What I Learned about AI Authenticity in the Back of a Police Car

Image credit: Mohammad Alizade via Unsplash

The seat is hard, like sitting on a roller coaster. It’s difficult to breathe. You can’t roll down the window and definitely can’t open the door. Your heart starts racing as the moment of panic takes over. 

It was my first time in the back seat of a police car, and I certainly hope it was my last. How I got there is an experience I’d also never wish on anyone. 

On a trip to Dallas in late October, after a flight delay and re-route to Austin, I found myself in a car driving through heavy rain and storms. The highway was flooded, and as we continued driving, the water became too deep. The engine shut off. I lifted my feet up as water rushed onto the floor of our vehicle. 

Fortunately, a police officer came and rescued us, pushing our car out of the water and then taking us to a nearby gas station to find another ride. So, no, I wasn’t in the back of a police car because I did something wrong, but the full ordeal is one I’ll never forget. 

To tell a story like mine effectively requires human emotion, context, and the nuance to understand the unexpected. The surreal details, the bizarre series of events, and the way I felt along each stage is something only I can describe in a truly authentic way. 

In the aftermath, it got me thinking: could AI have told this story as well (or better) than I did? 

Coincidentally, I was in Dallas to debate the very topic of AI authenticity at a marketing industry event. As profound as the technology’s capabilities may be, the question of whether the machines can be truly authentic without human intervention was a hot topic to discuss. 

Reflecting on my own experience trapped in the flood and sitting in the back of a police car, here’s what I learned about authenticity, and what it could mean for the future of AI. 

Authenticity requires connection that must be nurtured, not neglected. 

Humans bring a unique touch of originality, creativity, and moral considerations. But generative AI’s large language models (LLMs) are built to recognise patterns, not capture these emotional characteristics. For AI generated experiences to be authentic, they can’t be neglected, because even at its rapid pace of innovation, AI on its own has limitations. To build the authentic connection consumers need, AI needs to be nurtured with ongoing human oversight to ensure it’s being positioned to deliver the amazing outcomes it’s capable of. 

In a sea of similar AI-generated content, authenticity can break through the noise. 

Just 5% of all brand content gets 90% of the engagement. It’s a brutal reality check that most of the content is being lost in a sea of mediocrity, and with AI’s ability to generate exponential amounts of it at scale, this issue is likely to multiply, diluting everything that was once unique. Brands shouldn’t be okay with being like everybody else, and we as marketers shouldn’t let them be. With human intervention to instil emotion, context, and nuance, authenticity can help companies stand out from the pack and more importantly, their competitors. 

Don’t try to fake it with future generations. 

Gen z and generation alpha understand the power of authenticity. They can sniff out what’s disingenuous and hold brands to a high standard. If an AI-generated experience feels fake, they may wonder what else about the company is fake. Losing consumer trust is easy but regaining it – and maintaining it – requires constant attention to the little details. Assuming AI can meet their expectations on its own is a risk brands can’t afford to take. Creating an authentic human experience for these younger generations means human involvement and representation in the process. 

The foundation of storytelling comes from our abilities as humans to feel, to describe those feelings, and to explain how those feelings adapted as circumstances changed. As powerful as they may be, pattern-based models operating on probability can’t account for the factors that make each story, and each person’s experience within that story, uniquely theirs. After my personal ordeal, I think human oversight of AI is vital to preserve the authenticity all brands are accountable to provide. 

If AI-based interactions aren’t authentic, it won’t take a trip in the back of a police car for consumers to realise it.