The cost of training AI models is falling dramatically (by as much as 99.5% in the last 5 years), so development in this area will continue exponentially. Google and Microsoft have invested billions of dollars in developing this technology therefore it will impact all of marketing. For me, 2024 will be the year of clearly defining the strategy for the use of AI in marketing teams, which will be done together with product development teams and other collaborative units. We want to use off-the-shelf AI solutions and platforms to accelerate the deployment of more customer-focused campaigns, more tailored product recommendations and the implementation of a test plan on ever larger projects.

AI algorithms surpass the boldest imaginations of application, changing the direction of technology development in every area of life. The year 2024 is a time to take AI seriously as an essential element of marketing activities. Generative AI will become a technological and generational change comparable to the beginnings of the internet, smartphones. I do not yet expect the emergence of AGI, a form of AI that matches the human mind.

AI is not just about generating images or video. Of course, this is the area that is closest to the marketing industry, but the biggest benefit for business is process optimisation. With AI, companies can optimise their processes not by 5-20%, as with ordinary algorithms and previously known methods, but by a factor of ten or even a hundred! In many cases, achieving such optimisations can be very expensive and requires a lot of experimentation on AI models, but sometimes it is enough to change one place in the entire process or to use a ready-made solution. There will certainly be many such solutions in 2024 and they will be increasingly specialised, for streamlining specific tasks in specific sectors. At the same time, many companies will develop their own solutions, hoping to provide long-term competitive advantages.

AI is already being taken seriously, the growing interest is translating into orders to create AI strategies or scenarios for using intelligent solutions. Those less decisive are reaching for a 'start small' strategy by implementing pilot tests. Awareness-raising activities for employees about the role and capabilities of AI are also important – AI design workshops are becoming a popular form of gaining AI supporters in companies.

AI is already being taken very seriously in Polish enterprises. Of course, this refers not only to LLMs, but also to neural networks and machine learning processes. It's not just about chatbots and image generation. These are improvements in logistics, production lines, HR processes, and many others. These are changes that have been happening for many years, but ChatGPT, Bard, and their ilk have popularized the very issue itself.

Using AI outside of the limitations of predictive algorithms allows us to create unique campaigns based on very specific data sets. Computer vision-based solutions can serve as a good example. Fast and thorough image analysis facilitates entirely new types of interaction and reaction to processes elements, allowing, for example, more efficient learning of sign language.

In the coming year, in the context of AI, what appeals to me most is the vision of the development of so-called AI agents, i.e. specialized algorithms that, being able to cooperate with each other, will exceed chatGPT in terms of usefulness many times.

ML and AI-based tools that solve a specific problem or replace repetitive work are coming into use most quickly. The real challenge will be to select and integrate different specialist tools within one organisation and build a new mindset among generationally diverse teams. Those who do - will win.

Implementing AI-based solutions on a massive scale could be something on the scale of an industrial revolution. Certainly, for corporations, it is an opportunity to maximise profits. The question is whether it will also have an impact on easing the burden on the employee and make the argument for a 4-day working week. After the recent turmoil in Open AI, I dare to doubt the latter. But hope remains.

GenAI offers the opportunity to build real value for people who use our products/services. Combining their data with the brand's competencies can bring personalization to a new level (far beyond tailored advertising). The challenges are imagination, courage, and legal regulations.

5 years ago, we built an app for the fruit drink brand Tymbark, using ML for image segmentation. It took 2 months to create it. Today it would take a day. Even the craziest ideas can now be prototype-verified without coding, and tool costs are falling. The introduction of AI regulation will remove further barriers. Therefore, in 2024 we will see many innovative services and campaigns.

Usually the first implementations of a new technology are titbits. Brands compete with each other with ideas to present the novelty. This affects the technology in two ways. It increases popularity, but it also trivialises the topic by simplifying its perception. Meanwhile, the real power still lies deeper.

In reaching Gen Z, authenticity is non-negotiable for marketers. This generation can spot fake marketing from a mile away, and any inconsistency can lead to a serious PR mess. To connect effectively, brands need to be open, stick to their values, embrace user-generated content, build communities, and team up with micro-influencers. Keeping it real with Gen Z isn't just a trend; it's the key to winning their trust and loyalty.

