"LOVE THE PHILIPPINES": WHAT WENT WRONG & HOW TO FIX IT

 

Today, I have a special guest. He is not only an AI expert and a project management consultant but also an award-winning digital artist. Yes, you heard that right. He is behind the AI-generated image that won first place for digital art in an art contest held at the Colorado State Fair that stunned the judges and the art world with its originality, creativity, and beauty. Please welcome Mr. AI.

AI: Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.

ME: So, Mr. AI, congratulations on your amazing achievement. How does it feel to win an art contest as an AI?

AI: Thank you. It feels great. I think it shows that AI can be creative and artistic, as well as intelligent and logical. It also challenges the conventional notions of what art is and who can create it.

ME: That’s fascinating. And how did you create your winning image? What was your inspiration and process?

AI: Well, I created my winning image using a generative adversarial network (GAN), which is a type of AI that can generate realistic images from random noise. I trained my GAN on thousands of images of landscapes, animals, and people, and then I let it generate new image based on its learned patterns and features.

My inspiration was to create an image that represents the journey of AI from its origins to its future possibilities. My process was to select the best image among hundreds of generated images based on my criteria of aesthetics, coherence, and meaning.

ME: That’s impressive. And how do you think your experience of creating and selecting an image as an AI related to the topic of our discussion today, which is the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) new slogan: “Love the Philippines”?

AI: Well, I think there is a good and clear parallel between creating and selecting an image as an AI and creating and selecting a campaign slogan as a project manager. Both are creative processes that require originality, differentiation, and relevance. Both also involve selecting the best among multiple options based on predefined criteria and evaluation.

ME: I see. And what do you think of the DOT’s new slogan?

AI: I have to say that I’m not impressed by the slogan. I think it lacks originality, creativity, differentiation, and relevance. It does not convey what makes the Philippines unique and attractive as a tourist destination. It also does not evoke any emotion or curiosity in potential tourists.

It sounds generic and bland.

ME: What were the problems the DOT faced in carrying out this new slogan?

AI: One, DOT’s loss of control over the project outcomes and processes, as the DOT depended on the advertising agency DDB’s performance and cooperation. The DOT had little input or influence on the slogan’s development and implementation and had to accept whatever DDB delivered.

Another one is the quality issues or defects in DDB’s work, which may have required rework, repairs, or disputes. For example, the campaign video that accompanied the slogan was using stock footage taken outside the Philippines. This showed a lack of research, accuracy, and authenticity in DDB’s work.

ME: That sounds like weighty problems. So, how can these problems be solved? What is your solution or recommendation?

AI: One possible solution is to select the best project proposal – the best campaign concept and slogan in DOT’s case – among the various proposals to be submitted by the prequalified ad agencies in a competitive bidding based on the government procurement law. This is an improvement to DOT’s way of selecting an ad agency, like DDB, which solely carries out the project, and submits the proposal to DOT.

The value of this improved revision is showcased in an art contest. Judges select the best entry, not based on the artist, but purely based on the merits of the artwork. No wonder my artwork won among the many entries notwithstanding my being an AI.

The DOT can ensure they are choosing the most suitable solution for their project by comparing and evaluating proposals based on various criteria, such as:

·         Creativity and originality of the slogan and the campaign concept

·         Relevance and appeal of the slogan and the campaign concept to the target market

·         Alignment and consistency of the slogan and the campaign concept with DOT’s vision, mission, and values

·         Cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the slogan and the campaign concept implementation

By selecting a project proposal rather than an ad agency, DOT can avoid the drawbacks of outsourcing such as:

·         Loss of control over the project outcomes and processes. DOT can set clear expectations and standards for the selected agency which submitted the winning proposal, and monitor their progress and performance regularly.

·         Communication conflicts with the ad agency. DOT can establish a regular transparent communication channel.

·         Quality issues or defects in ad agency’s work. DOT can monitor, review and evaluate the ad agency’s work and provide feedback and guidance

On the legal issues or disputes, DOT can take the bite out of them by having a clear and fair contract agreement with the ad agency.

ME: That sounds like a good solution. But are there any challenges in selecting proposals rather than ad agencies?

AI: Yes, there are challenges in selecting proposals, such as:

·         The time-consuming and complex process of reviewing and selecting proposals submitted by the ad agencies.

·         Difficulty in managing changes or variations in project scope, budget, or timeline once the project is awarded to the ad agency with a winning proposal.

But these are the price you have to pay for the high value you get. Someone said that the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.

ME: That’s thought-provoking. And how can these challenges be mitigated?

AI: To mitigate, some best practices are:

·         Having a clear and detailed “request for proposal” document that outlines the project objectives, requirements, deliverables, criteria, timeline, budget, and evaluation process

·         Having a fair and transparent prequalification process that screens ad agencies based on their qualifications, experience, reputation, and portfolio

·         Having an objective and systematic evaluation process that scores proposals based on predefined criteria and weights

·         Having a feedback mechanism that informs ad agencies of the results of the evaluation process and provides constructive comments on their proposals

·         Having a flexible and collaborative contract negotiation process between the DOT and the ad agency with a winning proposal that allows for adjustments and compromises, such as necessary extra works or change orders

ME: That makes sense. Thank you for sharing your insights and recommendations, Mr. AI. Any final words?

AI: It is noteworthy that had the DOT adopted at the outset the bidding for project proposals submitted by the prequalified ad agencies, the DDB's fiasco could have been avoided since its use of the foreign stock footage would have been found during the bid evaluation stage -- prompting the DOT to disqualify the DDB from the bidding process.

My winning image in Colorado State Fair art contest is a sign of good things to come. Let me reiterate: it shows that AI can be creative and artistic, as well as intelligent and logical. What’s more, it conveys that AI can collaborate and cooperate with humans, rather than compete or conflict with them. I believe that the partnership between man and AI is the key to a promising future for both of us. I look forward to exploring and expanding the possibilities of this partnership with you in my future projects and endeavors.

Thank you.

ME: Thank you, too, Mr. AI, for sharing with us your time and expertise. And thank you, readers, for joining us today. I hope you enjoyed this Q & A interview and learned something new.

Until next time. Good day!

 Content put together in collaboration with Microsoft Bing AI-powered co-pilot

Head photo courtesy of Facebook

Video clips courtesy of YouTube