What’s Next for AI and Marketing? Experts Weigh In

Data privacy

The use of AI to create personalized content through third-party platforms raises concerns about privacy. The algorithms need data, either from the brand or the consumer. Are consumers ready for an AI to use their personal images and videos to create branded content? Until we have more transparency on data practices, as well as the storage and sharing practices of these platforms, brands should consider the risks before incorporating them into their content creation strategies. —James Turner, founder and president, Delineate

Copyright infringment

Regulators have yet to make any decisions on whether AI-generated images infringe on copyright rules—but this decision will come soon enough. Cryptocurrency offers a relevant comparison: After the technology had been around for nearly a decade, key players were suddenly being fined tens of millions of dollars by the SEC. While a creative may want to leverage an AI-generated image in a social campaign on a whim, it isn’t worth the potential future risk. Brands must protect themselves from costly, lengthy litigation and the reputational risks that might come with jumping the gun.

The root of the issue comes down to the creative, whose work enters the algorithm and becomes public domain without their consent. In the 1990s and early 2000s, tools like LimeWire and Napster allowed individuals to pirate music with a few clicks and some patience. By the 2010s, Pandora and Spotify delivered an experience people were willing to pay for, so the market returned to equilibrium. While it may take time, the same will occur with AI.

Most brands are willing to pay for work, but technology companies must make it possible to do so. It’s crucial that these companies do their part to provide transparency and compensation around AI-generated images. Regulators must partner with industry experts to develop clear guidelines for their creation and use, as well as rules for ensuring that artists are fairly compensated for their work. —Analisa Goodin, founder and CEO, Catch+Release

Education

We’re at a tipping point in education, requiring us to think differently about what and how students learn. Enter generative AI and GPT. They have a lot more processing power than our students’ brains. They can recognize and recall for us, without much humanity. And that’s where our students can meet the technology. In a marketing course, AI can collect data while students find insights. ChatGPT can write segments while students map them to a customer journey. AI can measure marketing strategy while students interpret the impact of the strategy.