Artificial Intelligence has been around since the 1950s, but the emergence of ChatGPT has launched it into the spotlight. AI has been integrated to our everyday life : helping us with our jobs, our schoolwork - even becoming our chatbot 'friend' on Snapchat, answering our most delusional questions.

Although there is consensus about ChatGPT as a helpful tool, can we agree that this frenzy will endure? Is this nothing but another Metaverse 'hype-cycle'?

AI as an infallible future

AI has already proven to be revolutionary in our everyday life. We use it to do everything from the tedious task of writing an email to generating a picture of a happy turtle skiing on a volcano. Is it becoming an indispensable tool? Will it bring a new numerical revolution?

Hyper-scalers like Amazon, Microsoft and Google are the least at risk with this emergence, and cyber-security companies will continue to flourish.

But what about the people who will be negatively affected by this? However, what about the individuals who will be adversely affected by this? AI has already influenced our present circumstances.

As a result, EdTech company Chegg may face potential setbacks. They failed to anticipate that ChatGPT would become the primary tool in education, rendering their services in threat.

Kodak filed for bankruptcy protection in 2012 as they had missed the digital camera - could AI be as pivotal as the digital revolution?

How is artificial intelligence used in marketing?

It would be of no surprise that the field of marketing is also susceptible to the world of this AI revolution.

By 2030, AI-driven marketing is projected to contribute to 45% of the global economy. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a technological marvel; it's a powerhouse shaping the future of marketing.

Let's delve into how AI in marketing marketing strategies is revolutionising and propelling businesses towards unparalleled growth.

Social Media Listening driven by AI

One pivotal area where AI is redefining the game is social media listening. Platforms which are leveraging OpenAI's GPT model and NLP, are at the forefront of this revolution. The AI can assist Marketers by sifting through thousand of comments and queries and can provide plenty of suggested terms, and sentiments enabling marketers to gain crucial audience insights swiftly.

AI for Social Media Listening

*AI is revolutionising how brands gain insights about their customers, for example AI can cluster your social media comments and analyse them for positive and negative sentiments*

AI algorithms, with the help aspect-clustering, sift through massive social listening data in real time. This process extracts relevant details, providing marketers with a profound understanding of customer sentiments through social media platform sentiment analysis.

AI can analyze social media comments about your social media post and provide insights on customer sentiment. This is useful for launching new products or understanding how your target audience perceives your products.

Armed with this knowledge, businesses can anticipate customer behavior, enabling strategic actions for desired outcomes.

AI in Content Generation

Intelligent social media management tools utilizes AI to analyze the voice of the customer (VoC) data present in social posts and reviews.

This analysis informs content creation by identifying topics that resonate with the target audience.

AI doesn't stop at content analysis; it also identifies keywords and triggers to craft compelling posts, respond effectively to customer comments, and enhance product descriptions on websites.

Before the AI revolution content marketing and content creators traditionally relied on the originality of the content using creativity and analysis and certain tone of voice which had their natural thoughts, but with the rise of natural language processing and AI you can just ask chatGPT to write a blog about a certain topic and it can write a whole report.

So the real question is how AI is going to impact content marketing? and will digital marketers be able to leverage this revolution.

AI vs Human generated content — How is AI and Human generated content Different?

AI-generated ideas transcend content creation, From crafting email subject lines that boost open rates to developing personalized content tailored to specific buyer personas, AI prompts facilitate meaningful conversations. This personalized approach strengthens connections, fosters loyalty, and ultimately stimulates sales.

Impact on the retail and luxury sector

Retail will benefit upstream from volume growth because product selection and design will be streamlined, with greater supply chain efficiency and an optimised inventory management. Downstream, retail will benefit from improved visual merchandising, physical store layout, and cost efficiency, but also hyper-personalisation.

Similarly, luxury brands will have the opportunity to leverage AI to develop more personalised marketing, and AI-generated marketing designs. In addition, luxury may use AI for cheaper fashion shows, undisturbed by protests. Tech-savvy disruptors will be the 'winners' in this battle, snatching up market share where others are laggards.

AI equally proves to facilitate ESG initiatives. Indeed, AI is helping us with research on nuclear fusion, as well as fight climate change by indicating how to reduce our emissions, increase the use of renewable energy sources and monitor the pollution in the ocean.

Outside of environmental initiatives, we see AI as an opportunity in social change:

L’Oréal pioneered in 2022 a monitored handheld device for people with disabilities, to make applying lipstick more accessible and offer independence. Will we see a world where applying makeup can be computer generated?

Link to podcast explaining how MELI approaches AI

AI is not a Replacement of Human Labour

If Elon Musk is afraid of this new technology, should we be too?

The iconic/ironic movie with Will Smith, I, Robot is the perfect example of a dystopian future with humans living with AI. It is tempting to think of AI as something from the domain of science fiction that might emerge at some point in the future, because, to adults alive today.

Today’s AI doesn’t’ exactly look and behave like what we might have been expecting. In the end, is AI the solution to all our problems or the source of new ones?

Black Mirror is the perfect example of how everything could take a turn into disaster. It invites the viewers to think about how technology can harm society and transform our behaviour. Each episode shows how an existing technology could evolve soon, for better, or especially for worse.

AI is a very helpful tool indeed, but still limited to an emotional human level, it cannot feel empathy. As it is based on the input of users, it can easily perpetuate unconscious biases and discrimination, and lack of employee training with the tool could accentuate these errors.

The problem of 'bad input, bad output' in AI is made worse by existing uneven laws, the absence of clear rules, and concerns about the security and privacy of AI systems. This means that not only could the information we provide to ChatGPT be inaccurate, but it might also be less private than we assume.

This technology still lacks the transparency needed, creating polarisation between users and a sense of distrust. We fear for our autonomy, for our jobs, question our fundamental utility in the world.

Conclusion

In conclusion, AI is undeniably shaping our future, offering both promises and perils. While AI's current state signifies significant advancements, there is ample room for growth.

However, concerns about job displacement, ethical considerations, and the potential misuse of AI loom large. Striking a balance between technological innovation and ethical considerations is crucial for a future where AI coexists harmoniously with humanity. The journey of AI evolution is ongoing, and its trajectory will be shaped by our collective choices and responsible development practices

Writer: Julie Colonna & Garance Lefievre

What does AI mean for marketers?