Will this AI company’s pivot away from ‘stop hiring humans’ work?
Few companies have managed to rile up the internet like Artisan. Earlier this year, the brand went megaviral for its widespread advertising campaign encouraging businesses to “stop hiring humans.” Instead, it offered up its AI agent, Ava, to take over low-level sales roles. Now, Artisan is pulling a 180 on its signature tagline. Its product hasn’t changed at all. It still wants you to put Ava in…
Artisan, the AI company that recently gained widespread attention for its controversial "stop hiring humans" campaign, has made a surprising about-face. Its founder and CEO, Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, unveiled a new marketing strategy aimed at positioning Ava, the company's AI agent, as a means to empower existing employees rather than replace them.
In a promotional video posted on X and LinkedIn, Carmichael-Jack highlighted human achievements throughout history and emphasized that Ava exists to allow people to focus on what they do best - being human. Despite the negative publicity surrounding the previous campaign, which angered many, Artisan's new approach aligns more closely with public sentiment towards AI.
A recent poll revealed that 53% of Americans are concerned that AI could put them or someone in their household out of work. However, Artisan faces a significant challenge in overcoming its reputation for anti-human sentiment. The company's recent office photos have also sparked controversy, with one image of a row of six computer monitors against a window generating the hashtag "I think we might need to nuke SF," which garnered millions of views.
Still, Carmichael-Jack remains unfazed, stating that as a pro-human company, they are "on the side of humanity" despite the vitriol.
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