Anne-Marie Rosser is the CEO of VSA Partners .
To say that AI is more relevant to most business leaders is an understatement. A recent IBM study showed that the global adoption rate of AI will be 35% in 2022. And in the third quarter of 2023, the term "AI" was uttered an average of 3.7 times per conversation with an S&P 500 analyst, more than double that of the previous quarter.
There's a certain amount of panic involved in the buzz, as companies rush to demonstrate that they're incorporating new technologies into their operations and executives try to predict the impact of artificial intelligence on their businesses. Meanwhile, they are surrounded by experts who say that artificial intelligence is either a new renaissance or the end of the world.
If you're a business leader trying to find your place in the AI discourse, I suggest you take a look at your marketing agency. That's why.
Agencies help companies navigate complex challenges such as cultural changes, internal reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, new models and trends, and the continued pursuit of growth. Customers look to them to succeed or stay ahead, and a big part of that has always been understanding how to use new technologies to gain a competitive advantage.
Agencies also have a unique grip on the cultural pulse, as they constantly work with different clients in different industries and with different perspectives. This gives them a rare ecosystem of use cases, research and conversations from which they can analyze and learn.
As my agency begins to help our clients create and implement AI strategies, there are four key tips that continue to gain traction. Here's what we told our customers:
It's okay to be a careful user.
I've talked a lot about how if your company doesn't move to AI now, you'll miss the boat and never get the chance.
In the words of my colleague: "Technology doesn't work like that." In fact, many successful companies have found their way into new technologies by waiting for them to stabilize, studying what people like and dislike about using them, and using that experience to create better products. good ones.
Additionally, there are many other things, from copyright laws to data protection, that lack the protective barriers that companies need to manage the risks of implementing AI.
It's great to use AI in a way that makes sense for your business. If that means taking big steps because risk is in your DNA, great. If that means wandering around and seeing what works and what doesn't before you invest, that's great too. Let your purpose, not the ads, guide your decision-making.
There is no real expert in artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is developing and changing so fast that even if you were an expert yesterday, there are 12 things you probably don't know today.
I say this to warn my clients against scammers and false promises, and to assure them that before then, there is always time to improve their knowledge and performance.
Keep your ears open and closely monitor current practices in the field of artificial intelligence. Talk to outside consultants and others in your field. This is a new technology – no one has all the answers, and your experience and understanding of your industry is a valuable addition to unlocking the potential of AI.
The power of artificial intelligence lies in human understanding.
Generative AI is a parlor trick. That's fine, but it masks the real potential of today's artificial intelligence: using and analyzing data at a speed and scale we've never seen before.
We now think of AI as the three S's: synthesis, speed and scale.
Together, these three capabilities make it possible to test hypotheses and prove them right or wrong at lightning speed on large data sets. There is a real opportunity to leverage these skills to create better human experiences for your customers. This is the epitome of great design: real solutions based on real insights.
But AI is currently limited by the data it synthesizes. Companies cannot rely on external platforms to classify their information. The real value of AI will be that companies will be able to apply it to their data and gain insights faster.
The idea still matters.
I don't say this to be defensive. My agency has been around for 40 years. There have been radical changes over the decades that have really shaken up our industry, so I'm sure that human creativity will always be important, different, and the difference between good and great.
We've been here before. Tools that improve ad performance are nothing new. After all, AI is just another collaboration tool used by humans, not a new player or employee replacement.
Generative AI tools still need a stimulus or a creative spark. Designers will soon be able to use commands instead of keyboards, but it's vision, not execution, that ultimately creates great designs.
Furthermore, generative AI can make a creative idea even more relevant than it was before. Artificial intelligence makes it possible to create and distribute content with a speed and level of accuracy never before seen in marketing. In other words, it's about to make a lot of noise out there. I think this innovative idea will become even more important. HE tells you what he thinks you're waiting for. But the magic, what we call Moments of Impact™, comes when the unexpected presents itself.
So how will artificial intelligence change your business? It's hard to say for sure, but we know that people are very aware of extremes. AI discourse exploits this. The true outcomes for humanity and business are likely to lie somewhere between chaos and utopia. AI is a tool, albeit a powerful one. When we stop fearing it or putting it on a pedestal, we can see it for what it really is and begin to understand what we can do and what we can do.
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