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Pick up an August 2025 issue of Vogue, and youll come across an advertisement for the brand Guess featuring a stunning model. Yet tucked away in small print is a startling admission: She isnt real. She was generated entirely by AI. For decades, fashion images have been retouched. But this isnt airbrushing a real person; its a person created from scratch, a digital composite of data points, engineered to appear as a beautiful woman. The backlash to the Guess ad was swift. Veteran model Felicity Hayward called the move lazy and cheap, warning that it undermines years of work to promote diversity. After all, why hire models of different sizes, ages, and ethnicities when a machine can generate a narrow, market-tested ideal of beauty on demand? I study human-AI collaboration, and my work focuses on how artificial intelligence influences decision-making, trust, and human agency, all of which came into play during the Vogue controversy. This new reality is not a cause for doom. However, now that its becoming much harderif not impossibleto tell whether something is created by a human or a machine, its worth asking whats gained and whats lost from this technology. Most importantly, what does it say about what we truly value in art? The forensic viewer and listener In 1950, computer scientist Alan Turing wondered whether a machine could exhibit intelligent behavior indistinguishable from that of a human. He proposed his famous imitation game. In it, a human judges whether theyre conversing with a person or a computer. If the human cant tell the difference, the computer passes the test. For decades, this remained a theoretical benchmark. But with the recent explosion of powerful chatbots, the original Turing Test for conversation has arguably been passed. This breakthrough raises a new question: If AI can master conversation, can it master art? The evidence suggests it has already passed what might be called an aesthetic Turing Test. AI can generate music, images, and movies so convincingly that people struggle to distinguish them from human creations. In music, platforms like Suno and Udio can produce original songs, complete with vocals and lyrics, in any imaginable genre in seconds. Some are so good theyve gone viral. Meanwhile, photorealistic images are equally deceptive. In 2023, millions believed that the fabricated photo of Pope Francis in a puffer jacket was real, a stunning example of AIs power to create convincing fiction. Why our brains are being fooled So why are we falling for it? First, AI has become an expert forger of human patterns. These models are trained on gigantic libraries of human-made art. They have analyzed more paintings, songs, and photographs than any person ever could. These models may not have a soul, but they have learned the mathematical recipe for what we find beautiful or catchy. Second, AI has bridged the uncanny valley. This is the term for the creepy feeling we get when something looks almost human but not quitelike a humanoid robot or a doll with vacant eyes. That subtle sense of wrongness has been our built-in detector for fakes. But the latest AI is so sophisticated that it has climbed out of the valley. It no longer makes the small mistakes that trigger our alarm bells. Finally, AI does not just copy reality; it creates a perfected version of it. The French philosopher Jean Baudrillard called this a simulacruma copy with no original. The AI model in Vogue is the perfect example. She is not a picture of a real woman. She is a hyperreal ideal that no living person can compete with. Viewers dont flag her as fake because she is, in a sense, more perfect than real. The future of art in a synthetic world When art is this easy to generateand its origin this hard to verifysomething precious risks being lost. The German thinker Walter Benjamin once wrote about the aura of an original artworkthe sense of history and human touch that makes it special. A painting has an aura because you can see the brushstrokes; an old photograph has an aura because it captured a real moment in time. AI-generated art has no such aura. It is infinitely reproducible, has no history, and lacks a human story. This is why, even when it is technically perfect, it can feel hollow. When you become suspicious of a works origins, the act of listening to a song or viewing a photograph is no longer simply about feeling the rhythm or wondering what may have existed outside the frame. It also requires running a mental checklist, searching for the statistical ghost in the machine. And that moment of analytical doubt pulls viewers and listeners out of the works emotional world. To me, the aesthetic Turing Test is not just about whether a machine can fool us; its a challenge that asks us to decide what we really want from art. If a machine creates a song that brings a person to tears, does it matter that the machine felt nothing? Where does the meaning of art truly residein the mind of the creator or in the heart of the observer? We have built a mirror that reflects our own creativity back at us, and now we must decide: Do we prefer perfection without humanity, or imperfection with meaning? Do we choose the flawless, disposable reflection, or the messy, fun house mirror of the human mind? Tamilla Triantoro is an associate professor of business analytics and information systems at Quinnipiac University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Category:
