Artisan AI, who develops AI-powered virtual employees, is behind the campaign.
The San Francisco-based AI startup launched a controversial advertising campaign in New York City, urging businesses to replace human workers with artificial intelligence.
Artisan AI, who develops AI-powered virtual employees, is behind the campaign. The company has smeared provocative messages across Times Square and Midtown bus stops, including a billboard that read, “We’re halting human employment. AI employees are here” and “The next BDR (business development guy) is not human.”
According to a report by the New York Post, the campaign originally launched in California last year and expanded to New York last month. Artisan AI co-founder and CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack told the outlet that the company spent less than $50,000 on Manhattan ads aimed at going viral online.
“The biggest play in the campaign isn’t really the people who see it from the streets,” Carmichael Jack said. “It’s when people take photos and repost them and share them. That’s when we go viral.”
Artisan’s previous marketing used more common slogans such as “become more productive” and “upskills with AI,” but failed to attract widespread attention. The company has since leaned towards more controversial languages, such as “stop hiring humans,” “craftsmen don’t complain about work-life balance,” and “craftsmen don’t get a job hangover.”
“It’s designed to inspire conversations and stimulate public interest,” explained Carmichael Jack. “Everyone gets involved when we say something controversial.”
The company claims the campaign has generated hundreds of millions of online impressions. Still, it appears that the artisans employ humans. This is because there are over 20 job openings on the company’s LinkedIn.
“We believe in hiring people,” the CEO said. “We just hire (they) for the work that humans actually want to do.”
