Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
As technology is advancing and evolving, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are two terms that have created quite a hype in the tech world. But what exactly are these two terms, and what do they do to make such a buzz. In today's post, I will discuss what AI and ML are, how they are different, and some current applications for them in digital marketing. Let's dive in!
Artificial Intelligence
So what is Artificial Intelligence? When I first heard this term, I thought of Sophia, the most advanced human-like robot created by Hanson robotics. She is somewhat creepy and cool at the same time. But Artificial intelligence is more than just some robots trying to take over humans and rule the world (or maybe it is). Artificial Intelligence is an umbrella term representing a range of techniques that allow machines to mimic human intelligence. These machines can think and perform tasks like human, such as speech recognition, decision making, natural language processing, and visual recognition. Artificially intelligent machines can remember human behavior patterns and adapt according to their preferences. Some examples of AI that we see and use daily are Google search, voice assistants like Siri, and Google maps.
Machine Learning
Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence, and it refers to systems that can learn by themselves. It involves teaching a computer to recognize patterns rather than programming them with specific rules. Before, computer programmers needed to write code for every object they wanted to recognize (e.g., Dog v Cat). With machine learning, the daunting task of writing a million lines of code is gone, and now one system can recognize both by seeing examples of each quickly and efficiently. The process of training a computer to identify patterns involves feeding large amounts of data to the algorithm and allowing it to learn from that data.
An example of ML is Spotify's discover weekly playlist. Each Monday, Spotify users will receive a playlist of recommended songs, made to their personalized choice based on their listening history and the songs they are interested in. Spotify uses a combination of three models to generate the custom playlists; collaborative filtering, natural language processing, and audio model. Below is an example of a discover weekly playlist that was created personally for me. I can mark what songs I don't enjoy with these playlists, helping Spotify create playlists that are more tailored to my taste.
How Both Differ
Here are some key differences between artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Some Current Applications of AI and ML in Digital Marketing
- Creating and Generating content: Tools like Wordsmith and Quill are all AI automation tools that help create and write content for you, eliminating the need for a content writer. Companies like Associated Press and Forbes use AI platforms to create news, which leads to clicks on their websites. Washington post is another company with hundreds of articles credited to Heliograf, their artificial intelligence technology that helps journalists create content.
- Content Curation: Content curation by artificial intelligence makes it possible to show them better and more relevant content. AI is commonly used to create personalized content recommendations that the user may find interesting, such as the typical, "people who buy X also buy Y," as we see on Amazon. Another example is Netflix recommending certain tv shows or movies similar to what you enjoy to watch.
- Email Marketing: Brands are using AI to personalize email marketing campaigns based on preferences and user behaviors. Machine learning can analyze millions of data about the consumer to determine the best times and days of the week to contact the user, the recommended frequency, the content that catches their attention the most, and which email subjects and titles generate more clicks. Some tools that AI applies to email marketing are Zeta Global and Persado.
The Future
So what is the future of AI? The impact artificial intelligence is having on our present-day lives is hard to ignore. We see AI implanted in industries like healthcare, where AI can identify covid by the sound of a cough to customer service where chatbots communicate with customers in real-time. Tech giant Elon Musk believes AI will cause World War III and "is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization." On the other hand, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg are more optimistic and believe AI is "on the verge of making our lives more productive and creative" and "Going to make our lives better in the future." No matter if you see AI as a friend or a foe, there is no denying that it's here to stay and that it'll only progress. Artificial intelligence is the future, and the future is now.