Using the term 'authenticity' in the context of brand communications (including personal ones) can be dangerous. Communication, especially on social media, has always included an element of self-creation. I believe that in order to avoid the suspicion of falsity, brands should put more emphasis on consistency and sincerity when designing their narratives.

The specialization and professionalization of AI is now a key element of the adoption process in all industries. Co-design of products with consumers (especially the so-called Super Users) and brand-specific models will take the understanding of this technology to a completely new level, where knowledge will replace fear.

Although it has only been a year since the launch of ChatGPT, the AI has already made quite a difference. Are we witnessing a revolution? As with the invention of the Internet - all those who are closer to it sense that this is only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to the dystopian visions fed to us by the media, neural networks are already working on a vaccine for cancer, recognising changes in X-rays or translating Akkadian writing. There is much to keep our fingers crossed for!

AI will become more and more prevalent and less noticeable to the naked eye. Consequently, we should pay double attention to the authenticity of the content we interact with. More and more new types of "fakes," powered by even better image and sound generators, can mess with our daily lives and security a lot.

I insist that the development of AI will benefit us. We will save time on repetitive, reproductive activities, being able to focus on developing technology, business, creativity wherever the synthetic mind does not (yet) have access. Is the era of transhumanism beginning? Inevitably.

Among various technological trends of recent years, I believe most strongly in AI. That's because AI is not just a phenomenon 'in itself' - it can boost existing human skills on an unprecedented scale. In the application of AI 'for real', it's only limited by our own creativity. And willingness.

I see the change in entertainment not in the form itself, but in its accessibility. Maybe Stadia was a false start, but GeForce Now gave us the opportunity to play Cyberpunk on a smartphone. AAA games right out of your pocket? Great! Outsourcing computing power and eliminating hardware barriers is what I'm supporting. I feel this could be something that the second generation Nintendo Switch will surprise us with.

We have been increasingly involved in the virtual world for years. We have already broken through the barriers of social acceptance of AR and VR. However, as technology advances, brands are reaching for more and want to surprise customers more and more. Taming immersive technology will take a big one. It will be a process of small steps. The breakthrough moment will come when devices that transfer to the virtual world are on the market, are affordable. Who knows, maybe the launch of the Vission Pro from Apple will start a revolution? One thing I can say with confidence - brands will still be using phigital and web AR in 2024. Combining these technologies with AI will help to engage audiences even more powerfully.

If a fundamental element of advertising effectiveness is to gain the attention of audiences, we should be thinking much more boldly about the use of immersive technologies in designed brand activities. Otherwise, we will forever lose this battle in favour of immersive 'non-branded' entertainment.

Designing unique experiences will be associated with a new role of entertainment - connecting a world divided by economics and ideological beliefs. Engaged multitasking of people will create the need for multi-experience. Its implementation will increase media consumption and reformat the content to be fully human-centric.

The new GTA 6 trailer was viewed by 150 million people in three days. This result, in my opinion, is not due to stunning graphics or the promise of immersiveness. It is a yearning for the engaging and well-developed stories that characterise games in the series. New technologies (Apple VR, AI from Nvidia) will reduce the distance between film and games. But story and idea will still be key.

New technological solutions, especially related to hardware, allow a completely new level of participation in interactive entertainment. Based on the fact that video games have steadily been becoming a new form of social media, bigger immersion while playing is a natural element of their evolution.

Gamers always been looking for new ways to experience gaming, from the first mods to in-game gatherings unrelated to gameplay. Younger generations growing up surrounded by modern technology expect even more, and as they enter the job market, they are now taking charge of fulfilling those expectations. AR, haptics is just the beginning, after all, we have five senses!

Creating immersive experiences is an area where major players are sure to compete, striving to provide innovative and user-friendly solutions. Moreover, combining immersive experiences with artificial intelligence is something that will revolutionize creativity and production in the entertainment industry in the future. Already today we have amazing productions around the world like the exhibition at the Dali Museum in Florida, which allows viewers to turn their dreams into works of art, or the immersive theatre created by Swamp Motel.

The XR technologies available on increasingly compact haptic wearable devices will increase the immersiveness of available media. We will become even more absorbed into the worlds of our favourite TV series, movies and games.

