SINGAPORE — The potential benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing are vast, significantly enhancing efficiency and productivity. Serving as a catalyst for ideation and validation, AI is already transforming the way we work. 77% of global marketers are planning to increase their organization’s spending on AI and data for 2024, up from 57% last year1; while 71% of global brands are planning upskilling initiatives2, emphasizing the need to equip employees with essential skills for navigating an AI-driven landscape.
Marketers: Upskill & Thrive
Even as AI boosts efficiency, it requires foundational principles for use and appropriate governance to ensure that the data being used to train the systems and the resulting outputs are leveraged appropriately and ethically. This is not a task to be handed to technology. Neither has this been a topic long studied by marketers. Executive human judgment remains indispensable to ensure the precision and relevance of AI outputs, making upskilling initiatives for marketing professionals not merely beneficial, but imperative.
Balancing Progress & Ethical Considerations
The entry of AI into campaigns, evident in the doubling of AI mentions to 7.3% in Cannes Lions entries for 20233, highlights its expanding role in creative work. Despite the promising trajectory of AI in marketing, legitimate concerns persist. Issues related to inclusive and responsible use, privacy and consent, talent acquisition, and AI’s readiness for significant decision-making require careful contemplation. During R3’s recent marketing roundtable in Manila, marketers from local brands shared that they have a cautious “wait and see” approach.
The increased usage of AI in marketing is inevitable. So, while businesses may hold back on publicly incorporating AI into their campaigns, it is still important to kickstart the internal process of AI tech testing and implementation of internal and external safeguards and policies around transparency, consent, data, bias and discrimination, to ensure that future deployment of AI is ethical and legal.
Review Agency Partnership Ecosystem for Future Needs
72% of agencies have embraced generative AI to help with the creative process, from research to copy-writing to creating images and music.4 Conducting a strategic reassessment of your agency partnerships will help your organization to capitalize on the efficiency gains while navigating ethical considerations. The integration of AI is poised to usher in more personalized and conversational consumer experiences, resulting in a reduced reliance on pure-play digital agencies. Agencies are anticipated to tap on AI services to craft compelling brand experiences and optimize marketing processes.
Agency models will have to evolve, as marketers will look to gain a more centralized view of how AI is being used across the marketing funnel. This might lead to a desire to decrease duplication, focusing agencies on their core strengths. The impact of AI on team structures, hubbing, and the number/type of agencies required within markets will be substantial, reshaping the traditional agency landscape.
How Marketers Can Lead While AI is Still Dynamically Evolving
- Establish a Cross-Functional Team
- Build a team of AI experts, developers and testers to spearhead your AI adoption process
- Understand where friction exists in your business
- Identify areas spending disproportionately on more man-hours
- Determine who within your company manages the largest datasets
- Define a Collection of Destinations: Create Pilots and Learn
- Identify areas to accelerate efforts that are already working
- Evaluate manual processes that could benefit from AI assistance
- Build a Baseline for Measuring Your AI Journey
- Clearly define what your brand wants out of AI
- Identify what your brand needs to reach its next level of growth
- Understand the ethical and societal responsibilities that will fall on the brand
Striking the right balance between innovation, intellectual property rights, and brand safety is paramount as marketers navigate this dynamic landscape. The evolving role of AI necessitates a reevaluation of traditional practices, emphasizing the indispensability of human oversight, continuous learning, and ethical application to fully harness the potential of AI in marketing. As we move forward, upskilling, cautious adoption, and strategic partnerships will be key to unlocking the full potential of AI in shaping the future of marketing.
About the author
Seema Punwani, Partner at R3
Seema is a seasoned professional with two decades of experience in the marketing and communications industry. As a Partner with R3, Seema works with global marketers like Mastercard, P&G, Singapore Airlines, Unilever, Danone, Coca-Cola, and American Express to drive a transformational agenda and convert their marketing efforts into business results.
Download R3’s latest guide on AI in creative and production here.
