A Getty Images, a prominent global visual content creator and marketplace, today released the “Build Trust in the Age of AI” report. This innovative study seeks to empower communications professionals by providing data-driven insights into integrating AI-generated content into marketing strategies.
Supported by VisualGPSthe company’s cutting-edge visual and creative intelligence platform, the report is based on the global perspectives of more than 30,000 adults in 25 countries, including Brazil, between the years 2022 and 2024. It offers valuable insights into consumer attitudes regarding AI-generated content in advertising, its impact on brand trust and key factors that distinguish exceptional visual content, regardless of whether it is captured by humans or generated by artificial intelligence.
One of the report’s central findings is the importance of authenticity and trust in consumer engagement with brands that employ AI-generated images, with nearly 90% of consumers globally wanting to know whether an image was created using artificial intelligence. This focus on authenticity emphasizes the importance of brands being careful when deciding how to incorporate AI-generated imagery into current workflows.
Rebecca Swift, Global Head of Creative Content at GettyImages, commented: “Businesses across industries are asking themselves, “should we engage with AI-generated content, and if so, how?” Successful advertising has always relied on highly creative and authentic visual storytelling, and this remains as true today as ever, whether a brand chooses human-filmed or AI-generated content. Our report serves as a compass for brands that want to go beyond the hype and deeply understand their audience’s expectations so they can communicate the right content on the right channels, building consumer trust and driving meaningful action.”
To help branding professionals and business leaders navigate creating AI-generated content, Getty Images’ “Build Trust in the Age of AI” report highlights the following guidance:
Is AI the right tool for your campaign?
Reflect on your campaign’s core message and carefully evaluate what type of imagery (AI-generated, UGC, pre-filmed), including format (image or video), aligns with your goals. The report revealed that 98% of Brazilian consumers agree that “authentic” images and videos are key to establishing trust, indicating that when trust is the main objective, pre-filmed content can perform better in engaging consumers.
VisualGPS also revealed that given the high levels of trust and expectations associated with industries such as healthcare/pharmaceutical, financial services and tourism, they are increasingly expected to be transparent, so a careful approach to content types will protect your relationship with the consumer.
AI is a tool, not a replacement for creativity
From producing highly conceptual images to crafting a campaign complete with human-shot images from scratch, creativity remains indispensable in connecting with consumers, especially amid growing mistrust and visual saturation – 78% of people in Brasil agree: “I’m getting to the point where I don’t know if an image is real.” Generative AI tools can only refer to the past, not react to the present or future, or consider how people feel about a brand or product. Human creativity continues to be fundamental in establishing this connection.
Keep authenticity and transparency in focus
According to VisualGPS research, people define “authentic” as “real” or “the real thing”, followed by “true” or “trustworthy”, with 87% of respondents considering it important for an image to be authentic. The research also revealed that AI-generated depictions of non-human subjects were perceived as less misleading than AI-generated images featuring real people or products. If authenticity is the focal point of the campaign, consider using high-quality pre-filmed images and videos to connect with your audience. If you choose to use AI-generated content, especially if it features people, consider labeling that content so your audience feels like you’ve been transparent with them.
Protection against potential risks
While many tools can spark your creativity, some are safer than others. Getty Images’ generative AI, trained exclusively on authorized content from the Getty Images creative library, is 100% commercially safe to use and provides indemnity on every image, allowing you to create and market with confidence and free from legal risk.
Methodology
Getty Images VisualGPS Reports deliver unparalleled visual and creative intelligence, backed by a rigorous methodology that combines visual insights from over 60 visual content and advertising experts with cultural insights, proprietary research, and download trends from Getty Images and iStock (+2 .8 billion searches annually), plus consumer perspectives from ongoing global consumer research covering more than 250 topics.
In partnership with MarketCast, a world-class global research company, this research platform has been monitoring changes in consumer needs consistently over the past five years. Data for the “Build Trust in the Age of AI” report was collected from four studies conducted from July 2022 to September 2023. The sample included adults aged 18 and over, with a sample size of 7,500 per survey. The survey covered 25 countries, including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Singapore, United Kingdom, USA and others.
*Cover photo: Disclosure/Getty Images
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