E-Commerce
Most business advice tells you to avoid making enemies. I’m here to tell you the opposite: if your brand doesn’t have an enemy, you’re doing it wrong. This isn’t to suggest you need to create conflict for conflict’s sake. But there’s power in opposition. When you stand so clearly for something that you inevitably stand against something else, you create clarity. And in this very cluttered marketplace, that clarity isn’t just helpful, it’s essential for survival. The Problem with Playing it Safe When brands attempt universal appeal, they typically achieve universal mediocrity. People think you’re fine. Fine pays the bills, but it doesnt create category leaders. The numbers prove it: distinctive brands see a 62% higher ROI than campaigns that lack distinctiveness. That’s no small difference between being remembered and being forgotten. Distinctive brands put a stake in the ground and say, “This is who were for,” whether through visuals, tone, or messaging. Brands chasing universal appeal usually sand off their edges and end up forgettable. The companies that break through today aren’t the ones avoiding conflict. They’re the ones brave enough to pick a side and fight for it. Why Your Enemy Isnt Your Competition Competition is tactical. It’s about market share, features, and pricing. Your enemy is philosophical. It’s a way of thinking, a set of values, or a specific worldview that your brand exists to challenge. Think of giving your business an enemy in this way: Bigger than a competitor: Your enemy transcends individual companies. Ideological: It represents a philosophy or approach you oppose. Galvanizing: It gives your audience something to rally against. Clarifying: It forces you to define what you really stand for. The Psychology of Taking Sides As humans, its natural for us to pick teams and stick with our tribe. Our brand choices become part of our identity, from the coffee we drink to the phones we carry. It’s those brands that establish clear us-versus-them psychology that win. They make customers feel “they get me.” This creates tribal loyalty where the brand becomes part of someone’s personaand they’ll defend it at any cost. Here are some examples of how some of the most memorable brands took on an enemy: Apple vs. Ordinary Apple positioned itself as the ultimate creative company, calling competitors “Orwellian” in its 1984 campaign and boring in the Mac vs. PC ads. It established its core as the creative side of humanity and never wavered. Sure, it’s 1,000 times larger now, but its commitment to opposing “ordinary” remains unchanged. Southwest Airlines vs. Complexity Southwest’s enemy was airline complexity. Buy a fare, grab a seat, and bring your bags. No extra charges, no caste system with 11 boarding groups, no material guilt about your life choices if you weren’t in the top five. Outsiders called this process a “cattle call,” but Southwest turned a deaf ear to the noise, and its core kept growing. However, Southwest recently announced it’s adopting traditional airline practices in 202526, abandoning its differentiating enemy. We’ll see how the loyalists respond now that there’s nothing separating Southwest from its competitors. Creating Your Enemy Ready to find your companys natural opponent? Here’s how to do it strategically:Step 1: Identify Your Natural Opposition Which way of thinking or doing business does your company naturally push back against? What frustrates your founders and leaders about the industry? What cultural perspective seems bonkers to you? Step 2: Articulate the Stakes Why does this opposition matter? What’s at risk if the enemy worldview wins? In its Mac vs. PC ads, Apple positioned the competition as out of touch and un-inventive, making the stakes crystal clear by casting itself as the creative outlet for the future. Step 3: Rally Your Core Communicate your position in a way that makes your ideal customers feel seen and understood. They should think: Finally, someone gets it. Dairy brand Tillamook rallied its core by leaning into quality over scale, unapologetically charging more for real ingredients and a small-batch approach, even when that meant losing price-sensitive shoppers. Step 4: Accept the Tradeoffs Not everyone will like you. That’s the point. Oatly came out of the gate directly challenging Big Dairy with its “like milk, but made for humans” stancefully accepting that it would alienate traditionalists in order to build a cult following among plant-based loyalists. Why This Works Now More Than Ever Differentiation is survival. People are overwhelmed with choices and increasingly loyal to companies that feel authentic and purposeful. Having a clear enemy provides both. Your enemy isn’t trying to destroy you. Instead, it’s saving you from irrelevance. Without something to stand against, there’s no reason for anyone to stand with you. Remember: you will never win without your enemy. Your enemy always wins without you.
