Jason Jercinovic is global head of Marketing Innovation and global brand director at Havas. Teaming up with IBM, he is also part of Havas Cognitive, an innovation practice aiming to transform large organizations by improving consumer experience and creating more meaningful, smarter connections with a focus on the ethics of today’s cognitive era.

“The power of AI applied in advertising could be huge – and also destructive”

In recent years, cognitive intelligence has unlocked the power for brands to engage with people in unprecedented ways. The advancements enable them to build human-like relationships with their consumers, an invaluable evolution to consumer connection. 

Yet, the AI fueling that evolution introduces troubling ethical considerations. Advertisers may soon know us better than we know ourselves. Worrisomely, they may elevate the art of persuasion to the science of behavior control. Combined with practical considerations like inherently biased data, algorithms that make flawed decisions & violations of personal privacy, Jason calls for a code of ethics that will govern our use of AI in marketing applications that ensures transparency & trust.

As we continue to blur the lines between brand & citizen, is there a point at which marketers should ethically decide to opt out? Are there places that brands shouldn’t engage?

“It’s a pivotal moment for technology and marketing”

Jason is an advertiser, not an ethicist, but he believes that doesn't excuse him from considering the social impact of the work he does. Establishing best practices for the use of AI in advertising, he understands and explains the differences between what we can know, should know, and shouldn't know.

adoboLive: Jason Jercinovic, Head of Global Innovation, Havas