Navigating the Hype: A B2B Marketer's Journey Into AI

SPOILER ALERT: This article is a preface to releasing an exhaustive guide to make AI "real" for B2B marketers. If you want to be the first to receive the guide, let me know here.

Did you know that ChatGPT Pro can ingest 35 different file formats, from images to Microsoft Office files, PDFs, and databases?

Today, the question isn't about "prompt engineering" but rather the creation of Training Data.

Today, the opportunity to understand the potential use cases and build a tremendous imagination to rethink how you do things.

Hype and Hyperbole

Let's start with an age-old truism... Tools are just tools — the strategy, insight, and value we bring to the table counts. So, as we venture into the AI age, let's do so with purpose, clarity, and a touch of old-school wisdom.?

This is an important note because too much of B2B Marketing seems like a series of acronyms and buzzwords. It's too often word soup wrapped up with some cult of personality. Over the years, the promise of hype has taken years to resolve to best practice and strategy.

ABM and a cast of sibling acronyms have been a vehicle to make wrong or incomplete ideas sound strategic. Last month, I had fun using the Morpheus Red Pill Blue Pill metaphor in a B2BMX session. Red Pill ideas break from the norm but cast a new light on reality over the hyped best practice. While my topic for that session was ABM, something that has been around for a decade or so, there's a lot to learn about hype cycles and the eventual reality that emerges. And perhaps we can skip over a few hype cycles while we look at AI.

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Learning from our Big Data Misadventures

While writing this article, it occurred to me that the most parallel experience to the hype of AI happened around 2010 when we all hopped on board the "big data" bandwagon. Remember that? OK, I'm dating myself for some who will read this, but those were the days.

The promise was tantalizing: vast data would unveil hidden patterns and insights, propelling our businesses to new heights. Yet, for many, the reality was far less rosy. The sheer volume of data became overwhelming. The real treasures, it turned out, were in 'small data' – those nuggets of information that genuinely drive business decisions. It wasn't about having more; it was about having better.

Fast forward to today, and it feels like déjà vu all over again. Everyone's buzzing about artificial intelligence (AI). Don't get me wrong, AI is exciting and will undoubtedly reshape the B2B landscape. But here's the catch:?

1) Like big data, it's not about the tool but how we use it.

2) In the future, AI will become a component of all our tools and less of a stand-alone feature.

Grounding The Conversation

Sound familiar? As we stand on the cusp of the AI era, there's a palpable sense of excitement. But there's also a danger of history repeating itself. While it's tempting to dive headfirst into the deep end of AI's technical prowess, we need to ground ourselves in strategy and purpose.

AI: More than Just a Shiny New Toy

Yes, AI is cool. And yes, it'll likely become an integral part of our marketing toolkit. There's a dizzying array of AI-powered solutions out there, each boasting a myriad of features. It's like being a kid in a candy store. But as we've learned (sometimes the hard way), having the latest tools isn't enough. We need to know how to use them effectively.

So, before we get carried away, let's step back. The AI discourse right now is buzzing; it needs more depth. We need less fluff and more substance. It's time to shift from strategy-free chatter to actionable steps.

Setting the Stage for AI Success

1. Data Quality First: Garbage in, garbage out – it's a mantra we've all heard. Before thinking about AI, ensure your data is up to snuff. Clean, accurate, and structured data is the bedrock of any successful AI initiative.
2. Back to Basics: An AI tool isn't a magic wand. If your basic marketing strategies are flawed, AI won't fix them. So, brush up on those foundational skills. Know your market, understand your audience, and clearly envision where you want to go.
3. Reimagine Training Data: Here's a little secret: the magic of AI lies in the training data. It's not about crafting the perfect prompt; it's about feeding AI the right information. The battleground of the future? It's in the data we feed our AI tools.

Focus On Use Cases, Not The Hype

Translating AI capabilities into substantive use cases you can implement can be daunting, but trust me, it's a journey worth taking. And guess what? I've got your back. I'm putting together a comprehensive list of use cases tailor-made for us B2B marketers, complete with a roadmap to guide us through this brave new world.

In wrapping up, let's remember our big data lessons. Tools are just tools—the strategy, insight, and value we bring to the table is what counts. So, as we venture into the AI age, let's do so with purpose, clarity, and a touch of old-school wisdom. Here's to the next chapter in our B2B marketing adventure! Cheers!