AI in Marketing
Artificial Intelligence is the ability of computer programs to learn, make decisions, and perform tasks that are typically associated with human intelligence. AI technologies are categorized into four main areas: machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and robotics.
Two types of artificial intelligence are distinguished:
• Weak AI: This type of AI is already well-established and is designed to solve a specific range of tasks for which it was created, such as processing images, interacting with users, or predicting customer preferences. Weak AI can perform tasks better and faster than humans and is constantly being improved. However, it will never be able to learn anything fundamentally new. An AI that processes photos will not be able to translate texts from one language to another.
• Strong AI: This type of AI still remains in the realm of science fiction. Strong AI would be capable of making decisions in situations for which it was not specifically trained. For example, it could create content, even though it was previously only used to curate personalized recommendations in social media news feeds.
Weak AI has been widely used in marketing for quite some time. According to Gartner statistics, the share of companies using AI grew by 270% between 2015 and 2019. 37% of companies whose IT directors were surveyed by Gartner used AI in some form.
Artificial intelligence solves two main tasks in marketing:
• Reduces costs: For example, by reducing the number of jobs required through the implementation of an AI-powered chatbot instead of a team of operators.
• Increases efficiency: For example, by analyzing large amounts of data and generating hypotheses for content personalization faster and more accurately.
In addition to these two main tasks, AI can also be used for a variety of other marketing purposes, such as:
• Customer segmentation: AI can be used to identify and group customers based on their shared characteristics, such as demographics, interests, and behaviors. This information can then be used to create targeted marketing campaigns that are more likely to resonate with each customer segment.
• Predictive analytics: AI can be used to analyze historical data and identify patterns that can be used to predict future customer behavior. This information can then be used to make more informed marketing decisions, such as when to launch new products or services, and how to allocate marketing resources.
• Automated marketing tasks: AI can be used to automate a variety of marketing tasks, such as sending emails, scheduling social media posts, and generating marketing reports. This can free up marketing teams to focus on more strategic tasks.
Overall, artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that can be used to improve marketing effectiveness in a variety of ways. As AI technology continues to develop, we can expect to see even more innovative applications of AI in marketing in the years to come.