How Artificial Intelligence Effects Communication
Artificial intelligence is infiltrating every business, but especially the communications industry. While its influence has been steadily growing, AI figures to become even more firmly entrenched in modern-day messaging in 2024. Everywhere you turn these days, AI’s reach is being discussed, analyzed and in many cases, utilized.
AI is Changing Business Communications & Marketing
AI will undoubtedly influence the media purchasing business, and some agencies have already jumped on the train. One recent article said 80 percent of Fortune 500 businesses have already integrated AI into their digital marketing programs.
Digital marketing expert Scott Hall is one executive who is bullish on AI. “Embracing AI in your email marketing efforts won’t only streamline processes but also revolutionize the way you connect with your audience,” Hall wrote earlier this month. “AI-powered tools can analyze vast amounts of data to provide hyper-personalization, ensuring your marketing strategies are optimized for each individual.”
Hall added: “By utilizing artificial intelligence, you can enhance content creation, ensuring that your emails are tailored to specific segments of your audience. Predictive analytics enables you to understand consumer behavior, allowing you to send the right message at the right time.”
AI Isn't Perfect
While AI is certainly the trend, executives should heed a few cautionary notes. Canada’s flagship airline carrier, Air Canada, lost a course case after one of its chatbots lied about polices relating to discounts for bereaved families. The chatbot told a customer that they could retroactively apply for a last-minute funeral travel account, which is against Air Canada policy of declining refunds for trips that have already been taken. The Gannett newspaper chain paused using AI after the technology created several embarrassing flubs in the Columbus Dispatch newspaper in Ohio in September. AI most likely has a place with any business, but it also needs to be heavily monitored.
The situation with AI brings back memories of how the newspaper industry reacted slowly to changing technology back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While the die was seemingly cast for print, many newspaper executives did not comprehend or embrace the threat of online news. “Most newspapers were slow to adapt, clinging to traditional business models that became obsolete in the digital age,’’ George Estrada, a Principal Advisor Amazon Web Services wrote in November.
How agencies – and all businesses – can best use AI deserves a measured, thorough, and comprehensive approach. You don’t want to rush too quickly, but you don’t want to lag behind, either. It’s important to stay abreast of technological advancements and maintain pace with competitors. It’s an important business skill that won’t be taught in any college classroom.
What’s the end game? Well, it’s too early to tell. But media businesses should begin experimenting, finding out what works with AI and what doesn’t. Maybe it won’t have a significant impact on an agency, maybe it will. But it needs exploration. If you’re not moving forward, you are falling behind. With rapidly evolving technologies such as AI, that has never been more true.
Like all new tools being added to the ever changing digital landscape. BCM Media is open to using or leveraging AI. We believe, however, media planning requires daily human interaction and supervision to ensure the program stays on the proper path.
