By Emma McDonald
Yes, AI is on the rise, but can marketers ever really trust it?
Like you, I am seeing countless articles about the rise and impact of this digital dynamo. Varying in degrees of venom from “it’ll be taking jobs soon!” to being the most supportive ‘digital assistant’ we have ever known; these pieces are usually designed to pique interest and create conversation (and perhaps, even a little bit of division too).
So, where does AI lie in the actual working landscape today? Is it threatening livelihoods or simply supporting often winded multichannel marketing staff? The answer is probably – a bit of both. As an outsourced agency, Just Williams has the genuine privilege to work with a wide range of clients in different sectors, and because of that we are able to see the varying degrees of impact AI is having on different organisations. It is genuinely fascinating, learning how different companies are embracing automations, and different variants of digitally-driven intelligence to support their work. But, when it comes to Marketing – it is proving something more of a conversation point.
The way we operate means that everything we do and all the content that we create is designed with the client’s unique ambitions in mind – so, when you consider the introduction of AI and any supporting tools using this, it does throw into question “who” is actually doing the origination. Thankfully, AI is not yet at a stage of being self-aware enough to not need human interaction to govern its outputs, but in some cases, it is responsive enough to remove a lot of the direction stages for basic tasks.
I am, and will always be, a champion for ‘next generation thinking’ and development. That being said, I personally remain on the fence about using AI in Marketing. Knowing that I and my team get the absolute best out of ourselves by being ‘uniquely human’ and being agile to each customer’s needs is the crux of it – introducing ‘robots’ into the mix can have a place, but do I think it can really be a challenger to effective, personallydriven activity? No. I love the idea that systems and processes can be streamlined using digital tools, but from a creative perspective? I don’t think you can ever fully replace human imagination and skill.
Even though elements such as image creation have advanced significantly using AI – truthfully, there are still platforms and outputs that are noticeably computergenerated, and I often have to stop and think – does that best represent that brand or company? Seeing a generated image can go one of two ways – looking impressive and being useful to the message you’re putting out or – and more often than not – it can appear just not quite right
Subconsciously, your market will follow a similar thought process too.
You may know that at Just Williams we are also huge advocates for supporting other businesses and improving a local supply chain too. So, when I see companies using obviously computer-generated images, over working with a local photographer, for example, I do begin to get a little bit more ‘anti-AI’. Adding value to your marketing shouldn’t come at a cost to a) representing your brand brilliantly, or b) supporting other businesses as and where you can.
Whilst AI tools most definitely have their place, knowing that the validity of the work will always need to be closely monitored to ensure the outputs are actually what the client wants will retain the need for human-controlled creation. And even though there are new platforms and software being released virtually daily to answer the evolving ‘needs’ of the marketplace, knowing that the most effective storytelling, creativity and true representation of the customer needs will come from a human is oddly comforting to me.
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