I see this primarily as an opportunity for entertainment experiences to be accessible to those who have been previously excluded. The development of technology and infrastructure (5G and beyond) may enable visually impaired, deaf, and disabled individuals to be included in this enjoyable part of reality.

Widespread mixed reality has been promised for several years. MS Hololens in 2016 seemed like a game changer. Then consumer VR goggles promised much. We had experienced the metaverse boom. Now we look forward to the Apple Vision Pro. However, I am convinced that the XR era is far in the future. We will probably wait longer for the virtualisation of our world.

We've been dealing with immersive entertainment since the 1990s, when the VFX-1 helmet was shown. Just as it failed then, Apple Vision won't be the product that changes things. Perhaps Eleon Musk's implant will do it? Nevertheless, I envisage the rise of customised entertainment. So we ourselves will be able to choose who plays in the movie, who they play and what their character is - and AI will generate this for us in real time. That would be real video on demand!

Technology is a great accelerator of social processes. It is not conducive to large organisations, which need a lot of time to rework their approach to communication. If we don't add a lot of flexibility in the DNA of the brand strategy, allowing for naturalness, honesty, imperfection and quick response times, we won't reach the generations who grew up on our ads and - naturally - are now contesting them. Well, to paraphrase Plato, beauty is the synthesis of truth and goodness. And this is what Gen Z expects from brands.

As a Gen X, I admire Gen Z's fresh new perception of the world. Being natural, sincere, personal values, even a rejection of tradition, are a kind of promise of a better future. Yes, brands need to remodel their communications.

Words are the cheapest currency today. Brands and people use too much of them. We talk a lot about authenticity and good intentions, but intentions without action are worth little - just like action without good and true intentions. Generation Z is no longer fooled by beautiful words and perfect photos, the best example of which is the success of the BeReal application. 90% of customers cited authenticity as an important factor when deciding which brands they like and support.

This is where I am pessimistic. We argue by invoking Gen Z, but we are sitting in a marketing bubble. Meanwhile, the mass internet user is not keeping up with the increasingly well realised fakes. It shocked me to find out how many people believed that the Pope wore a Balenciaga jacket. But it shocks me when I see that in Facebook comments, users do not distinguish between the actor and the character in the series. I rather expect more fake celebrity success than authenticity.

Over the last 10 years of social media development, we've learned to fake it pretty well. So well, in fact, that we can feel a tad uncomfortable scrolling through Gen Z's newsfeeds. Worse, if our brands have learned to do the same. Because that will quickly be pointed out. And this generation is often not given a second chance.

The question of a brand's authenticity is a question of its intentions. The final act of a brand's appeal to Gen Z would be in some sense putting itself in their hands. I would like to see some spectacular case of this type in 2024.

Gen Z is a generation full of contradictions – on the one hand they soak into the virtually created world, and on the other they are fed up with Instagram artificiality. Brands communicating to young adults should follow the example of the creators and, like them, understand sincerity as acting in harmony with themselves, rather than only following trends.

Hyper-creative images generated by AI have overwhelmed the audience - young generations value reality more than fantasy. The role of technology will be to support more natural interactions and correlate efficiency with authenticity. Ultimately, brands will also be held accountable for authenticity washing.

As a creative industry, we are transitioning into the normalization phase of AI-based tools in our day-to-day work. This year will be a time dedicated to learning how to harness their full potential. Undoubtedly, this will impact processes within organizations. Brands will ponder on how to establish their presence within AI-generated content outcomes.

While a few years ago brands tried to convince audiences with communication (highlighting benefits, hiding weaknesses), there is now a strong emphasis on eliminating (from the product) what consumers did not want to hear about. This positive 'switch' is a direct result of the needs of Gen Z. 

Research shows that Gen Z representatives do not buy into polished images, value honesty and long for face2face contact. They prioritise community building over individualism, and authenticity is an important element of relationship building for them. To reach Generation Z, you need to communicate with them, not just 'to them'.

Brands whose vision and mission will not only be visible in marketing communications or employer branding, but will set the tone for all company activities, will be the brands of first choice. In 2024, brands will be required to act sustainably, speak out on social issues and be clear about 'who they are speaking to'. Among the vast number of brands, their values will further influence their sales.

This is a trend that needs to be learned from A to Z. A as authenticity, Z as the generation that demands it. Further E as empathy, but also emotion. N as no falsity, lies and appearances. W as Work instead of words. Here is a new alphabet for new times.

