How AI is Changing Marketing Communications

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been all over the news lately. As with anything this life-changing, there are pros and cons (and debates to be had). While some in the business world view AI as an eliminator of jobs, others see it as an advancement that can only help how we do our work. One thing is certain, this giant step in the technological revolution is here to stay and only growing more extensive and impactful daily.

To the average consumer, AI likely snuck up like a mysterious, unknown entity. But to the marketing and communications worlds, the reality is that it has been used in various forms for years, having started gaining momentum around 2015. However, it’s important to note that the concept of AI itself has been around for a few decades.

For the last several years, marketers primarily used AI for data analysis and predictive modeling. These techniques have helped marketers understand consumer behavior, segment audiences, and personalize marketing campaigns. AI-powered algorithms can analyze large volumes of data and identify patterns and trends that would be difficult for humans to detect.

Ways marketing communications is currently utilizing AI

• Data Analysis and Insights:  AI models require vast amounts of data for training. To obtain the necessary data, businesses often turn to data extraction services such as Grepsr. These tools can process customer information, behavior patterns, and preferences to identify trends and target specific segments more effectively. AI can also help generate reports and other documentation to present the data compiled.
• Personalization: AI enables marketers to deliver highly personalized content and experiences to individual customers. By leveraging AI algorithms with the help of an expert AI development company, marketers can analyze customer data, predict preferences, and tailor messages and recommendations to suit each customer’s needs, increasing engagement and conversion rates. SaaS conversion rates are often higher when personalization is involved.
• Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: AI-powered programs help these conversational interfaces to engage with customers in real-time, answering their queries, providing recommendations, and guiding them through the buyer’s journey, all while hopefully enhancing customer service and satisfaction.
• Content Creation and Curation: AI technologies can assist marketers in creating and curating content. AI algorithms are now generating personalized product recommendations, creating automated email campaigns, and even helping to research and write articles or social media posts.
• Predictive Analytics: AI helps marketers forecast future trends and behaviors by using predictive analytics. By analyzing historical data and patterns, these algorithms predict customer preferences, purchase behaviors, and market trends, allowing marketers to make data-driven decisions and develop effective marketing strategies.
• Ad Optimization: AI-powered advertising platforms leverage learnings to optimize ad targeting and placement. These platforms analyze user behavior, preferences, and demographics in real-time to deliver highly targeted and relevant ads, improving conversion rates and return on investment.
• Customer Segmentation and Targeting: AI now assists marketers in identifying and segmenting their target audience more accurately. By analyzing customer data model, AI algorithms group customers based on similarities and behaviors, which enables marketers to create tailored campaigns that resonate with specific segments and increase campaign effectiveness.

As you can see, the use of artificial intelligence in marketing communications is extensive. But, as AI technology advances and evolves even further, knowing how to use it properly (and ethically) becomes even more critical.

Related: AI in Customer Service: The Race to the Bottom?

Humans and machines working together; what the future might hold

As these AI tools rapidly evolve, there is already rumbling in the marketing and communications industries about machines replacing employees as companies look to cut costs. Surveys confirm this fear, with 71% of those taking part reporting solutions they are concerned with how AI could impact job security.

While some insist AI will never replace humans in large numbers, both sides acknowledge the time to figure out a balance is here and that humans need to chart a way forward to work with this advancing technology.

“What these AI tools produce today still needs strong human guidance,” says Laurent Thevenet, head of creative technology, Publicis Groupe APAC & MEA. “I have been playing in this new field since 2019 and the working model remains the same for now. It’s about humans and machines working together.”

While this technology revolutionizes the industry, some argue it cannot replace the human touch and creativity. “AI should be used to augment and enhance our teams to increase productivity, efficiency, and return on investment,” says Cheuk Chiang, CEO of Dentsu Creative. “A great analogy would be generative AI as a sous chef or kitchen assistant. A sous chef helps with the preparation to realize the master chef’s vision. AI helps prepare our thinking and craft to realize our creative vision.”

Here are some predictions from business professionals in a recent HubSpot survey showing how they think it will impact their jobs:

• 64% say AI/automation tools will make a significant impact on how they do their job in 2023
• 57% say most software they use will have AI or automation capabilities built-in by 2024
• 56% say most people will use a generative AI tool like ChatGPT to assist them in their jobs by 2024

[Source]

Related: ChatGPT: Pros and Cons of Generative AI Text in PR

The need for AI regulation and other safeguards

When you have news breaking recently that some tech leaders and industry experts see AI
as a risk to all of humanity, then you’ll probably agree that the industry needs to be scrutinized closely. An official statement from AI experts and public figures stated, “mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.” You can see the open letter and signatories here.

When technology enters the scene at an accelerated rate that outpaces the ability to regulate it for safety, it becomes worrisome. And when creators like Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, who created ChatGPT, call for US lawmakers to regulate AI, I get a Frankenstein feeling that the monster may have escaped the lab.

On tech researcher Lex Fridman’s podcast, Altman recently said, “I think it’s weird when people think it’s like a big dunk that I say, I’m a little bit afraid. And I think it’d be crazy not to be a little bit afraid, and I empathize with people who are a lot afraid. The current worries that I have are that there are going to be disinformation problems or economic shocks or something else at a level far beyond anything we’re prepared for,” he added. “And that doesn’t require superintelligence.”

Based on some of the highlights from hearings I’ve seen in Congress regarding social media and the tech industry, I’m not confident that this government body is up to speed on the latest technology to help make informed policies and/or regulations. Imagine your grandpa trying to download software on his new iPhone, and you get the picture. 😊

While Congress is in a state of limbo on how to handle AI, there are some things that brands and businesses can do to set up their own standards for the use of artificial intelligence. I asked several friends in marketing and communications what their companies are doing. Most of them are using AI for some internal work. Still, for public-facing communications like advertising, marketing, and public relations, they are stepping back and approaching it with caution due to copyright infringement and accuracy issues. BBDO went so far as to issue a policy forbidding AI use in client work (due to copyright issues) unless their legal team previously approved it.

One company that got burned in using AI to write copy for articles was CNET (the technology and consumer electronics review publisher). They were using AI to write articles and were not being transparent about that use. In the 77 stories that CNET published using AI, mistakes were discovered in 41 of them. Disclosing the use of AI in situations like these is among the future regulations I hope to see Congress or the Federal Communications Commission issue.

Conclusion

I thought I’d utilize artificial intelligence to write my conclusion for me, specifically asking ChatGPT how AI will impact business in the future. This is what came back:

In the future, the impact of AI on businesses is expected to be even more transformative. AI will continue to revolutionize various aspects of business operations, decision-making, and customer experiences. Overall, the future impact of AI on business will be characterized by increased personalization, automation, and data-driven decision-making. With the right strategies and ethical considerations, businesses will harness the full potential of AI to drive growth, innovation, and sustainable success in an increasingly AI-driven world.

While I see the benefit of using AI in certain aspects of our business world, I also realize the danger of it getting out of control if not properly monitored by the right people and agencies. With the genie so far out of the bottle at this point, the proper way to move forward has not been established. This is one subject we’ll be sure to watch and update from time to time.

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