill, the letter highlights that the GDC is being developed through a multilateral process among states, with limited application of the open, inclusive, and consensus-driven methods used in the development of the Internet and the Web.

 

It argues that despite high-level stakeholder consultations, entities like Internet technical standards bodies and the broader technical community have had inadequate opportunities to engage in formulating the GDC. The letter acknowledges governments' responsibility to protect citizens and their increasing inclination to regulate in response to Internet-related harms. 



The letter states, “If the final document contains such language, we believe it will be detrimental to not only the Internet and the Web, but also to the world’s economies and societies.”

 

The letter also stresses that while technical architecture can shape Internet use, it alone cannot address issues like abuse, misinformation, and inequality. It warns of potential dangers if regulations undermine the Internet's empowering nature. Letter states, “Such proposals concern us because they represent an erosion of the basic architecture.”

 

The letter asserts the need for government involvement in digital and Internet governance to combat abuses, while advocating for upholding the collaborative and inclusive model of Internet governance that has been effective for decades.

 

In 2022, the UN initiated a consultative process for the GDC, seeking input on various issues including preventing fragmentation, safeguarding data, upholding online human rights, addressing discrimination and misinformation, managing digital commons as public goods, ensuring universal Internet access including in schools, and other pertinent topics.

 



Tech leaders write open letter to UN over global digital compact

On July, the European Commission informed Meta of its preliminary findings that its “pay or consent” advertising model fails to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). In the Commission's preliminary view, this binary choice forces users to consent to the combination of their personal data and fails to provide them a less personalised but equivalent version of Meta's social networks.

The Commission said in a press statement, "Our investigation aims to ensure contestability in markets where gatekeepers like Meta have been accumulating personal data of millions of EU citizens over many years. Our preliminary view is that Meta’s advertising model fails to comply with the Digital Markets Act. And we want to empower citizens to be able to take control over their own data and choose a less personalised ads experience." 

Under Article 5(2) of the DMA, gatekeepers must seek users' consent for combining their personal data between designated core platform services and other services, and if a user refuses such consent, they should have access to a less personalised but equivalent alternative. Gatekeepers cannot make use of the service or certain functionalities conditional on users' consent.

In response to regulatory changes in the EU, Meta introduced in November 2023 a binary “pay or consent” offer whereby EU users of Facebook and Instagram have to choose between: (i) the subscription for a monthly fee to an ads-free version of these social networks or (ii) the free-of-charge access to a version of these social networks with personalised ads.

The Commission stated that Meta's “pay or consent” advertising model is not compliant with the DMA as it does not meet the necessary requirements set out under Article 5(2). 

In particular, Meta's model: Does not allow users to opt for a service that uses less of their personal data but is otherwise equivalent to the “personalised ads” based service; Does not allow users to exercise their right to freely consent to the combination of their personal data; To ensure compliance with the DMA, users who do not consent should still get access to an equivalent service which uses less of their personal data, in this case for the personalisation of advertising.

By sending the preliminary findings of the investigation, the Commission has informed Meta of its preliminary view that the company is in breach of the DMA. Meta now has the possibility to exercise its rights of defence by examining the documents in the Commission's investigation file and replying in writing to the Commission's preliminary findings. The Commission will conclude its investigation within 12 months from the opening of proceedings on 25 March 2024.

In case of non-compliance, the Commission can impose fines up to 10% of the gatekeeper's total worldwide turnover. Such fines can go up to 20% in case of repeated infringement. Moreover, in case of systematic non-compliance, the Commission is also empowered to adopt additional remedies such as obliging a gatekeeper to sell a business or parts of it or banning the gatekeeper from acquisitions of additional services related to the systemic non-compliance.


EU says Meta's “pay or consent” ad model is in breach of Digital Markets Act

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the upcoming Paris Olympics during his Mann Ki Baat address on June 30. “Right after the Tokyo Olympics, our athletes were whole-heartedly engaged in the preparations for the Paris Olympics. If we take all the players together, then all of them have participated in nearly nine hundred international competitions. This is a very big number”, he said.

The Prime Minister added, “In shooting, the talent of our players is coming to the fore. Both men’s and women’s teams have qualified in table tennis. Our shooter daughters are also part of the Indian shotgun team. This time, members of our team will compete in wrestling and horse riding in those categories as well, in which they had never participated before. From this, you can make out that this time we will see a different level of excitement in sports.”

Recalling India’s earlier performance, PM Modi said, “a few months ago, we displayed our best performance in the World Para Athletics Championship. Our players have also won glorious laurels in chess and badminton.”

