AI, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

As AI software and chatbots such as ChatGPT grow in popularity, we’re often asked about its role in marketing and communications. Here, Sharon Kerby, shares her views on its use and why its sometimes good to exercise a bit of caution. 

AI, is it a good thing, a bad thing, something we should embrace? As the use of AI software continues to grow, I’m often asked about AI and its use in marketing and comms. So what’s my view?

Firstly as a marketing professional with more than 30 years’ experience, it’s fair to say I’ve seen a few changes over the years. When I first worked in a PR agency, we had email but our clients didn’t, releases and photographs had to be printed and posted to journalists, and the smart phone hadn’t been invented.  Obviously, email, the internet and the rise of electronic communications in whatever format have been of huge benefit to marketing and PR professionals.  So I’m a firm believer in embracing new technologies and ways of working.

With regard to AI, it clearly has a role to play when it comes to the automation of process-driven, time consuming tasks like data analysis or more mundane activities like producing meeting minutes. But when it comes to more sophisticated tasks, we need to apply more caution and that’s because there’s one absolutely critical skill which AI lacks: judgement.

Good marcomms uses a variety of tools and requires a strategic approach to raising awareness, building trust and forging relationships. It’s about much more than generating ‘a bit of noise’ (for anyone in any doubt, there is such a thing as bad PR!) and when done well, will help an organisation achieve its core objectives.

That requires an experienced marcomms professional to make a judgement about what to do, how to do it, when to do it and even, when to do nothing at all. Something which AI simply can’t do.

AI can analyse a piece of legislation but it can’t tell you what your response to it should be; it can’t read the room when you’re dealing with an important issue and intuitively know when something you’re planning to say won’t land well, and it certainly can’t inject a human element into issue or crisis related communications. It’s unable to make a judgement. And that’s critical.

Marketing and PR failures are essentially caused by a lack of good judgement: tone-deaf messaging, insensitive timing, a lack of strategic planning, an inability to fully grasp the nuances of a situation or a failure to evaluate risk.

Add to that the issues around authenticity and the impact that has on trust, (people are increasingly adept at spotting AI generated copy) and it’s clear that AI has its limitations.

So by all means use AI tools to complete process-driven tasks but when it comes to developing your marketing strategy and implementing other elements of your campaign, for now at least, my personal opinion is you still need the human touch.