[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
In a world of conspiracy theories, with news reports about AIs developing their own unique language, and blockbuster movies detailing in great and ever more explosive depth the perils of AIs taking over the world, it would be easy to contemplate slipping on your army surplus combat fatigues, picking up a heavy monkey wrench, and going seriously \u201cLuddite\u201d on this new technology.<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019d be doing humanity a big favour after all, wouldn\u2019t you? (And probably look \u201ctotally bitchen\u201d whilst doing so\u2026)<\/span><\/p>\n In your most fevered of dreams perhaps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The reality is that you\u2019d be misunderstanding the huge benefits that AI offers individual businesses and the world of commerce in general.<\/span><\/p>\n The words \u201cparadigm changing\u201d are frequently wheeled out to laud the latest commercial new-kid-on-the-block. So much so that nowadays they are more often than not greeted with the somewhat cynical raised eyebrow of tired hyperbole.<\/span><\/p>\n Fair enough, we\u2019re not going to fall into that trap, and we won\u2019t use those words here, no matter what the temptation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Instead, we will take a dive into what is happening right now with AI, glimpse what is coming down the pike at us, and consider what AI offers us in terms of changing our way of doing business for the better.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Forever.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ll save you a trip to <\/span>Wikipedia<\/span><\/a>, this is how they frame the concept:<\/span><\/p>\n \u2018In\u00a0<\/span><\/i>computer science<\/span><\/i>,\u00a0<\/span><\/i>artificial intelligence<\/i><\/b>\u00a0(<\/span><\/i>AI<\/i><\/b>), sometimes called\u00a0<\/span><\/i>machine intelligence<\/i><\/b>, is\u00a0<\/span><\/i>intelligence<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0demonstrated by\u00a0<\/span><\/i>machines<\/span><\/i>, in contrast to the\u00a0<\/span><\/i>natural intelligence<\/i><\/b>\u00a0displayed by humans. Leading AI textbooks define the field as the study of “<\/span><\/i>intelligent agents<\/span><\/i>“: any device that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals.<\/span><\/i>[1]<\/span><\/i>\u00a0Colloquially, the term “artificial intelligence” is often used to describe machines (or computers) that mimic “cognitive” functions that humans associate with the\u00a0<\/span><\/i>human mind<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/i><\/a>, such as “learning” and “problem solving”.\u2019<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n For our purposes then, AI relates to hardware, and the associated software, that is able to \u201cthink\u201d for itself, independent of a human guiding input prompting them to take an action \u2013 and by this, we mean a human individual pressing \u201cgo\u201d in order for an action to be taken.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Human actions and inputs will cause the AI to make decisions and take actions, but the AI will not require a human to \u201capprove\u201d these decisions or actions on a case by case basis.<\/span><\/p>\n These decisions and actions are taken autonomously by the AI in response to the information it encounters and in line with its programmed parameters.<\/span><\/p>\n And in our daily life we encounter AI much more frequently than we might imagine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (No, it\u2019s not \u201cSkynet\u201d of the \u201cTerminator\u201d universe).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But it is, for instance;<\/span><\/p>\n And touching on the world of email marketing<\/a>, it is such things as Gmail\u2019s SPAM filters, that use AI to continuously learn from a variety of signals such as message metadata or the wording of a mail to filter out undesirable content.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/marketingplatform.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/artificial-intelligence-3685928_1920.png” alt=”Digital network constructed by connected dots that form a globe around a human head silhouette representing artificial intelligence” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n No, not really.<\/span><\/p>\n The reality of the world that we live in today is that AI is overwhelmingly prevalent – ubiquitous even – in all aspects of our daily life. Inevitably it will only continue becoming even more so.<\/span><\/p>\n As enterprises, then, it is vital that we take the time<\/a> to understand and explore both the benefits and risks that AI presents us with. Both in terms of its efficacy for us commercially, and in how we are perceived in our deployment and use of AI in our businesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Given the recent reputational minefield to technology-using businesses that debacles such as Cambridge Analytica and Facebook have precipitated, we simply cannot ignore the fact that reputation management is a key aspect of how we deploy AI commercially.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is up to us to demystify and reassure, and it is up to us to implement and optimise our AI transparently and honestly.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It would be not too much of an exaggeration to equate the potential offered to business by AI as being a new \u201cIndustrial Revolution\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As <\/span>DeepMind<\/span> put it, \u201cartificial intelligence could be one of humanity\u2019s most useful inventions\u201d, for instance with their application of AI, in partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital in the UK, having found faster ways of identifying common eye diseases from routine eye scans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond that, at Google, DeepMind AI has identified and enabled the ways and means to optimise energy usage at Google data centres, saving 30% of the energy needed to supply and cool their servers, significantly reducing their energy usage and consequent CO2 emissions.