I bet you all assumed that being green is just a nice-to-have aspect of various products and businesses. Not anymore. Nowadays, growing standard of living allows customers to pick the cause they would love to fight for. Sustainability is getting more and more traction in the world where we are seeing instability. Limited resources, geopolitical turbulences, social inequalities – these are the triggers to act. Various target groups are assessing the quality and products longevity instead of flashy logos and frequent acquisitions. But beware! Beware of greenwashing mambo-jambo as consequent actions on all of the customers’ interfaces are the only way forward. Reducing carbon emissions while adding new layers of super cool packaging? Not anymore. The awareness of these phenomena is growing among the different buyers’ groups rapidly – from 16% in 2022 up to 29% in 2023

Once you start buying eggs from cage-free hens, it's hard to go back to those from caged hens. Same with plastic jumpers and fast fashion. However, it is worth mentioning that these are choices that still cannot be afforded by the majority of the population. Nevertheless, the green approach is no longer just a passing trend. It is easy for the youngest generations to say 'check' to greenwashing. They are generally more resistant to posturing and expect transparent communication.

I would very much like 2024 to be a year of reviewing brand promises, stigmatising greenwashing and promoting authenticity and craftsmanship. Democratisation and the habit of mending, refurbishing, the next circuit must become a permanent part of values, but it is the role of marketers to allocate resources and budgets even more boldly to projects that support sustainability for the common good.

How many pictures of 2023 are saved on your smartphone? New Year's Eve, holidays, celebrations. Sunsets, hundreds of selfies and thousands of screenshots. All in the cloud, with no burden on your phone's memory. But with a burden on the environment! Because somewhere at the end of this chain there are servers, non-stop powered and cooled by water. The ones Google wants to set up in Uruguay, which is facing a catastrophic drought, are expected to consume 7.6 million litres of water. Every day! It's time to finally realise that digital also has an impact on the environment.

Climate change remains one of the top three concerns for Millennials and Gen Z. Others include cost of living and unemployment. (Deloitte) 77% of companies say their sustainability initiatives increase customer loyalty. 63% saw an increase in sales. (Capgemini). Consumers focus on sustainable development - saving is becoming fashionable. Representatives of Gen Z want to be independent, want to protect the planet and save money. Clothes, furniture, IT equipment, smartphones are given a second life. Product repairs are no longer carried out by enthusiasts, but by large players such as IKEA (Give back and gain service), Zalando (Pre-owned service) or H&M (Resell platform). The development of platforms such as Vinted is another instalment of a maturing market – both for environmental and economic reasons. According to EY, 84% of consumers believe that this is an important topic, but 47% say that being eco-friendly is too expensive.

We all feel that the measures to combat climate change are, for many reasons, implemented too late and too slowly. If humans fail – the only hope is in AI.

What a same! The Paris Agreement will not be fully implemented by any country in the world. But when our children are hiding in shelters from extreme weather, it is possible that they will be more likely to choose the crisps of a manufacturer that once tried to be environmentally responsible.

Sustainable development is no longer a matter of choice, it has become a business reality. Thanks to the EU authorities and their regulations for this. Still, far too little is happening in this area. It's a pity because it's a fantastic opportunity for brands and businesses to innovate and develop.

Are we supposed to use our phones for years, instead of replacing it with a new model? Let's hope so.

2024 will be a year of real environmental actions for the industry. This is due to the growing awareness of people who verify whether brands' ideas make a real difference or are used for greenwashing.

The growing trend of sharing will redefine the system we live in and strengthen the popularity of the subscription model - the subscription economy has grown by 435% over the past decade! In today's world, consumers want easy, fast and convenient access to services and products. Younger generations in particular are no longer interested in ownership for the sake of owning stuff, but in comfortable usage. In an era of such rapid growth, companies will have to bet on personalization and ensuring a quality customer experience with a service or product, as well as broad and multichannel availability of subscriptions at the level of payment choices or bundles in combination with other brands.

Don't you get the impression that the best money is made selling what doesn't exist? We've already learnt how to perfectly trade in customers' perceptions of themselves and many intangibles. Now it's time to sell NO adverts! In subscription. It's a way for Facebook to sustain its revenue levels after the ad restriction it had to introduce, forced by new EU regulations. I'm looking forward to paying monthly for this thing. Or rather, for this nothing.

