Imagine a world where artificial intelligence (AI) not only streamlines your daily tasks but also enhances your creativity. As 2025 approaches, AI is poised to revolutionize the marketing industry, transforming the way we create, engage and strategize. Facing fears that AI will replace human creativity, marketers are faced with the task of balancing the benefits and potential risks of the technology.
Ultimately, the true power of AI lies in its ability to augment our capabilities. So if marketers can use AI to improve their work while remaining authentic, the possibilities are endless.
Unveiling the Benefits of AI in Marketing
AI in marketing is not just a futuristic concept; it’s here, and it’s transforming the industry in tangible ways.
- Improved copy and content
Starting a new project or developing new ideas can be intimidating, especially when faced with a blank page. AI platforms such as Copy.ai can provide the initial impetus needed to get ideas flowing. Whether you’re writing a report, creating a presentation, or brainstorming ideas for a new campaign, AI tools can help by generating initial drafts or offering creative suggestions based on your prompts. This is particularly beneficial when you’re faced with tight deadlines or when inspiration is lacking. For example, Finastra, a software solutions company, reduces creative production time from seven months to seven weeks using AI tools. Saving time during initial idea generation allows marketers to focus on the tasks that actually need their attention and creativity.
- Improved customer engagement
Another key use case for AI in marketing is customer engagement. Feeding customer personas into generative AI platforms to tailor copy to their desires can make content more audience-centric and tailored to drive engagement. Additionally, using AI platforms for real-time data tracking and analysis across channels can help marketers understand what’s working well and continually improve. For example, AI can help segment audiences more precisely and personalize interactions at scale, improving the overall customer experience.
Making AI happy and bright
Like any emerging technology, AI is not without risks. The key to successful AI adoption is understanding and addressing its limitations.
- Addressing accuracy limitations
Despite AI’s capabilities, AI-generated content can sometimes miss the mark. For example, ChatGPT is known to create hallucinationsincorrect or fictitious facts or references. This is why human monitoring and validation is crucial to avoid errors and maintain the quality and accuracy of marketing content. This involves refining the AI results through multiple iterations and ensuring the final content aligns with the brand’s voice and messaging. Human editing ensures that content remains authentic and resonates with audiences.
AI models also require constant updates. Netflix’s AI, for example, continually learns from new viewing data to ensure recommendations remain relevant. Marketers should take a similar approach to keeping their AI models up to date and ensuring that AI-generated content remains relevant and accurate. If you use commercially available AI products such as ChatGPT, it is important to review the generated results for relevance and make any necessary updates.
Generative AI can improve efficiency, but it is crucial to understand the associated risks to ensure responsible application. In an age where data is king, privacy and security have never been more important. It is essential that anyone using AI understands each program’s privacy guidelines to avoid any leaks of sensitive data. This is especially crucial when using large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT.
Anonymizing key data is the best way to safeguard information to protect both the organization and customers. Likewise, it is essential to be aware of the cybersecurity risks of AI platforms and implement robust security measures.
AI in marketing: naughty or nice?
So it’s clear that with the right safeguards and precautions in place, AI can transform marketing, both from a productivity and creativity perspective. But are companies going too far? Marketers must find a balance between using AI to improve their work, without losing the sense of human emotion and authenticity that makes marketing results successful.
For example, Coca Cola’s recent Christmas campaign caused controversy by being entirely AI-generated. While the company insisted its updated “Holidays are Coming” ad “connects the brand’s rich heritage with its optimistic vision of the future,” feedback hasn’t been as positive . The campaign was criticized for lacking emotion or creativity, something marketers need to be aware of when using AI for their content.
Take AI by the reins
As we look to the future, the integration of AI into marketing will only deepen, presenting new opportunities and challenges. By embracing AI’s capabilities while remaining vigilant about its risks, marketers can take the lead in strategic innovation. The road to 2025 and beyond is paved with AI-driven possibilities, ready to be harnessed for transformative marketing success.
Sophie Rea is Director of Integrated Marketing at YEARa digital transformation provider and Microsoft Services Partner of the Year 2024 in the UK. Headquartered in Manchester, it provides public and private cloud, security, business applications, low code and data services to thousands of customers, from enterprises to SMEs and public sector organisations. .
