We Must Accept AI As A Tool To Enhance Creativity: Sajan Raj Kurup, Creativeland Asia

Founded on the ethos of pushing boundaries, Creativeland Asia (CLA) carved a niche for itself by seamlessly merging creativity with technology and innovation.

Led by Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder and Chairman, CLA celebrated its 16th anniversary last year with the unveiling of Creativeland Studios. The platform serves as a hub for filmmakers and creators to express their vision through creative storytelling across diverse mediums.

Beyond Advertising

At the heart of CLA's vision lies a deep-rooted belief in the power of collaboration and innovation. According to Kurup, "We’ve never been an advertising agency alone. We’ve been as much an innovation and a tech company." He emphasises that as technology becomes increasingly integral in our lives, creativity has flourished alongside it.

"Our creative and technology teams overlap beautifully in solving client problems. And that’s been our strength", says Kurup.

Collaboration as Culture

One instance of CLA's fusion of creativity and technology is showcased through its collaboration with a client during the lockdown period. Tasked with ensuring the safety of over 8,000 factory employees, the agency developed a mobile app that not only promoted social distancing but also provided real-time risk assessment. What began as a request for safety posters evolved into an app that enabled employees to maintain safe distances and identify potential risks, ensuring the smooth functioning of factories amidst the pandemic, explains Kurup.

Central to CLA's culture of collaboration, Kurup emphasises the power of diverse perspectives in driving innovation stating, "Collaboration is the culture at Creativeland. Our ideas become more powerful when different people, of varying expertise, add their muscle to them." The collaborative approach extends beyond internal teams to encompass clients and partners, ensuring that every project benefits from a wealth of perspectives and insights.

Adapting To Change

Looking towards the future, CLA remains committed to embracing emerging technologies and pushing the boundaries of creativity. From using Twitter to track inventory to leveraging virtual reality for immersive brand experiences, the agency consistently pushes the boundaries of innovation.

Kurup notes, "Whatever turn technology takes in the future, we won’t be hesitant to use it creatively." Recently, they developed a virtual office platform that streamlines project management, video meetings and HR operations with a proactive approach to adopting new technologies.

The AI Frontier

Kurup acknowledges the transformative potential of AI in the creative industry. "We must accept AI as a tool to enhance creativity," he affirms. While AI offers tremendous potential to streamline workflows and enhance creativity, it also raises concerns about its potential misuse.

However, highlighting the importance of ethical AI use, he asserts, “We should also be very wary of its misuse.”