Every agency is being asked the same question right now:
What’s Your
AI Strategy?
Our answer is simple.
AI is a tool that amplifies our creativity.
At the core we view AI as an extension of the creative process rather than a substitute for it. We embrace it for efficiency and innovation but believe that human creativity is unmatched. We feel that AI can aid in that process but don’t believe it can, or should, eliminate it.
While we do champion human creativity, we acknowledge there are some things we can do much better with AI than with more traditional tools. We don’t believe in using AI just because of the trend. We use it when it will make the best work. We use it when the concept needs us to use it.
When we use AI it is:
We use AI when it helps the process. When it allows us to iterate quicker, enhance our workflow and scale production for our client’s needs. The idea dictates the technology.
We believe human centered stories will be grounded in the real world. But we can use AI as the tool to get there quicker, to visualize things we couldn’t before or to create proofs of concepts that save us time in the process. Its value comes from the people guiding it. Human judgment, taste, and creativity remain the most important part of our process.
We’ve found AI to work well as an alternative to b-roll, to animate still imagery and concept more quickly and with more fidelity. But if a practical shoot, an illustrator, a designer, or a traditional production approach creates a better result, that’s the path we’ll choose.
The Leap POV: AI is a tool that amplifies our creativity. From concepting to final products, we find where it fits and we lean into it for those workflows. We believe that human creativity can be amplified by tools like AI. But it will never replace it.
We feel AI is just another tool in our toolbox. An incredibly powerful one, but a tool none the less. We use it in the right places at the right time. Often, we use it in concepting because we can ideate and visualize things more quickly. We also use it customer facing when it’s the best tool for the job.
We don’t believe AI can replace human creativity. It’s not built to do that. Human creativity is special. It’s unique, surprising, inventive, imaginative, original. All things AI is not. So AI should never be used to replace human creativity. We see AI for what it truly is. A powerful tool, but a tool for humans, nonetheless.
The AI sameness is not the tool’s fault but the fault of the people using it. It’s a lack of creativity. We saw the same thing with stock photos years ago. We use our same high standards to evaluate the creative we make with AI that we do when evaluating other creative.
The same way we would using stock photos/video or through traditional net new photo/video. We look at what is being used by competitors and other brands. We find a film quality to the imagery that feels unique to your brand. No artist or brand names in prompts help to ensure that
the work is unique to you.
We never use artist or brand names in our prompts. That’s the easiest way to make sure we are not capturing existing IP in our work. Plus, we always have human hands and eyes on it. We evaluate everything we create to make sure it’s unique to the concept and doesn’t borrow from other IP.
The same we have for any project. Our tools don’t change our standards. One of the most important things when using AI is the human filter. AI is not a set it, forget it kind of program. We are a huge part of what we create and are always evaluating the output like we would with any tool.
Yes!
In Concepting:
IDEATION (art):
YES! For visualizing things that are net new or hard to create.
IDEATION (copy):
Probably not. AI offers up expected concepts. But it is ok to use to refine creative.
In Pre-production:
Yes, it’s great for animatics but if shooting practical we let the director and DP bring their vision to it.
In POST-production:
IMAGE AND VIDEO CLEANUP:
Yes, when it makes sense to do so we’ll use AI to enhance the work, making it look as good as possible.
We DO NOT USE AI when a client asks us not to. Even for concepting. If they say no, it’s a no. No questions asked.
AI moves fast, and so do we. Our technology stack for creative and production is continuously evolving as we explore new tools, validate what works, and integrate the innovations that create real business value.
Because our toolkit is constantly changing, what we use today may not be what we use tomorrow. As of July 2026, when this blog was published, these are the AI tools currently in our creative and production stack:
Midjourney: Our primary image-generation platform for visual exploration and concept development. It excels at creating cinematic, high-quality imagery and helps teams quickly explore creative directions before moving into production.
Weave: A workflow platform that connects multiple AI models and tools in one environment. We use it to create more consistent outputs, streamline production processes, and manage complex creative workflows across projects.
Higgsfield: A powerful platform for cinematic image-to-video generation. It allows us to test movement, camera direction, and visual storytelling concepts quickly while maintaining a strong creative point of view.
ElevenLabs: Used for voice generation and voice prototyping. It helps us rapidly explore voiceover options, creative concepts, and audio experiences during development.
Topaz: Our enhancement and upscaling tool. Topaz helps improve image and video quality, adding detail and realism when preparing creative assets for final production.
Want to see how Leap Group can help your business grow? Get in touch to learn what’s possible.