Category:
E-Commerce
Youve heard plenty of solutions for stress. From meditation and nature walks to cold therapy and yoga, the list is long. But a less well-known strategy can deliver some powerful results: storytelling. In fact, there is evidence that storytelling is good for your mental health and well-being for multiple reasons. Thinking about the best ways to reduce stress has become increasingly relevant. According to Gallup, 49% of Americans report they frequently experience stress. A survey by Talker Research found that a third of people also say they expect this to be the most stressful year yet, with even more stress than the last three years. But storytelling can have a positive impact on how we feel and how we relate to others. Heres why, and how to use storytelling to feel better, enhance well-being, and beat stress. STORYTELLING BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS One of the biggest reasons that storytelling has a positive effect is because it can build relationships. Storytelling helps us find common experiences and bond. According to research, this was true from the first hunter-gatherer tribes in which storytelling helped to clarify the norms and expectations of the group and reinforce cooperation. In addition, storytellers tended to be popular. They were the people others choose to be with most. In another study where older adults wrote their life stories, researchers found storytelling reduced depression. The study found that developing stories was helpful, but the process of sharing stories and spending time together also had a significant impact on well-being. You can use storytelling to connect with others by asking questions, both at work and in your personal life. Instead of just asking someone how its going or what they did over the weekend, ask them a question that gives them a chance to tell a story: ask what surprised them lately or what made them laugh. Listen as they tell stories to answer your questions. Dont be afraid to share your own stories about things that are interesting or meaningful to you. All of these will create more space for enhanced time and connections. STORYTELLING CREATES MEANING Another key element of storytelling is that it can help us create meaning and identity. When we repeat the story about how we bravely stood up for something that was especially important to us at work, we reinforce that we are courageous. When we talk about the time we had the great idea that transformed a solution, were reinforcing our role as innovators on a team. When we share the adventures and antics that occurred on our family vacation, were reinforcing our love of family and our fun-loving nature. In one study by the Family Institute at Northwestern University, couples were asked to tell stories about their relationships. When couples developed stories about their experiences, it helped reinforce their shared identity and it gave them greater meaning and purpose. You can use storytelling to enhance well-being and create meaning by intentionally reflecting on your experiences. For example, at the end of a vacation, consider the time you spent with family and friends and what the experiences meant to you. Talk to each other about your favorite elements of your time together in order to cement your memories. Or the end of the workweek, reflect on your accomplishments and challenges and give thought to how they show your strengths and contributions to your team and your organization. Capturing these stories can help reinforce your meaning and identity. STORYTELLING HELPS US PROCESS Storytelling can also help us make sense of things. In, a survey of almost 30,000 people in 31 countries, GlobeScan found that 78% of respondents believe that the world is changing too fast for them to keep up, and its creating anxiety. Storytelling can help us think things through. We consider what happened to us, why it was important, and how we feel about it as we create a story. The process of reflecting so we can tell a story clarifies our thinking and helps us make sense of disparate facts. Storytelling can also help us put things into context and help us think about where to go next. In the Northwestern University study, when couples told stories, they were able to consider future growth and motivate themselves to be a legacy to others in their lives. A study of storytelling published in the journal Healthcare (Basel) found that when sick patients shared their stories, it helped them to make sense of their experiences and even nurture a more positive, healing viewpoint. You can use storytelling to enhance well-being and make sense of things by slowing down to reflect on whats happening and giving thought to why its important to you. Also prioritize how you might respond and how youd like the story to end based on the action you take. Use story to understand yourself and whats going on around you, as well as where youd like to go from here. THE POWER OF STORYTELLING We are moved by stories and they help us build empathy. Stories can also inspire us to take action. In fact, a study found when Super Bowl ads tell complete stories, they tend to get more views, more shares, better ratings; and they tend to result in greater sales. We prefer to learn through stories, and we thrive in communities with plenty of narrative shared among the group. When we face pressure, challenges, and struggles, storytelling helps us make connections, creat meaning, and make sense of it all.
Category:
E-Commerce
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