When someone throws out the term “AI” in a conversation, what’s your initial reaction?
Do you think about how “AI” is a negative trend in our society?
Are you curious what aspect of AI they’re talking about?
Do you immediately dismiss the topic because it doesn’t involve “human logic?”
I’m finding reactions to AI are varying quite a bit, especially when it comes to marketing. There’s a lot of hesitancy and suspicion and rightfully so. Media coverage and the ability to manipulate AI hasn’t exactly painted artificial intelligence in the most positive light.
I was having a digital strategy conversation with a client recently when I threw out the term “AI” to test see what the reaction would be. Almost immediately, the persons on the other side of the conversation threw speculation on the entire strategy because we were going to use artificial intelligence to support a tactic.
Citing that “AI” was far too new and untested, they didn’t trust it, and didn’t want it to be a part of the strategy.
These reactions aren’t entirely uncommon. And given the flurry of news around AI – good, bad, and ugly – in, let’s call it the past two or three years, these reactions are understandable.
But the reality is that AI has been around for a long, long time. Algorithms, which have been around for decades, are AI. In fact, they’re the literal building blocks for more powerful, more sophisticated, AI systems.
When used correctly, AI can be a powerful tool in predicting consumer behavior and creating successful advertising campaigns to reach your organization’s goals. Instead of fighting the progress of AI, I want us to strive to learn more about it and how it can help, instead of how it hurts.
What’s your take on AI in marketing and advertising? Do you use AI right now, either directly or indirectly? Let us know!
