Pedro Lerma on celebrating diversity through AI

Great piece at AdAge from Lerma/ founder Pedro Lerma on the importance prioritizing diversity at all times, not just during recognizable events like Hispanic Heritage Month - and on the challenges presented by bias in AI.

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to an end, a recurring sentiment echoes in my mind. It is a sentiment often expressed by diverse, marginalized communities when their heritage and contributions are celebrated for a finite period each year. They rightfully declare, “Why limit the celebration of Hispanic heritage, African American heritage, Pride or the rights and achievements of people with disabilities to just one month? These should be celebrated year-round.” This very thought serves as motivation for the diverse and inclusive agency we have created at Lerma/.

Lerma/ began its journey as a Hispanic agency. Over time, our agency has evolved, mirroring the increasingly multicultural society we inhabit. We’re especially proud that Lerma/’s employee demographics match the current U.S. demographics almost exactly. So today, we identify ourselves as an agency for the new general market—one that is not so general after all.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is not just lip service. Each day, our team diligently works toward embodying these principles, and I am excited to share an example of that commitment here.

In line with our ethos, we are consciously choosing Hispanic Heritage Month to unveil a new project called Amplify AI. Our vision for this project was to push the boundaries of technology in order to celebrate cultural diversity. The resulting concept is a vibrant AI music video—a visual and auditory feast—that celebrates multiculturalism. In this piece, we challenged generative AI to bring live-action footage to life through animation. As viewers embark on this audiovisual journey, they will notice the seamless transition of animation styles, each harmoniously synchronizing with diverse musical genres—Tamil kuthu, reggaeton and hip hop. The dance sequences, performed by Lerma/’s finest dancers, are a visual testament to their corresponding cultures, further enhanced by animation styles inspired by art from those cultures as well.

Full story at AdAge.