Across the board and around the world we have seen the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and – almost as an immediate association with the technology – ChatGTP trend exponentially. AI is seemingly the ultimate power, able to create art, and essays, solve complex problems, machine learn from its mistakes, and even eventually generate an entire film.

But with this power, also comes the responsibility for how we navigate and utilise AI to our advantage. With that, I’d like to explore harnessing the power of AI and educating ourselves to not only upskill but remain on the cutting edge to be the best modern marketers we can be.

Nothing can replace the human element to our work, the soul behind our communication and whilst relying on AI, human beings play a critical role in brand differentiation and the ability to empathise with our customers. But, it can’t be denied we face barriers to unlocking our best output. Finding tools, such as ones that are powered by AI and machine learning, and learning how to use them, future-proofs not only our individual capability but also the scale and integrity of our industry.

After all, moving with the times, rather than fearing change, is what helps us take advantage of opportunities and grow.

Ways To Start With AI

We can save time. AI systems such as ChatGTP can write copy, and enhance it, according to your instructions. It’s not because you don’t have good ideas nor the skills to express them, but if you need to write a month of captions for social media posts, or come up with new ideas, why not start with some automation? This can free up time for you to focus on more strategic tasks such as developing marketing strategies or enhancing the copy generated rather than getting it perfect in the first instance.

Fuel your curiosity. Hop onto ChatGTP, ask it questions, and let it help you research. Gaining deeper insights is vital to unlocking the needs of consumers and enhancing our understanding of consumer behaviour.

Analyse data. When you have something complex to tackle and want to access options on how to approach it, ask your computer to do it! Say you’re looking into survey results or trying to break down the analytics of a piece of work, allow AI to wade through it first to make it easier for you to take further action. AI can help to find consumer insights that will support marketing campaigns to drive business growth.

What not to do with AI

Limitations. Whilst AI presents a raft of benefits it’s also important to be mindful that it is not a silver bullet and its limitations also come into play. For example:

• Asking ChatGTP the right questions: the notion of how to structure an intelligent and well-articulated question relies heavily on the answer and output you receive. Asking questions in the right way drives the best response, so it’s crucial to spend time crafting questions intelligently to receive the best response.
• Strong use cases: Clearly defining the role of AI within the organisation is also key. It’s a case of the right time, right place, and knowing when it should be leveraged to assist rather than dominate. Furthermore, having well-established guardrails and parameters to operate within will assist in using it to your benefit rather than it becoming a hindrance.

It is important to also acknowledge that with the power of AI also comes the responsibility around data safety, especially when it comes to our customers. This is not a regulated space yet and sometimes we marketers can handle some sensitive information. Remember that programs like ChatGTP source their information from publicly available sources, but what you put into it can become publicly available too.

Do not take it at face value. ChatGTP has a habit of constructing plausible-sounding answers and suggestions that are not grounded in reality and must be filtered through, even on the basis of common sense. Always fact-check, and keep a healthy level of skepticism as you interact with these systems.

The use of AI has the potential to revolutionise the way that marketers work and create more effective and targeted campaigns. To be successful in this era, the human element, and in particular a deep focus on empathy is critical in supporting AI efforts in Marketing.

Marketers, however, who are willing to adapt and learn new technologies will be better equipped to create more effective and targeted campaigns. These skills will become increasingly essential for the future of the industry as AI supports marketing to move up the value chain.

The future of marketing is exciting, and I have no doubt AI will transform the industry significantly. How we, as marketers embrace and apply technologies such as AI, will set us apart from our competitors as we seek every edge to be the best marketers that we can be.

Author: Kate Young, ANZ’s Head of Customer Centricity and Capability