What of AI?

While everyone is talking about the potential future impact of Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI, I think the question we need to be asking is, “How can technology improve online experiences?”

After the last 18 months of rapid AI tools (or should we call it the wild-west playground of doing the least amount of work?), I think we all agree AI can play a role in our future business worlds, but we need to be smart about it.

The great thing about digital anything is the ability to test and learn. But consumers are smart and savvy and bad technology will not be forgiven. 

A chat-bot that can’t understand simple prompts? Fail.

A generative bot that invents policies? Fail. (Look no further than Air Canada.)

Done well and with specific guardrails and purpose, generative AI can improve customer experience and engagement. 

Additionally, putting on my marketing hat for a second, now that we live in a mostly post-cookie world, marketing strategies are having to adjust our tactics. But here is a fact: Data-driven targeting isn't going to go away.

But we are shifting back to less live data and more demo- and psycho-graphic strategic targeting. On the whole, this is a good thing because it gets us marketers back to having to think through deeper strategic alignment and customer segments as opposed to the widest net possible with limited insight into the characteristics of the consumer. We are moving from AI to actual intelligence. And from this marketer’s seat, that is a good thing.