The current state of marketing and AI

We were all chugging along, creating exciting and strategic campaigns, drafting content and putting it out into the world—and feeling a sense of true ownership. We hardly noticed when predictive text started finishing our sentences or plug-ins started flagging grammatical errors and suggesting better ways to phrase our copy.

So, what exactly is AI?

It is worth noting that AI is a whole bunch of things, not a singular string of code out there in the ether dictating our future (or maybe it is; we’re just copywriters and marketing strategists over here).

Charlie explains AI as “a field of computer science that involves the development of intelligent machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. At its core, AI involves the development of algorithms and computer programs that can analyze data, recognize patterns, and make predictions or decisions based on that data.”

However you consider or classify it, AI is an ever-changing, ever-evolving playground where data, science, art, and yes, even marketing can come together to do things differently and, dare we say, better. The Marketing AI Institute sums it up nicely: “AI isn’t just one technology. It’s an umbrella term that encompasses a range of smart technologies like these that can learn and improve on their own.”

AI is here for a long time (and a good time)

AI has been with us marketers for quite some time now. (It can already predict your next Starbucks order, and you better believe our team runs on coffee).

But until recently, we were only using AI to help with the small stuff: spellcheck, grammar, the occasional clunky transcript of a recorded video meeting, as well as some of the more technical background stuff (A/B testing, task management, recommendation engines, etc.). There just wasn’t a threat that it could simply write all of the content or do all of the design for us.

Then, nearly overnight, something shifted, and AI was no longer hidden inside the programs we were already using but now the main feature of every new tool available.

Charlie’s two cents on life before ChatGPT

Before advanced AI tools like ChatGPT, marketers used basic AI techniques such as statistical analysis, A/B testing, rule-based systems, recommendation engines, natural language processing, data mining, decision support systems, expert systems, and neural networks to help with their daily tasks.

 

One for the pro column: AI enables a more inclusive marketing experience

Before we jump into worrying about the content-creating robots coming for our marketing roles, there are some obvious and much-needed benefits to the added capabilities of AI—it’s way easier to make inclusive marketing content.

To give you an idea, AI can help experiences in areas such as:

• Video. Whether it’s an explainer clip on your website or an Instagram Reel, video is so hot right now (and we expect it to be for a long time). It’s highly consumable, great on various channels and, if we’re being honest, a lot of fun to create. With AI, it’s easier than ever to make your video content more inclusive by adding subtitles and captions.
• Meetings and webinars. Virtual gatherings can also be more inclusive. AI enables real-time captioning so attendees with hearing loss can participate.

With so many tools available (for low cost or at least a free trial’s worth), there is no excuse for marketing content not to be as inclusive as possible.

AI: It’s only getting better

Yes, AI is here to stay, and it’s improving every day. From the tools we use to tweak our content and campaigns to the data we leverage to connect with our prospects and clients, we’re in this together now.

Fast facts: Why AI is important for B2B

• Nearly 80 percent of leads never convert to sales
• Forrester says 68% of B2B buyers prefer gathering information online on their own (this rose 13 percentage points from 2015 to 2018).
• According to McKinsey, 72% of the fastest-growing B2B companies say analytics helps them with their B2B sales goals.
• By 2025, 75% of B2B sales organizations are expected to supplement traditional sales playbooks with AI-guided selling solutions, according to Gartner.
• More than one-third of businesses currently use AI to achieve their business goals.

Why is an AI policy important?

Everyone is using AI in some way or another within your team. An AI policy will help manage not only what tools, but how they are being used. This is important because you want consistency within your team and in your output.

Your AI policy should define AI’s role in marketing

Having an AI policy is the blueprint for how your team or organization uses AI for marketing activities.

Your policy should include:

• Transparency surrounding AI-driven marketing decisions
• Ethical and responsible AI usage
• Compliance with relevant regulations
• Risk mitigation
• Consistency in AI implementation across marketing efforts

It’s quite a tall order for one policy to handle, so we also recommend having a designated person to manage it and review it annually.

Feeling unsure where to start? For help creating your internal AI policy, Workable has a free template that can get you started. For external policies, The Marketing AI Institute has released “The Responsible AI Manifesto for Marketing and Business,” available under a Creative Commons license so you can copy, paste, and get on with your responsible AI usage!

Transparency is currency when it comes to your AI usage

Let’s take a moment to cover transparency and why it’s important—especially regarding use of AI. In marketing, one of your ultimate goals is to establish trust. In Charlie’s words, “By emphasizing transparency in an AI policy, marketers commit to disclosing how AI technologies are employed in areas such as customer profiling, targeted advertising, personalization, and campaign optimization. This transparency helps build trust with customers, as they can better understand and evaluate the factors influencing their interactions with a brand.”

What does this mean for you and your team (not to mention your organization)? It means being open and honest about how AI tools are being used. Everyone is using them, so there is nothing to hide. Being clear about when and how your team is applying AI goes a long way to establishing trust inside and outside your company.

Disclose this: we’re (all) using AI

Charlie reminded us that marketers can and should use disclosures to ensure transparency in our use of AI tools—achievable by including clear explanations in privacy policies, offering opt-in/opt-out options, notifying customers about AI usage, providing insights into algorithmic transparency, using plain language explanations, providing regular updates, and offering contact information for customer inquiries.

Why you should keep your AI toolbox clean

We’d bet that your team is already using a bunch of AI tools to get their work done. We’re also willing to wager that it might be pretty easy to spend a whole lot of time trying every new platform or plugin, and if you work in marketing you know time is a precious commodity.

By also establishing a vetting process, you can ensure your team isn’t wasting time using the wrong tools or spending too many non-billable hours trying out every shiny new toy that comes along. Have your team submit tools they are curious about using to your designated AI policy person. Then, they can test, decide if it’s a worthwhile or credible investment, educate the rest of the team, and add to your list of approved AI tools.

Where should you put your AI policy?

So you have an internal and external version of your AI policy (or at least plans to make one). Now, the million-dollar question: where to put it?

Internal AI policy: Post it somewhere, such as an intranet or other easy-to-get-to-spot so it can be referenced when needed. Additionally, it’s a good idea to have a formal discussion when you put your policy into action as well as ongoing awareness and education about AI.

External AI policy: As for your external policy, it should be located where anyone visiting your site can find it. Most businesses have a link to a privacy policy page that you can find down at the bottom of the website—you can add your AI policy down there.