I spent 2022 in Amsterdam, where I used two monthly subscriptions, one for a bicycle and the second for fresh flower bouquets delivered every Saturday. I canceled both subscriptions a month before returning to Poland, not worrying about how to transport my bike or potted flowers back.

Price is no longer the only criterion for comparing products. We continue to see growth in the segment of scalable 'as a service' or subscription solutions. Customers are also looking more and more consciously at the costs of using a product, e.g. annual energy consumption or - in the case of consumers - at cost-per-use.

The shift in shopping habits imposed by lockdowns, along with the success of VOD streaming services, has bridged the Moore's chasm between early adopters and the early majority in terms of subscription sales. I believe this sales model will be the strongest trend in e-commerce in 2024 and will become the standard for many industries.

I believe that the subscription model will continue to develop in new industries (subscriptions to services, FMCG, etc.). This will happen in parallel with the rationalisation of this model in the area of entertainment and the development of aggregators of streaming platforms, comparisons of their offers in terms of matching tastes and automation of switching plans on and off depending on the content.

I am convinced that the subscription model is the future. The telecoms have already successfully introduced it 2 decades ago. A phone in a subscription? Today a car, a printer. Tomorrow, a washing machine. Or more accurately: the SERVICE of washing, driving, printing. In this model, the brand wins guaranteed sales and customer loyalty.

Subscribing to streaming and software is already widespread. In the same model, we will increasingly be offered things we use every day. Both tangible ones (delivery of freshly roasted coffee) and digital ones (activation of additional car features or electronic devices).

Brands should refrain from adding subscriptions to existing products or services just because it's a trend. The new subscription business should be a sustainable model, based on a value proposition based on consumers' unmet needs and identified pain points in their customer journey. The strongest magnet for attracting new subscribers, cited by 62 percent of survey respondents (McKinsey), is perceived value: the right mix of offers and prices. 'Price' alone is unlikely to convince consumers that a subscription is a good value. 'High quality' and 'great variety of products or experiences' are the three most important factors in deciding to subscribe.

Discerning consumers are wary of becoming 'dependent' on subscriptions. A recent example is the AI Pin's debut, where the focal point of discussion was not the product itself, but the price of the subscription. Lacking a subscription would render the product devoid of value, prompting substantial reservations among prospective customers.

I hope that not everything will be transferred to this model, and we will still see the value in going to the market for vegetables or to our favorite hipster bakery. On the other hand, I hope it develops because I own shares in a company that sells clothes this way, and so far, they're not performing very well.

I think we will have to wait a while longer for this trend in Poland. More than 3 million Poles are digitally excluded, mainly people aged 45+, and a large group of people also lack the confidence or financial liquidity to become subscribers to basic products or services.

Subscriptions are about convenience, but convenience is addictive. It is no longer about loyalising the consumer, but about making them addicted. For companies, implementing such solutions, from a business perspective, should be a race. Because it not only ties the customer in, but in many cases helps them win over their competitors.

In recent years, we have seen an increase in the shifting of responsibility from the corporation to the consumer. It's not the company that produces unethically – it's your fault if you buy. And that real, often costly, change is in opposition to shareholders and the market – action amounts to greenwashing at best. So isn't DEI the perfect topic to cover up the already well-recognised greenwashing? Fortunately, consumers are increasingly seeing the insincerity of actions, whether environmental or diveritywashing.

Rarely discussed is the fact that patriarchy – which still constitutes too many aspects of our reality – often also negatively affects men themselves. I hope that in 2024 brands will increasingly embrace the theme of new, positive masculinity role models.

A touchpad placed on the palate and operated by language - an example of a solution that is ingenious in its simplicity to include people with disabilities in the world of technology. It is simple because it is a literal copy of a commonly used device. It is ingenious because it is used in a non-obvious way, which required first a lot of empathy, then a lot of creativity. And may we not lack both in 2024.

The fact that DEI is still a topic and a challenge is a shame. I hope that diversity and openness will become the norm and that there will be no need for special campaigns. However, I believe that these are first and foremost tasks for the education system, not the producer of crisps.