<\/span><\/p>\n AI transformation is already positively impacting businesses across all areas of their enterprises. From content generation<\/a> to sales and marketing and customer<\/a> service, to finance, accounting, R&D, and IT, it is driving intelligent decision making and process optimisations, and it is radically changing how we as businesses identify, target, engage and motivate our audiences.<\/span><\/p>\n AI-driven automation and data analytics<\/a> are coming together and affording businesses, on its most fundamental level of application, the opportunity to provide audiences with increasingly relevant content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But this is the tip of the enterprise AI iceberg, because it is even going so far as being able to predict, as Amazon AI is doing with 90% accuracy, what and when a customer is likely to purchase, enabling the preparation of the order and supply chain well enough ahead of time to prevent delivery backlogs.<\/span><\/p>\n Both as individuals and collectively, the exponential connectivity of humanity and the machines we increasingly rely on is creating a tsunami of data. Data we will need AI in order to process and render useful.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whilst it cannot be ignored that <\/span>AI <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> being weaponised<\/span>, it is also true that this has forever been the case with humanity and technology, regardless of the complexity of we have created, be it the very first flint hatchet head knapped by Neanderthal man, to the development of autonomous weapons systems by Homo Sapiens and our associated AI.<\/span><\/p>\n WE, however, are <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> creating swords here – WE are in the business of forging ploughshares. And we are all about using AI to the best of its potential in order so to do.<\/span><\/p>\n The reality is that currently many businesses lack the appropriately robust digital architecture and organisational structure to deploy, implement and utilise AI to its greatest advantage. It is arguable that this is driven by factors as diverse as simple ignorance and even a suspicion of the new, to a willingness to engage being hampered by a basic lack of understanding of how AI can be applied appropriately across a business.<\/span><\/p>\n This is where we come to the nub of this article.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is this last factor that we want to address together with you at MarketingPlatform \u2013 what is possible with AI in marketing<\/a>, and how we at MarketingPlatform can help you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First of all, though, we needed you to understand that AI is a fact of life for us all, now and increasingly in the future. It is not a case of it <\/span>will<\/span><\/i> have an impact on how we do business, it is <\/span>ALREADY doing so<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n We therefore have an opportunity to embrace its usefulness and potential, or risk standing on the side-lines looking increasingly confused, and worse than that, increasingly impoverished.<\/span><\/p>\n In a follow-up article we will dive more deeply into the specifics of the most relevant areas AI can be applied in optimising and exponentially enhancing your marketing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But first of all, against a backdrop of potentially mixed emotions on the subject, it was important to set the stage, and look at AI for what it is in reality – a tool.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A really brilliant tool.<\/span><\/p>\n It is completely up to us how we chose to use it.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” module_class=”ressourcer-signup” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#dee7f1″ background_enable_color=”off” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”12%||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”17%||||false|false” top_divider_style=”asymmetric2″ top_divider_color=”#ffffff” top_divider_height=”60px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#152872″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||10px” custom_padding=”100px||100px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|20px|50px|20px|false|false” custom_padding_phone=”40px||||false|false” border_radii=”on|22px|22px|22px|22px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ header_2_font=”|800|||||||” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The trial period is free, completely non-binding and expires after 14 days if you do not wish to continue. [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”42%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”95%” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/strong><\/h3>\n
So, what is<\/i> AI?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Okay, \u201cparadigm changing\u201d isn\u2019t hyperbole then\u2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What is the future for AI and businesses?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
This is all a bit \u201cBrave New World\u201d\u2026 isn\u2019t it?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Try MarketingPlatform for free for 14 days<\/h2>\n
When you sign up, you will also receive our educational flow via a series of emails along with our newsletter with regular updates.<\/p>\n