We’ve all seen the uncanny works of art created by AI systems such as DALL-E 2, but how do they stack up against the work of human artists? To answer this question, we’ll pit an AI against an artist in a real-time, lighthearted way. We’ll elicit creative prompts from the audience, which both our human and AI talent will use to create art, so we can compare their work side by side. The results will then be presented to one of the leading creative directors in advertising, Donna Lamar, who will judge the art and decide which piece she would choose to include in a hypothetical campaign. Along the way, we’ll discuss larger questions such as whether an AI can ever truly be creative, what’s unique about human creativity, and how humans and AI can work together on creative projects in the future. Please vote for "Are You More Creative Than an AI?" for SXSW PanelPicker 2023!

1. Are You More Creative than an AI?
SXSW 2023 Panel Proposal

2. Are You More Creative than an AI?
John
We’ve all seen the uncanny works of art created by AI systems such as DALL-E 2, but how do they stack up against
the work of human artists? To answer this question, we’ll pit an AI against an artist in a real-time, lighthearted way.
We’ll elicit creative prompts from the audience, which both our human and AI talent will use to create art, so we can
compare their work side by side. The results will then be presented to one of the leading creative directors in
advertising, Donna Lamar, who will judge the art and decide which piece she would choose to include in a
hypothetical campaign. Along the way, we’ll discuss larger questions such as whether an AI can ever truly be creative,
what’s unique about human creativity, and how humans and AI can work together on creative projects in the future.
Moderator: Michael Marina - VP of Digital, Ayzenberg
Speakers:
● Alana Balagot - Creative Solutions Lead (Digital), Ayzenberg
● Aaron Kai - Artist
● Donna Lamar - Executive Creative Director, Spotify

3. The Panel
Michael Marina (Moderator)
VP of Digital, Ayzenberg
Michael Marina is a technologist and digital marketing executive with 20 years of experience bringing consumer-facing
digital experiences to market for a wide array of clients across many industries. His expertise in applying emerging
technologies to solve business problems has led to innovation and accolades for Fortune 500 brands like AT&T, Hulu,
Amazon, and Microsoft among many others. Some of his past successes include awards from the Cannes Lions,
Webbys, Shortys, and One Show for his work involving personalized video generation, AI-powered content discovery,
and other applications of creative technology. As the VP of Digital for Ayzenberg, Michael currently leads the agency’s
technology and product design disciplines.
Alana Balagot
Creative Solutions Lead (Digital), Ayzenberg
Alana Balagot is the Creative Solutions Lead within the Digital department at Ayzenberg. Her role includes software
engineering, solutions consulting, creative ideation, and creative technology. She has over 20 years of web experience
working at agencies and software companies. She also creates robotic art and has two kinetic sculptures in sp[a]ce
gallery in Pasadena. She has worked with the beta of DALL-E 2 as well as other AI platforms. Being at the junction of
the creative and technology fields gives her unique insight on how this type of AI technology will affect both worlds and
what their shared future may look like.

4. The Panel
Aaron Kai
Artist
Hailing from Hilo, Hawaii, post-pop artist Aaron Kai creates waves that can be seen worldwide. Having collaborated
with notable brands such as adidas, Nike, The Hundreds, Taco Bell, Heineken, and Samsung, Aaron ties together his
native roots an his iconic style to create amazing masterpieces. Taking influences from his childhood memories of
surfing, Hawaiian life, hard work, and popular culture, Aaron's artwork evokes emotion through his colorful palette and
personality.
Donna Lamar
Executive Creative Director, Spotify
An award-winning creative and production professional with over 20 years of experience, Donna Lamar works with
global brands to craft multiplatform content from ideation through production. Currently the Executive Creative
Director at Spotify, she has also worked as the Global ECD at Twitter, head of production at Wieden + Kennedy
Amsterdam, and a creative director at TBWAChiatDay. Her work has been awarded at The One Show, Cannes, the
Clios, and the ANDYs. She was named one of the top 33 creative women in advertising by Business Insider in 2013, a
top woman executive by Black Enterprise in 2013, and a top 100 creative honoree by Adweek in 2018. Her ongoing
hope is to positively impact how we see, and how we move through, a world of diverse perspectives and experiences.

5. ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
Ayzenberg Group website: https://www.ayzenberg.com/
Alana Balagot on Listen In vodcast: https://youtu.be/w9iDSYzIgLg
Donna Lamar’s In/Visible talk: https://vimeo.com/314506313
Get to Know: Aaron Kai video: https://youtu.be/Qfid581nQOU
Aaron Kai’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronkkai/

6. Thank you, and please vote now for…
Are You More Creative than an AI?