DEI in innovation? Why not! Instead of the popular approach to DEI within HR teams, or People & Culture, it makes sense to implement viable solutions that take into account the needs of different minorities. Creating innovation in the spirit of DEI avoids diversitywashing and will be a trend that translates into real value creation.

A culture of equality, inclusion and acceptance gives a sense of security. Employees who see that all people are valued in the company feel that they can be themselves and fully use their potential. This has a positive effect on the sense of job satisfaction and greater motivation. Well-managed diversity leads to greater innovation and creativity, which translates into profits in today's rapidly changing world. However, it all depends on whether the team manager has the appropriate competences and is able to manage diversity – not only in age and race, but also in thinking styles and experience. Although half of Polish enterprises understand the concept of diversity management, only 3% of the companies have a separate formal document devoted to the strategy in this area (Responsible Business Forum).

My impression is that new technologies do not always work in harmony with the idea of inclusivity. Generative AI (without human input) can be brutally stereotypical. I strongly believe in the culture-creating role of advertising, so being careful about DEI is our shared responsibility.

Here lies my whole heart. Technology can only be a support for the most important thing - the decision to create a world (including business) where every person can feel like themselves and be comfortable with it. It's not just about campaigns, but also (primarily?) about products and services, as well as the actions of organizations.

The increased awareness and generational turnover among decision-makers in the marketing industry are altering perceptions. Implementing DEI is no longer just about featuring slogans like 'diversity' prominently in major campaigns. It's finding its reflection in the language used in daily brand communication, the selection of images, and casting decisions.

This is a trend I considered a few years ago. For it is a natural consequence of the technologisation of everyday life. Everything that distinguishes us in marketing is built on contrast and opposition to a phenomenon. So it is not surprising that we value more and more locality, authenticity, craftsmanship and naturalness. All this in opposition to mass and industrial activities. Although the economic crisis is not helping to support the more expensive 'human solutions', it is safe to predict that the coming years will be full of campaigns and activities that emphasise the human aspect of products and services.

We will not avoid the implementation of AI and many other supporting technologies. This is and will be the new reality. What I observe in ongoing projects is a particular focus on the role of humans surrounded by technology. Technological solutions are encapsulated with concepts on how to define the new role of the human being – both the final user and the people operating or using the technologies that support their work.

A plumber uses a spanner, a patissier uses an oven and a doctor uses a stethoscope. We have AI, deep fake, web AR, machine learning. We, that is: Wiktora, Klaudia, Aniul, Anka, Dominika, Kamul, Pola, Filip, Vlad, Klimek... It would take a long time to list. Technologies are our tools for bringing ideas to life for creatives and strategists from advertising agencies. At the beginning and end of every campaign we implement, there is therefore a human being with his or her sensitivity, empathy and commitment. Made by humans. Made with true emotion.

After years of admiration for technology, there is a time of common-sense discussion about the direction of change. No one wants to stop it, but the most informed want to civilise it. Adding us another choice, making the time we live in amazing.

It's being discussed more and more that 'work' generated using AI is not going to suddenly flood the market with outstanding products – if anything, it’s going to be a lot of products that are just good. When it comes to everything above average and unique, it’s still going to be led by humans.

Oh, my goodness! Shut me down! Machines making machines. How perverse! – C3PO, 'Star Wars', episode II.

I don't believe that AI will take over all our work :) Perhaps the discussion about the annihilation of humanity prompts us to consider what is important in life and in the world. If we identify the matters that AI should not take over in the future, maybe we will start to appreciate them today.

The opening credits of the Disney series 'Secret Invasion' were largely generated. Someone noticed too many fingers in one hand. The result was a wave of criticism in the creative community. However, I think a wave of over-generated content will roll over first. There will be too much of that. And only when we become over-saturated will there be a clear trend towards a return and appreciation of craft creations. But it is possible that this will already be an elite product.

The more artificial (not only in terms of intelligence!) the world around us, the greater the demand for genuine craftsmanship and real values, even in marketing and social media. The challenge lies not only in recognizing AI-driven content or influencers, but also in highlighting the value of manual labour, which still often remains a crucial element of AI's success.

As artificial intelligence gains popularity, consumers are increasingly beginning to value human input in products and brands. Authenticity, empathy and creativity are gaining in value. The biggest challenge for brands will become how to skilfully combine AI capabilities with nurturing these key qualities.