Advertising Association forms AI Taskforce in UK

The UK's Advertising Association has formed a new AI Taskforce to build a coordinated approach to artificial intelligence technology across policy, ethics and legality.

The taskforce will be co-chaired by Alex Dalman, managing partner and head of social innnovation at VCCP London, and Yves Schwarzbart, advertising industry relations manager, EMEA at Google.

The taskforce, comprising senior representatives from across the AA’s membership, will meet for the first time this week to “ensure the advertising and marketing industry are responsible producers, deployers and end users of AI” and “explore the productivity and creativity gains for the industry and wider economic benefits”.

It plans to meet quarterly for a minimum period of 12 months.

Stephen Woodford, chief executive of the AA, said: “The establishment of our AI Taskforce comes at a critical time for AI and its use, not just in the UK but in advertising around the world. The taskforce will focus on the ethical usage of AI in advertising as well as helping develop the UK’s role globally for AI’s influence on marketing and advertising innovation.”

Dalman said: "We believe that AI can unlock tremendous potential in advertising and marketing, and that generative AI in particular will be an accelerator of human creativity and innovation – but we also believe that it must be used responsibly.”  

Schwarzbart added: "With AI being the most profound technology shift that humanity is working on today, it is only right for the UK advertising industry to consider how we can be bold, yet responsible, in the way we harness the potential of AI.”