“In the long run, AI will allow marketing teams to focus on more strategic projects. As a result of eliminating more routine tasks, there will be increased demand and value placed on human skills with a greater focus on efficiency and effectiveness.”
Simon Lusty CMO, AQUENT
A recent The Wall Street Journal article explored a question that's top of mind for many marketers—how soon will AI come for their jobs? While there is much speculation around the answer to that question, AI is already being used to create marketing materials and reduce a certain amount of “grunt work” among marketing teams. CMOs are feeling increased pressure to embrace the technology in the name of both enhanced productivity and cost savings—including through layoffs. Dropbox, for example, cited AI in explaining a 16% cut to its workforce in April. Still, many CMOs are working to help employees who fear losing their jobs. According to Orlando Baeza, Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Marketing for logistics startup Flock Freight, “We're not looking to replace a job; we're looking to do more with the same group.” The article also quotes Aquent CMO Simon Lusty, who says that he and Aquent see AI as a powerful tool that can free employees of monotonous, mundane tasks. It can enrich their work experiences and allow them to focus on more meaningful, creative work. That said, Lusty believes that human oversight of AI is still essential to eliminate the bias and mistakes that come with the technology.
This article originally appeared on The Wall Street Journal.
