Leveraging AI in Brand Safety Without Losing the Human Touch
Posted by Victor Z Glenn • Jan 15, 2025 3:05:13 PM
The impact of AI can be seen in every corner of the ad industry. And from all those corners, pontiffs and experts are trying to understand the right balance between AI and human intelligence, but we are still in the nascent stages of how AI can positively impact advertising outcomes. From a brand safety perspective, the adoption of AI has undeniably allowed us all to better manage the tremendous volume of brand safety & suitability choices by using the power of LLM’s to better understand context. This new era of safety & suitability analysis has indeed streamlined many processes, but we must also caution against overreliance on AI because context is conditional and shifts over time – making human guidance a critical component for AI to maintain its value.
Recent studies in academia have highlighted that heavy reliance on AI tools can impair critical thinking and cognitive development. A 2023 study in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students relying on AI for assignments struggled with independent reasoning. In an area of the industry where nuance is rampant, brand safety practitioners must understand how to effectively utilize the power of AI and human interpretation, and not fall prey to taking AI evaluations at face value. AI dependence in brand safety/suitability could hinder strategic decision-making, and business results. AI is not a replacement for human judgment, but an enhancement to it.
In the beginning brand safety had been focused on avoidance—steering clear of harmful or controversial content to protect brand reputations. Today, brand safety strategies are more focused on the “right” alignments for a brand’s ethos and values. However, this overly cautious approach often backfires, excluding advertisers from valuable, safe opportunities. Take, for example, an article about The Walking Dead. Keyword blocklists that target words like “dead” can unintentionally exclude high-quality, culture-rich content that aligns perfectly with an engaged audience. Instead of blindly relying on algorithms, advertisers can use AI-driven contextual analysis as a tool to provide nuanced insights while keeping human oversight central to decision-making. This approach ensures alignment with brand values while preserving opportunities for meaningful audience engagement. The result? Advertisers don’t miss out on engagement, and publishers can monetize their work.
AI in brand safety is quickly shifting from risk avoidance to opportunity creation. Advanced AI tools are also capable of identifying valuable content and aligning ads with relevant context. But their effectiveness of proper alignment requires human intervention to refine and direct brand safety strategies, correct biases, and ensure ethical applications. By using AI to augment—not replace—human expertise, advertisers can strike the balance between precision and creativity, safeguarding brand reputations while leveraging scaled innovation. A balanced approach to AI empowers brands to stay agile, publishers to thrive, and the media ecosystem to flourish. By integrating AI thoughtfully with human oversight, the industry can protect its cognitive and creative edge while driving measurable outcomes.
Topics: Brand Safety, Knowing Your Partners, Brand Suitability, tools, AI