In the past year, artificial intelligence has accelerated from being a buzzword to becoming a backbone in digital marketing and communications.
Whether you are a solo marketing novice or a hard-bitten big business CMO, it’s likely that you have already seen AI creep into your daily activities.
However, you can also be forgiven if its evolution for use in practical digital tools has passed you by – each week seems to bring more wild and wonderful options, which can sometimes appear too good to be true.
Here’s a look at the latest AI advancements set to transform how we connect, create, and communicate.
1. Personalisation at Mass Scale
One of AI’s achievements is its ability to create at scale experiences that feel truly personal. Gone are the days of clunky recommendations and overly broad marketing segments.
Now, AI tools analyse massive data points in real-time, adjusting messaging to reach audiences with just the right message at just the right moment. For example:
Dynamic Content Platforms like Persado (billed as ‘The only Enterprise AI platform to generate, optimize and personalize marketing language at scale’) and Mutiny (’the all-in-one AI-native platform for activating, converting and understanding your target accounts’) can adapt website or email content on the fly, tailoring messages to resonate with individual users.
Predictive Analytics tools such as Pega AI and Salesforce Einstein not only assess user behaviour but claim to actually anticipate what users want before they know it themselves, making recommendations sharper and more spot-on.
This level of personalisation promises to take audience engagement to a new level, though it does beg the question of whether the audience will eventually adjust and become immune to such tactics, making them harder to reach.
2. Content Creation Gets Smarter (and Faster!)
In an age of content overload, producing quality content quickly is more important than ever. AI-powered tools are stepping up to streamline this process, and aiming to do so without sacrificing quality.
Notable tools include:
Copy.ai and Jasper allow content creators to draft initial pieces with minimal effort, transforming ideas into branded content in seconds. Need a blog draft, social post, or email campaign? These tools look to offer not only speed but creativity and an adherence to tone of voice.
Synthesia takes video content a step further, enabling marketers to produce personalised videos at scale. Those who struggle in front of the camera can instead opt for an AI avatar. Imagine delivering hyper-targeted messages in video format to multiple audience segments without needing a big production team. Judge for yourself whether the results stray into uncanny valley territory.
3. AI for Enhanced Customer Relationships
Effective communication with customers goes beyond addressing them by name. It’s about connecting with them at the right time and in the right way.
AI tools like Zendesk AI and HubSpot’s AI Assistant are helping companies manage relationships at scale, providing a level of service that companies hope feels personal yet is largely automated. However, will AI eliminate call centre jobs in the process?
AI-driven chatbots have also come a long way from being scripted, limited responders. With NLP (Natural Language Processing) advancements, tools like Intercom AI now claim to facilitate nuanced conversations that can lead a customer down the purchase path or help resolve issues quickly. This technology provides a 24/7 customer experience, apparently without the need for human agents around the clock.
4. Social Media Listening and Analysis
For companies aiming to understand their audience’s needs (often before they’re expressed), social media listening has become a necessity. Tools like Brandwatch and Sprout Social’s AI-powered analytics look to offer insights into audience sentiment, trends, and even potential crises, well before they become unmanageable.
By analysing vast amounts of social media chatter, these tools offer a window into what’s trending and what’s driving engagement. This proactive approach means companies can adapt campaigns, develop products, and respond to customer feedback in real time, building a sense of connection.
5. Visual Content Creation with AI
In digital marketing, visuals are everything. Now, AI tools are making it easy for marketers to produce eye-catching visuals that are tailored to a brand’s aesthetic. Tools like Canva’s AI Imager Generator allow marketers to experiment with layouts, colours, and even photo styles, without needing a design background.
Meanwhile, DALL-E 3 has revolutionised the way we create unique images, helping brands develop one-of-a-kind visuals. Controversy still rages over the data that this and other similar tools have been trained on (including on the rights of artists), and whether the results are comparable to the quality of paid professionals. Nevertheless, these platforms can allow teams to create high-quality graphics and images with ease.
One tool that caught my attention the past week was Napkin, which turns your text into visuals, creating charts and other types of infographics. For instance, the graphic below was created by copying and pasting this blog into the tool, then choosing from a selection of options.
What Does This Mean for the Future?
As AI continues to reshape the digital landscape, it’s clear that we are just at the beginning in terms of the possibilities and potential.
With each advancement, AI is not only making digital marketing more effective but also more accessible and customisable.
However, that’s not to say that it can fully replace the skills and experience that a marketing and communications professional can bring – well, at least not yet. Plus, we should also remain aware of concerns around the amount of power that AI can consume, and the potential implications for the environment.
The key is using these tools with a balanced, strategic approach. As much as AI can streamline processes, a human touch – including insight, creativity, and empathy – remains irreplaceable.