JASON E. KAPLAN You mentioned AI. How are you currently using AI, or looking at using AI in your work? I think it’s a question that we talk about daily, if not weekly. I feel like other CEOs that I’ve spoken to, they’re in similar spaces and are also navigating the same moment. None of us know where AI is going to go at this moment in time. We know it’s very real, it’s here, right? It’s not, like, knocking on our door; it is in the room with us, and it is hyper critical that we leverage it for a lot of different reasons. But we also don’t know where it’s going to be in two or three or five years. It’s still this nebulous thing that’s constantly evolving and changing. I just think it’s important for us to continue to watch and not necessarily pre-plan for where it might be going in the next several years. What we’re doing with it internally right now is ultimately trying to leverage it for production-side work, so that if we’re looking at 300 clicks, we’re leveraging things like AI to take that down to half or less of what was previously being done — so that we can leverage that talent that previously was employee-based and level that talent to more conceptual thinking and creative work, which AI is not necessarily capable or shouldn’t be in the space of. One of the reasons that I was interested in that is that earlier you mentioned that consumers are wanting more authenticity and engagement, and a lot of generative AI does not give you those feelings of authenticity and connection. It’s very alienating. It sounds like you’re not interested in using it for copywriting or for the actual creative work. I’m never going to be this predictive person in the sense of “I’m never” or “I will,” but right now, my clear stance on it is I do believe in exactly what you just said. I think that there is a credibility and a creative superpower and talent that is needed to create that relatability and in a brand positioning for consumers. I think if you allow AI to take all of that over — and even if they don’t take all of it over — if the integration is reckless, it really degrades that consumer experience. I don’t think it does the brand justice in what they’re trying to do to position themselves. So I’m looking at the mundane; I’m looking at the 300 clicks. I’m looking at optimizing the movements within the work and speeding those up, and then repositioning the talented people that we have here. Because I feel like we have a killer employee base of hyper-talented people at Thesis, and [we’re] up-leveling that creative thinking to do the conceptual pieces that I don’t think AI should be replacing right now. I think this is why agencies exist. We’re a creative agency. This is what we need to be doing. We need to bring things and work into the world that no one else can do. That’s my goal. I’m standing firm on it right now. But also, again, with so much change happening, I am always here to adapt and stay ahead of it, but I also don’t want to be overreactive to it either, and start forming plans further out that may or may not come to fruition. I think we just need to be smart in how we’re adapting to it, and I also think we need to protect the integrity of our work. You talked about the political climate, and one of the things that’s happening right now is a lot of backlash against DEI initiatives, with some companies canceling their DEI programs. What is Thesis’ position on those initiatives? We’re in it, we’re staying in it, and we’re not going to take our foot off the pedal at all. We’re going to stay true to our commitment. DEI is a cornerstone of who Thesis is, and I think it’s absolutely imperative. [We’ve made a] commitment to make sure that employees of all backgrounds have an opportunity to showcase their talent here, and to do so in a space where they’re welcome for exactly who they are. I think 2024 was our biggest investment year yet. I hope that signals our commitment, and that will continue forward. It will never be a journey that is over. I want to be clear about that, and it’s never going to be something that we hang our hat on or act as though we’ve got it. It’s going to be an ongoing journey, and we’re going to continue to navigate it. So the commitment remains steadfast. 13
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==