The PM conveyed the nation's collective hope for a stellar performance in the Paris Olympics, urging everyone to rally behind the athletes using the hashtag #Cheer4Bharat. He also mentioned that, in the coming days, he will be meeting the Indian team participating in Paris Olympic Games and will encourage them on behalf of the whole nation.

PM Narendra Modi introduces hashtag #Cheer4Bharat as nation gears up for Paris Olympics

Google-owned YouTube is giving its Premium users early access to latest experimental features. These users get a first look into some of the features Google is testing on YouTube. Users need to Opt-in to experience the latest in layouts, assistive AI, and the newest functionality for YouTube Shorts. 

What's available right now? 

Smart downloads for YouTube Shorts: With smart downloads, users automatically get a fresh batch of Shorts downloaded to their phone, ready to watch whenever they are offline. 

Conversational AI : YouTube’s conversational AI experience is back on Android devices in the US. This assistive tool can answer questions, suggest related content, and more, all without interrupting playback experience. Users can access the tool by tapping “Ask” beneath select videos and begin by asking questions about the video or selecting a suggested prompt.

Redesigned Watch Page: Users can now experiment with a redesigned watch page Google is building on web to improve the viewing experience and make it easier for users to find related content and engage with comments. 

With YouTube Premium, all of the above is available to users along with other features Google launched recently, such as the ability to pick up where you left off on any video and explore videos through an enhanced 1080p HD video quality. 

With YouTube Music Premium, Google is offering more than just ad-free tunes – think offline listening, background play, and the Samples tab to help discover fresh music. 

It is also bringing the YouTube Music app to Garmin watches. YouTube crossed n a major milestone earlier this year, with over 100 million YouTube Music and Premium subscribers worldwide. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/youtube-offers-a-new-creator-takeover-ad-format-31691.htm">YouTube offers a new creator takeover ad format </a>

YouTube gives Premium users early access to latest experimental features

In 2022, Google added 24 new languages using Zero-Shot Machine Translation, where a machine learning model learns to translate into another language without ever seeing an example. The search giant also announced the 1,000 Languages Initiative, a commitment to build AI models that will support the 1,000 most spoken languages around the world, it said in a blog post. 

Now, Google is using AI to expand the variety of languages it supports. With the PaLM 2 large language model, Google is rolling out 110 new languages to Google Translate, in its largest expansion ever.

From Cantonese to Qʼeqchiʼ, these new languages represent more than 614 million speakers, opening up translations for around 8% of the world’s population, Google said. Some are major world languages with over 100 million speakers. Others are spoken by small communities of Indigenous people, and a few have almost no native speakers but active revitalization efforts. 

About a quarter of the new languages come from Africa, representing Google's largest expansion of African languages to date, including Fon, Kikongo, Luo, Ga, Swati, Venda and Wolof.

Here are some of the newly supported languages in Google Translate:

Afar is a tonal language spoken in Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Of all the languages in this launch, Afar had the most volunteer community contributions.

Cantonese has long been one of the most requested languages for Google Translate. Because Cantonese often overlaps with Mandarin in writing, it’s tricky to find data and train models. 

Manx is the Celtic language of the Isle of Man. It almost went extinct with the death of its last native speaker in 1974. But thanks to an island-wide revival movement, there are now thousands of speakers.

NKo is a standardized form of the West African Manding languages that unifies many dialects into a common language. Its unique alphabet was invented in 1949, and it has an active research community that develops resources and technology for it today.

Punjabi (Shahmukhi) is the variety of Punjabi written in Perso-Arabic script (Shahmukhi), and is the most spoken language in Pakistan.

Tamazight (Amazigh) is a Berber language spoken across North Africa. Although there are many dialects, the written form is generally mutually understandable. It’s written in Latin script and Tifinagh script, both of which Google Translate supports.

Tok Pisin is an English-based creole and the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea. If you speak English, try translating into Tok Pisin — you might be able to make out the meaning!

Google uses AI to add 110 new languages to Google Translate, its largest expansion ever

Ride hailing app Ola is setting up to launch grocery delivery through Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), Moneycontrol reports. The Bhavish Aggarwal-led firm is planning to start the service over the next few days, the report stated, quoting people aware of the developments.

The report also added that Ola has already become the second biggest buyer-side platform after Magicpin in the food category, with 15,000-20,000 food orders per day. 

Sources told Moneycontrol that Ola enables more than 30 percent of ONDC food orders in Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR. They added, Ola is also "leveraging its core expertise in the logistics domain by offering EV-based logistics services at a highly competitive price to smaller sellers on the ONDC network." 

Ola has had failed attempts previously. In 2015, Ola launched a standalone online grocery store in Bengaluru and a food delivery app, with the idea to use its cabs and drivers to also deliver groceries, between 9 am and 11 pm. 9 months later, both Ola Store and Ola Foods were shut down. In 2021, its started Ola Dash services across Mumbai and Bangalore with almost 15 dark stores and shut it a year later. 

