AI…do you love it? Hate it? Is it the tool to shape the Jetsons-like future we were promised? Is it the beginning of the rise of the machines? These are the questions circling the internet these days.
While the use of artificial intelligence can still be controversial, its application in various industries is becoming increasingly commonplace. At IFC Studios, we recognize both the potential and the sensitivities surrounding AI. In our workflow, AI tools are utilized at different stages of a project to aid in efficiency and innovation. However, we want to emphasize that expert human oversight is central to everything we do. The following sections detail each studio’s specific AI practices, highlighting how we maintain this balance of technology and human expertise.
Messaging Studio
While AI is not always used to generate client copy, it can be a valuable tool for brainstorming and initial draft research, particularly for industry-specific pieces. This can significantly reduce exploration time, offering substantial cost savings for our clients. However, even when AI contributes to the initial stages of content creation, human expertise remains essential. Our process always includes rigorous human oversight, encompassing:
- Formatting Checks: Ensuring the content is properly formatted for its intended purpose (blog, email, social media, etc.).
- Fact Verification: Double-checking all references and non-common knowledge information for accuracy.
- Purpose protection: A person can prompt ChatGPT to “act like a marketing expert” all you want–but only a marketing expert is going to know if it did. We protect the purpose of your content by bringing that expertise.
- Voice and Tone: Maintaining the client’s specific brand voice and ensuring the content resonates appropriately.
- Content Revision: Rewriting sections where AI-generated content doesn’t meet the client’s needs or stylistic requirements.
- Final Editing: Performing any necessary additional edits and approving changes suggested by grammar checkers like ProWritingAid.
Branding Studio
AI is primarily integrated within design software to enhance workflows. Tools like ChatGPT and Gemini may assist in initial ideation, but all concepts are refined and adapted by a designer to ensure originality and a human-centered design approach. Design software such as Adobe Suite, Figma, and Canva have long incorporated AI for tasks like generative recoloring, text-to-pattern creation, image tracing, and content-aware adjustments. It’s important to emphasize that while AI tools support the design process, they do not replace the designer’s role. The designer’s vision, intention, and final execution remain central to the creative outcome.
Media Studio
AI serves as a starting point for brainstorming video concepts in the media studio. Detailed prompts, incorporating the media professional’s expertise, are used to guide AI’s concept generation. The resulting concepts are then carefully reviewed and tailored to the client’s specific needs. Additionally, tools like Photoshop’s spot healing tool, which utilizes AI for image retouching, are employed. While helpful, human review is crucial to ensure the quality of the final result.
Web Studio
Our Web Studio leverages AI to enhance development in several key areas:
- Code Generation Assistance: AI algorithms aid in writing complex code (JavaScript and PHP), streamlining development and facilitating innovative solutions.
- Automated Bug Detection: AI tools proactively identify potential bugs and vulnerabilities in code, improving the robustness and stability of website deployments.
- Code Debugging and Consistency Checks: AI assists in debugging by analyzing code for errors and suggesting fixes, while also ensuring code consistency across projects.
- Code Review & Validation: To ensure quality and transparency, our code review process includes:
- Thorough Testing: Verifying functionality across various scenarios.
- Responsiveness Check: Confirming proper adaptation and display across different screen sizes and devices.
- Browser Compatibility: Testing functionality and appearance in different browsers.
- Transparency: Clearly indicating to users any AI-assisted aspects of the website or its functionality, when applicable.
Crucially, all AI-suggested code modifications are thoroughly reviewed and validated by experienced human developers before implementation. This human oversight is essential for maintaining the accuracy, security, and quality of our web solutions.
