The President of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), Andrew Ackah, says artificial intelligence cannot replace the human creativity, emotion, and personal connection needed to produce impactful advertising.

He said that while AI was becoming an increasingly important tool for creative professionals, advertisers must ensure that technology complements rather than replaces the human element in their work.

Mr Ackah made the remarks at the 18th Gong Gong Awards held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra under the theme “The Creative Convergence: AI and Human Craft in Advertising.”

Mr Ackah said advertising professionals should not view AI as a competitor but as a tool that can support the creative process.

“We are not competing with AI. I mean, what you need to understand is that it takes a lot of thinking and human intervention to be able to get to the heart of people,” he said.

He argued that AI could not replicate the depth of emotion and personal expression required to create certain human connections.

“A computer and AI cannot just get to your heart the way it is, right? It's almost like if you're going to propose to your partner. You cannot use AI to propose. You have to speak your word, your energy. Everything comes through that,” he said.

Mr Ackah also cautioned advertising professionals who consider AI the sole pathway to creativity, arguing that excessive reliance on the technology could result in similar-looking content.

“But for those who think that AI is the pathway, you realize that all their creative will look the same because AI is just a machine that, with any prompt, anyone can create what you create,” he said.

He said the ability of different users to generate similar outputs could undermine one of the most important qualities in advertising — differentiation.

“Because if they understood your prompts, they could create what you create, then there would be no differentiation,” he added.

Mr Ackah also highlighted the growing influence of social media creators and influencers on the advertising industry.

He said advertising had traditionally operated largely as a one-way communication channel, with brands creating content and placing it on television, radio, and other conventional platforms.

“Back in the day, advertising used to be a one-way street, right? So, the client does an advert, puts it on TV, radio, and you're supposed to react to it, right?” he said.

The rise of digital platforms, however, has created opportunities for individuals to build audiences and tell stories that brands increasingly want to associate with.

“But right now, we realize that there are people who are telling stories that are amazing. People are building platforms. So, you realize that influencers are becoming very important in our market,” he said.

He added that other digital creators were also producing stories and content that offered brands new ways of connecting with consumers.

“There are other creators who are telling beautiful stories that brands want to associate with,” he said.

According to him, the shift is moving advertising beyond conventional media towards lifestyle, experiences, and the everyday interests of consumers.

“So, we see a lot more shift from the traditional media, as it were, to a place where brands are engaging in a lot more lifestyle and rituals and all these things that the generation currently is looking forward to,” he said.

The comments come as artificial intelligence continues to transform creative industries, including the way advertising content is developed, targeted, and distributed.

The 18th Gong Gong Awards brought together players in Ghana's advertising and creative industries to recognise outstanding work and celebrate creativity and strategic thinking.

The awards covered work produced and transmitted between January and December 2025, with this year's theme focusing on the relationship between emerging technologies and human creativity.

For Mr Ackah, the future of advertising lies not in replacing people with machines, but in combining technological capabilities with the human creativity, emotion, and originality needed to create meaningful connections between brands and consumers.