Ola to enter grocery delivery via ONDC: Report

On June 27, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved norms to regulate unregistered financial influencers, addressing the risks associated with these influencers. The market regulator approved the proposal to ban registered entities from associating with unregistered investment advisors such as 'finfluencers'. It has allowed registered entities to associate with unregistered entities if they are only sharing educational content, as per reports. 

SEBI also stated that registered entities are to ensure that the person with whom they are associated does not indulge in prohibited activities. 

The market regulator said in a press statement: "Persons regulated by the Board and the agents of such persons shall not have any association, like any transaction involving money or money's worth, referral of a client, interaction of information technology systems or any other association of similar nature or character, directly or indirectly, with any other person who, directly or indirectly, provides advice or recommendation or makes any implicit or explicit claim of return or performance, in respect of or related to security or securities unless permitted by the Board to provide such advice/recommendation."

SEBI has been contemplating comprehensive measures to regulate 'finfluencers' as concerns about investors falling prey to unregulated guidance rises. "The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is contemplating guidelines to rein in finfluencers' activities," SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch said on March 11, at an Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) event in Mumbai.

The proposed regulations aim to overhaul registration norms, simplifying the process to facilitate 'ease of registration' for these influencers, while ensuring greater transparency and accountability, CNBC-TV18 reported, citing Buch's comments made at the event.

Among SEBI's proposed measures is the establishment of a Performance Validation Agency (PVA), a third-party entity tasked with verifying performance claims made by market participants, including Portfolio Management Services (PMS), Mutual Funds (MFs), and Investment Advisors. The PVA aims to play a crucial role in validating performance reports, bolstering trust and reliability within the financial ecosystem.

Last year, SEBI came down heavily on unregistered finfluencers providing illegal investment advice through social media. Restrictions have been imposed on intermediaries, such as brokers and mutual funds, from engaging unregistered finfluencers for product promotion.

Last year, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) revised its guidelines, mandating SEBI registration for influencers in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector.

The guidelines for finfluencers stated that influencers could offer investment-related advice only after getting registered with SEBI and they must display their registration numbers alongside their name and qualifications.

The disclaimer that influencers would need to display includes superimposing their qualifications, registration or certification details on visuals that are readable or upfront.

For other financial advice services, influencers are required to possess credentials or a licence from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, or they must be qualified chartered accountants or company secretaries.

SEBI had also released two consultation papers focusing on payment structures associated with financial advice and education, as well as partnerships between regulated entities and finfluencers.

Crackdown on finfluencers: SEBI bars regulated entities from associating with 'unregistered finfluencers'

Artificial Intelligence is dawning a new digital age, and the Indian youth are leading the charge, reveals a new report by Cheil India. The report, titled Generation AI – Exploring the dual role of AI in Indian youths’ lives and its implications for brands, dives deep into AI usage by Gen Z students (aged 16 to 25) in India, covering their academic and personal uses of AI tools on an everyday basis. It includes quantitative and qualitative research findings from over 1200 students across the country.


Limseob Chung, president and CEO, Cheil SWA, said, “Over 68% of the youth have a more positive perception of AI now than last year. Brands must adapt to this new reality where LLMs are the new best friends that the youth seek advice from. The caution regarding AI adoption is giving way to more optimism as the once-sceptics are turning into super users.”


“We found 73 different usage scenarios for AI and this is just the tip of an iceberg yet to emerge” says Sanjeev Jasani, COO, Cheil SWA. “While it’s no surprise that more students are motivated to utilise AI for learning purposes, their personal uses are way more varied and interesting, ranging from daily life hacks to creativity to connecting with others.”


Sourav Ray, chief strategy officer, Cheil India explains, “AI plays two roles: as the Liberator in academics, freeing students from the constraints of traditional education, and as the Conqueror in personal life, helping the youth seize new opportunities and face their fears.”


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/06/image005-1-2024-06-06efd1ded0fe662c1a464acf65d6ebe4.png" alt="" width="585" height="405" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35263" />


On the academic side, there are six segments of AI usage by the Youth:


Troubleshooter: 33% of students use AI to solve academic problems, mainly male students in schools and undergraduate studies. This liberation from academic grunt work is being sought majorly by around 54% male students.


Automator: 16% automate school work and assignments, focusing more on co-curricular activities. This segment consists largely of college and university students.


Instructor: 77% believe AI enables self-paced learning, acting as a non-judgmental, tireless private tutor. Students appreciate this freedom to learn at their own pace.


