Adjusting the Volume on Generative AI

Have you heard? There is an a LOT of talk about generative AI! And I don't mean prompt engineering ??.

I'm referring to all the posts and articles and presentations and news and just plain gabbing about generative AI.

You hear about its potential, risks and excitement, the uncertainty and fears it brings and the biases and ethical issues you have to manage in the barrage of AI-generated images and words that confront you on every screen.

And yes, I realize I'm guilty of contributing to the noise.

I started thinking about this overload after attending sessions at conferences where large portions of the programming were devoted to AI—and I get this, there's a thirst for knowledge.

I also observed it watching webinars, reading newsletters or chatting with colleagues and friends.

Recently, I noticed there's a sameness to the discussions. And similar ideas keep popping up again and again.

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Remember the Start of Social Media?

The current surge of AI interest reminds me of the early days of social media.

You had the initial wave of adopters, all beating the social media drum. Then, came the second wave, where more people and brands signed on to the platforms. Finally, the laggards started dipping their toes.

And before long, familiarity with the social networks led to a lot more people telling similar stories about how it worked and the benefits they gained.

Social media use kept growing. Because we weren't simply extolling its virtues. We were using it, testing it and pushing its boundaries.

There's actually a name for this pattern of adoption: Theory of Innovation Diffusion, which states that new ideas aren't accepted all at once but in waves or stages.

And it appears we've reached another level with generative AI.

Ascending the Ladder of Change

We've moved beyond novelty and into practice. You can see this in the 2024 Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies.

Generative AI is sliding down to the 'trough of disillusionment', its gold sheen tarnished. People are beginning to see it for what it is: an amazing innovation that's far from perfect.

Which means now's a good time to start applying AI to your workflow, beyond the low-hanging fruit of content generation.

And critically assess where it boosts the quality of what your team produces and where it doesn't.

This is where a test, learn and adapt mindset is more important than ever.

What are the Implications for Marketing and PR?

For one thing, generative AI will stop being the go-to answer to every challenge or question.

You'll be able to adopt a more reflective approach when you consider how it fits (or doesn't fit) into your marketing processes and goals.

Here are four strategies to help you move the AI needle:

1. Fine-tune your go to sources for AI information and application. You've probably outgrown some of your early 'teachers'. The get-you-up-to-speed explainers. You'll want to shift to ones who give you a more in-depth view of what you need to know. That is, professionals who are conducting the same types of experiments your company might like to try. Three of my favorites (as I've mentioned before) the Neuron Daily, Ethan Mollick and Christopher S. Penn. And look for case studies from trusted media brands like AdAge and Ad Week that specialize in covering the marketing trade.
2. Rejig your AI workflow. Consider where you're using AI now and how AI tools might help you get things done, not only faster, but with improved quality and outcomes for your team. Maybe you could use AI as a skeptical customer, to gain insights about what they're missing from your messaging and ads. You might create an internal chatbot that not only remembers your older campaigns, but answers questions about them and suggests things you missed and how to improve. Those are just two ideas, but you get the picture.
3. Talk to your team. Ask them about any hacks or shortcuts they're using that you didn't think of. And encourage them to tell you which AI processes may be slowing them down. Dig deeper to find out why. Maybe you need dial up the human and dial down the AI in some tasks and do the reverse in others. Don't treat AI like marketing ketchup and slather it on every process. Season it to your brand's particular taste.
4. Be curious and critical. But lead with curiosity. Don't simply take what other companies are doing as gospel. Uncover and develop AI uses tailored to your team's specific talents and needs. And keep an eye on what the big tech companies are saying. The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you'll be to cut through the high-pitched hype and keep things moving in the direction you want to go.

Optimize Your Workflow and Creativity

And that brings us to this week's marketing video, which covers some of the latest announcements from Google's 2024 marketing and developer conferences.

If you step back, you'll see they're focusing on two things: using AI to improve your work processes and creativity. The new tools are designed to support that.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Follow Me on LinkedIn

Well, it looks like it's time to power down issue #107.

Thank you to all of you who follow me and subscribe, read, comment and share this newsletter! It's great having all of you along for the ride.

This newsletter comes out every two weeks. But between issues, I share shorter daily posts with my take on digital marketing and the latest on generative AI. It's another way to stay on top of the trends.

And while you're at it, follow the Future of Marketing Institute, too. Every day we post content and perspectives on where we may be heading and what the shift might mean.

Let me know if you have questions about any of the videos in Digital Marketing Trends, or my other LinkedIn Learning courses. You can also visit my website and send a message or a question.

How would you assess your knowledge of AI? What are some of your gaps and how are you filling them? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

See you in a couple of weeks with more AI hits!

Note: All the content in this post was written by a human—me and not Martin-bot. The secret agent image was generated by Ideogram.