3 Lessons in the AI Evolution
When it comes to AI, common feelings emerge: intimidation, fear, and empowerment just to name a few. Some are hesitant to admit they use AI, while others worry about standing out in a sea of AI-driven content. Yet, many also see AI as a way to streamline tasks and stay competitive. FOMO is contributing to this rapid AI evolution, so how can you harness all of these emotions to create the best marketing strategy for your organization?
On September 4, 2024, HubSpot experts and partners, including Yes& CMO Debbie Bates-Schrott, discussed AI strategies in marketing. Bates-Schrott emphasized that “AI is an opportunity to build better business and better outcomes.”
So... where do we start? How do we adopt and utilize AI in everyday business operations?
Here are the three main takeaways from the event:
1. WITH AI IN THE PICTURE, WE’RE BECOMING STRATEGISTS.
The intimidation that many have over AI comes with the fear that complete adoption of AI will render our human skills obsolete. However, there’s no need to worry – AI isn’t here to take over.
Rachel Kellam, HubSpot Senior Product Manager in AI Innovation, highlights it best: “I am working with these AI tools, but I’m the one inserting the strategy, and the tools can execute it for me.”
While AI might automate certain tasks, such as data analysis or file scanning, it will also open new opportunities for humans in areas requiring creativity and strategic thinking.
AI will always depend on human input and judgment to perform effectively. Crafting the right prompts is crucial, and doing so requires research, understanding, and insight. Though AI may begin to handle more discrete tasks, our ability to write the prompts that guide it will demand a constant refinement of our strategy skills.
Therefore, as AI advances, our strategy skills will continue to evolve along with it – not be replaced by it.
2. DISCOVERING WHAT’S POSSIBLE VS. WHAT’S USEFUL
As marketing professionals, we understand that there are a lot of capabilities with AI currently available, but does that really mean that we should be using it all? Definitely not!
As Chris Antonopoulos, Measured Results Marketing (MRM) CEO and founder, explained, “At the end of the day, you want to have a conversation, you want to build a relationship, you want to teach someone about a product and service. And so you’re using an automated tool to try to make you better at that task. Where does AI fit properly, and where do you rely on it, and where do you not?”
There is a risk and responsibility when choosing to use AI tools in any business operation. It is up to you to truly assess the benefits and implications of using different programs and platforms. AI should be utilized as an assistant in the ideation process, to nurture business operations instead of controlling every aspect.
You also want AI to smoothly integrate into your marketing practices. There is a point where AI automation can lose the contextuality of your audience. To maintain effectiveness and trust, you want your brand voice to remain authentic. An automated birthday card to someone special might make your life easier, but it definitely won’t have the same appeal as a hand-delivered note.
AI is shiny and new, which is great but also scary. Don’t lose sight of your business objectives and what will work best for you and your customers to build long-term relationships.
3. WHERE WE SEE AI HEADING
As great as it is to gain insights into what AI can do for your organization, actually activating the process can seem daunting. No need to fear, our panelists have some advice for the best places to start!
Asking the right questions is key to gaining the best results. Reach out to your network to see what is working for them. Attend industry-specific events and conferences is a key step in seeing which tools will work for your marketing operations. At-home learning is also possible with tools like Perplexity and HubSpot AI Innovation Lab to test the newest AI tools. And if you’re struggling, don’t forget you can even ask AI systems like ChatGPT about using AI tools.
Again, this is an ever-evolving landscape that can be disjointed and tricky to navigate, but we see these processes becoming more and more streamlined over time. Who knows what will become possible in the next few years: AI robot influencers, generated brand jingles, predictive sales pipelines; the possibilities are endless!
Just remember: AI is not the end product, but a tool for better business outcomes.
Interested in learning more? Check out highlights from our panel discussion below, and reach out to us to further the conversation on AI and its capabilities.
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