Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is now a significant part of our lives, offering possibilities. With its accessibility and the continuous evolution of different applications and products, it has become an essential tool to integrate into your marketing planning and execution.

While it may not possess prophecy powers, when harnessed with skill and experience, it can effectively enhance ideas, design, and research, opening new avenues for marketing innovation.

Preparing to Integrate AI

When applying Gen AI systems to problem-solving, it is essential to acknowledge that they do not incorporate human reasoning and emotions into their outputs. Further, they will not know if something is right or wrong, which are uniquely human traits.

Further, remember that Gen AI systems are designed to give an ‘average’ of what their algorithms find. The algorithms’ learning process seeks to maximise the probability of outputting information (HBR 2024). That means it may not give an edge in thinking differently, or could lead you in a non-productive direction, unless applied with a specific scope and goal.

Where to Start

It is essential to embrace the new and evolving Gen AI tools and begin experimenting with them. Different Gen AI application options are becoming more available for image, text, video, and audio creation. Select a few applications to start with and experiment with them. Use different phrases, descriptions, industry terms, and jargon. Examine the outputs delivered. And remember to keep your critical thinking hat on—don’t be dazzled and stay focused on what will be important for your customers.

Once you are more familiar with the applications, apply your skills and experience to how you frame the problem. Move away from asking broad questions and include proprietary information, knowledge, and benchmarks to frame and narrow the scope of your question. The quality of the output difference will depend on how you craft specific queries for the Gen AI algorithms.

Brainstorm Question Scope

Before you start using the application, it’s crucial to brainstorm the scope of the question. What needs to be specific, and how many ways can it be framed? This process puts you in control and better positions you to judge the worthiness of the delivered outputs. As the Gen AI algorithms learn and you refine your system enquiries, the outputs will continuously evolve and change. Therefore, it’s an ongoing process that requires continuous attention, not a one-time activity. This emphasis on constant improvement should motivate you to keep learning and adapting, ensuring your marketing strategies remain at the forefront of innovation.

Remember, as a business, you want to grow and evolve to remain your customers’ choice, so don’t work within the realm of the ‘average’. It is also important to note that your competitors will have access to the ‘average’ outputs. Therefore, it will be about applying your skills and experience to find the business value in Gen AI applications and outputs.

The final word is don’t resist the technology—embrace it. Get it to work for you. Gen AI is not just an integral part of the marketing play; it’s a powerful tool that can empower you to stay ahead in the ever-evolving business landscape. By embracing Gen AI, you can demonstrate your forward-thinking approach and position your business for future success.

#digitalmarketing #marketing #GenAI

Reference
HBR (2024). Idea Watch – New Research and Emerging Insights. Harvard Business Review, March-April 2024, pp.17–20.