Generative AI tools have caused a disruptive impact in companies worldwide, particularly in their marketing and communications sectors, with benefits including increased efficiency, time saved, and enhanced productivity. This technology, however, is not without its skeptics. Here we delve into the expert opinions of several chief marketing officers and senior communications leaders on the role of AI in their industry.
AI enhances optimization and efficiency, according to Jenny Meassick of Socium Advisors, but it’s crucial not to overlook the personal touch of an organization’s tone and voice. Rather than replacing existing skillsets, AI proves beneficial in data collection, process automation, and strategic search integration.
Dayle Hall of SnapLogic sees AI as a time-saver on message testing and outreach. It allows faster testing of persona-targeted messaging and consequently better results across customer interfaces. However, a solid data structure and framework remain necessary.
For Andrew Kokes of HGS, AI is a ‘thought starter’, likening it to a calculator for marketing. It accelerates marketing research and initial draft writing without replacing human input entirely.
Parna Sarkar-Basu from Brand and Buzz Consulting underscores AI’s role in maintaining agility and innovativeness. She emphasizes the potential of AI for proactive planning based on consumer preferences, competitor monitoring, and the identification of market gaps and opportunities.
According to Matt Naeger of Merkle, contrary to the narrative of AI displacing creatives, it rather enhances their productivity. Especially in content creation, AI helps maintain brand voice, ensure consistency, and uphold reputation and strategy.
The Right Thing Marketing Communications’ Seema Kalra points to AI’s role in hyper-personalized content and campaign creation. CMOs can leverage the swift access to customer data to predict future behaviors and adapt communications strategies accordingly.
Writing from the perspective of Antony Robinson at Novalnet AG, AI acts as a ‘super-powered marketing ally’. Besides enhancing content, AI also predicts trends, automates ads, and ensures smooth operations overall.
From the unconventional standpoint of Nat Lennox at Sift, AI guides marketers in differentiating their content from that of competitors. AI-generated drafts can offer a roadmap of what to avoid in content creation.
Adriana Gil Miner of Iterable affirms the increased use of AI to personalize customer experiences. The agile analysis of vast customer data and strategic content delivery by AI results in more successful campaigns.
Daniel Raskin at Mperativ sees a shift: CMOs are moving past generative AI towards advanced AI that shapes go-to-market strategies. He predicts the models’ ability to predict fiscal year plans, forecast market segments, and spot ideal customer profiles.
For Colin Jeffries of BrightView Health, the real shift is in machine learning constantly personalizing everything. AI’s content creation revolution depends on a foundation of clean, accurate, and usable data.
AI also helps repurpose existing content, says Marija Zivanovic-Smith of IEX. Human-managed AI content could cut production time by ninety percent, saving companies significant amounts.
Roger Figueiredo puts forward the use of AI in competitive intelligence. The technology fills in the gaps in knowledge of the market landscape and customer insights.
For Maya Barkay of EverC, the challenge lies in finding a balance when using AI-enabled tools. Technology must free up resources and time for human connection, which machines cannot replicate.
Finally, Pini Yakuel of Optimove points to AI’s role in bridging the gap between data and action. It enables a profound understanding of customers for more impactful and meaningful campaigns.
Source: 15 Ways AI Helps Comms Teams Improve Their Marketing Efforts.