Navigator: 15% use AI as a scheduler or time-manager, especially before exams. STEM (29%) and Business (27%) students are the most common users in this segment.


Explorer: 8% use LLMs to explore new topics outside their current field of study, seeing AI as a career counsellor and guide.


Mentor: 6% use AI as a co-builder of new ideas or ventures, they are mostly STEM (31%) and Business (24%) students. This segment is not just using AI; they are also creating future applications and businesses around AI.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/06/image006-1-2024-06-dc7f7e2b719e8c237f482c295dcba41a.png" alt="" width="524" height="364" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35265" />


Gen Z has found an ally in AI, which shape-shifts into trusted confidants, creative collaborators, and relationship coaches. The 5 segments identified are:


Genie: 31% use AI for daily life hacks, from suggesting home décor tips to travel itineraries.


Savant: 31% expect AI to provide expert advice, replacing visits to specialists. This includes medical diagnosis, legal advice, astrology, make-up tips, coding help, and more.


Co-creator: Many use AI as creative partners, generating inspiration for ideas or bringing those ideas to life with simple prompts. The most commonly used AI creative tool is Canva, followed by other tools like Designs.AI, Adobe Firefly, Figma and DallE.


Wingman: 8% seek AI's help in social situations, particularly introverts or youth with social anxiety. This segment has 54% male users, who are primarily residing in Metros.


Buddy: While 72% believe AI will soon understand them better than many people, there are few who are using it to conquer loneliness (11%). This segment actively seeks a friend or a therapist in AI, discussing personal issues or having intimate conversations. The report calls this “human-machine symbiosis” once only shown in sci-fi movies, but now happening in real life.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/06/image007-2024-06-e301854ebc548f602e96691be2970e09.jpg" alt="" width="553" height="388" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35266" />


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/06/image008-2024-06-f0589820eeee2b0bfe74be67dc982465.jpg" alt="" width="551" height="382" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35267" />


The Flipside: A Cautionary Tale of Overdependence on AI


However, not everything is rosy in ‘AI-land’. The report also highlights the rising concerns among the youth. 41% fear that overdependence on AI will reduce creative or critical thinking skills. Nearly 40% doubt the quality of AI-generated outputs, calling them too generic or superficial. In academic spheres, while there is broader acceptance of AI in everyday learning, 56% still hold the conventional view that using AI is a form of cheating.


If AI is affecting the way we think independently, the question, therefore is: Will the famous Descartes quote “cogito ergo sum” still hold true in the age of AI?


How should brands navigate this new AI world order


The report also provides specific insights for brand builders and business leaders on navigating the future:


High-involvement experiences: Brands need to understand the level of AI involvement among youth before creating AI-enabled solutions.

The report shows how the needle needs to move from ‘transactional exchanges’ in low-involvement users to ‘relational experiences’ in highly-involved ones.


To each their own brand: Customers are becoming so AI-dependent that their purchase journeys are beginning with a prompt. Brands might soon need to achieve AI-enabled hyper-personalization, creating distinctive new identities and offerings for each consumer.


Brands as AI: Brands that have traditionally focused on building a personality over time need to now start thinking about ‘brand personification’. Future consumers will prefer interacting with brands as if they are friends or mentors. Imagine a 16-year-old asking Nike about weight loss or asking Dove about building confidence. This might be the right time to start developing “brand LLMs”.


Empathy is the key: AI solutions must act with empathy, addressing human vulnerabilities to either liberate youth from their issues or help them conquer new frontiers. The question every brand need to ask is: What will we as a brand do with AI that either liberates or conquers?


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/cheil-india-launches-mgs-100-year-limited-edition-cars-in-their-new-campaign-33309.htm">Cheil India launches MG’s 100-year limited edition cars in their new campaign</a>

Neal Mohan, YouTube CEO: Creators are the new Hollywood

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said at Brandcast, "I’ve never been more excited to see what comes next at YouTube!"

More from Storyboard18

Digital

Google has a new competitor - SearchGPT by OpenAI

Digital

Amazon Prime Video inks 11-year global media deal with NBA

How it Works

Paris Olympics to garner 150 million viewership on Digital, 120 million on Linear TV

Digital

X most utilised publisher to push ads on digital in Q1CY24: TAM

Digital

ShareChat partners with JioCinema for Olympic Games to enhance user experience

Digital

Meta AI is now available in seven new languages including Hindi

Digital

DoT signs agreement with two IITs for development of ‘Cell-Free’ 6G access points

Digital

Budget 2024: Govt to boost tourism, major focus on Bihar and Odisha

Digital

Union budget 2024: FM Sitharaman announces three schemes to boost employment

Digital

Illegal betting apps now lure Indian users with pornographic content