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Introduction

AI is transforming the world of marketing and advertising, but not in the ways that we might have expected even a year ago. New research from Mediaocean reveals how the expectations of AI use cases have shifted greatly in the past year, and how marketers and advertisers need to adapt to the changing landscape. I will share some insights from the research and some tips on how to make AI more useful to you in whatever specialty you have.

The Changing Expectations of AI Use Cases

Mediaocean conducted and later refreshed a survey of over 1,000 marketing and advertising professionals across the U.S., UK, France, and Germany. The survey asked them about their current and expected use of AI in various aspects of their work. The results showed a surprising shift in the perception of AI applications within a year.

In April 2023, top three expected use cases of AI were Copywriting (59% of respondents), Image Generation (39%), and Customer Service (37%). These are all creative and interactive tasks that require human-like skills and abilities. However, by November 2023, these expected use cases dropped significantly, by at least 1/2 each. Instead, the top expected use case of AI became Data Analysis (39%), followed by Market Research (35%) and only then Copywriting (26%). The first two are more analytical and research-oriented tasks that require data-driven insights and decisions.

What does this shift mean? It means that marketers and advertisers have realized that AI is not a magic wand that can replace human creativity and intuition. Rather, AI is a powerful tool that can augment human intelligence and enhance human performance. AI can help us process large amounts of data, generate insights, and optimize outcomes, but it cannot replace our judgment, vision, and empathy.

Further, AI for advertising works best when grounded within a culture and perspective of respect. Respect for the tool itself as well as its shortcomings (more on that later) as well as maintaining the respect of people who will ultimately consume the advertising we create — who deserve our collective respect for their attention, needs, and wants.

How to Become More AI-Fluent

To focus too much on the incredible hype around AI – seemingly endless breakthrough innovations at least monthly – is to miss the practical and inevitable use cases for it. The level of investment from the largest technology firms guarantees that it will continue to evolve and impact our work and lives. As marketers and advertisers, we need to embrace AI and learn how to use it effectively and responsibly. Here are some tips on how to become more AI-fluent in your field:

• ‍Be curious and open-minded. Sure, AI is smart, savvy tech that will just keep getting smarter and savvier. But, the people using it must lean into their own uniquely human smarts to explore AI, question it, and discover ways to leverage it. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment with different AI applications. You might discover new ways to improve your work and solve problems. Dedicate a couple of hours per week for experimentation, and I promise you’ll feel that the time was well spent.‍

• ‍Be critical and ethical. AI is not perfect or neutral. It can have biases, errors, and limitations. It can also have ethical and social implications. Don’t blindly trust or follow AI. Always question, verify, and validate the results and outputs of AI. Always consider the impact and consequences of using AI on your work, your clients, and your audiences.

• ‍Be collaborative and communicative. AI is not a solo or a silo. It is a team and a network. You can learn from and share with other AI users, experts, and enthusiasts. You can also collaborate with and communicate to your clients, colleagues, and audiences about AI. Always explain the purpose, process, and value of using AI in your work. Always seek feedback, input, and consent from your stakeholders.‍

• Be safe. Public AI tools are almost all “built for entertainment,” not “built for enterprise.” When experimenting, do not use sensitive company information or actual customer data. There are great, secure environments for working with that type of information, but be 100% sure that your AI use doesn’t contribute to the training of the AI’s models before you share anything confidential.

Conclusion

AI is a very big deal for marketing and advertising, but not in the ways that we might have expected even a year ago. AI is not a replacement or a threat to human creativity and intelligence. Rather, AI can be a complement and a support for human skills and abilities. It can help us do our work better, faster, and easier, but it cannot do our work for us. We need to apply our own judgment, vision, and empathy to create and deliver value to our clients and audiences. AI is a partner, not a substitute, for our human work, but it requires you to take the first step. Get curious, have some fun, and keep an open mind to the possibilities.

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