Take charge

An article from 2023 states that „57% say most software they use will have AI or automation capabilities built-in by 2024 and 56% say most people will use a generative AI tool like ChatGPT to assist them in their jobs by 2024”. Humans and AI are right now working together so an important aspect emerges. If it is of help to you and your organization, make sure that the final touches and the final decision is always up to you. Make sure that the proposal or recommendation is coming from someone who knows the job, understands the business and the client and is thoroughly reliable. I love how a Forbes article puts is: in 2024 decisions still need to be human centric. This is what agencies and your clients need and deserve, to be frank. And should you decide to let an AI decide, then be transparent about it with all involved stakeholders.

Learn how to prompt it

Knowing how to prompt an AI tool in your benefit is a job in itself. With Chat GPT being the most used tool by marketing professionals to write social media posts, blog posts, articles or even emails (a study from 2023 says that 23% are using it this way) it is important to take your time with it, experiment and don’t rush into things. As the latest version from OpenAI, Chat GPT 4 seems to be far more advanced when it comes to produce large editorial pieces and is more trustworthy, I would still suggest to triple check all the facts and figures that your AI tool provides. Don’t forget that you are in control and take ownership for the work that you put out there. The AI era is just beginning and there is still a lot to learn about accuracy.

Data protection comes first

If you want to teach AI systems to have values and align to yours, then you need to pay extra attention to this point: ethical use of AI. As AI can process exponential data and information about your customers and deliver on point targeting, it is essential (and your responsibility) to be GDPR compliant. Data storage and collection (only with explicit consent), following strict regulations, will be a must and not an option. As Sunshine Farzan, a Forbes contributor, says „by prioritizing ethics and ensuring human touchpoints, marketers can create AI systems that align with societal values and customer expectations.” I cannot emphasize enough how important this idea is. I believe it will be a hot, hot topic for marketing professionals in the months and years to come.

Be curious about it but not overwhelmed

AI anxiety is on the rise and truth be told it is hard not to feel overwhelmed. With tons of articles that make you afraid about what the future may hold, your fear of new technologies is triggered. Especially in our creative field, where tools such as Midjourney (just to name the most popular…) give artists and graphic designers real concerns about the importance of their creative input. On the other hand, some creatives that we work with are really excited to use AI tools for day-to-day tasks. Some of our collegues noticed that they can focus more on the creative side of a project and leave the technical details to their „assistant”. If you are interested to read more about AI anxiety and how to handle it, check out this article from Scientific American.
As we are all doing our best to navigate this environment full of uncertainties, it’s up to each of us to define our relationship with these new technologies. Friendly or not, they are available to us, and they are here to stay. So, let’s make sure we put them to good use, for the benefit of our organizations and clients. I would like to end with a quote from the above-mentioned article, that really put things in perspective for me: „The real societal fear shouldn’t be that AI will get better or produce ever more interesting content. Instead, I’m afraid that we’ll give up on ourselves and just become satisfied with what AI generators can provide.”