Why it Matters - AI & Marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a fundamental, non-negotiable component of competitive marketing strategy, functioning primarily as an augmentative force. Ginni Rometty frames AI adoption not as a threat of human replacement, but as a mandatory prerequisite for survival: “AI will not replace humans, but those who use AI will replace those who don't”. This elevates AI from a technological option to an urgent competitive necessity.

Sundar Pichai defines AI’s core utility as enhancement: “The future of AI is not about replacing humans, it's about augmenting human capabilities”. This implies that AI tools will enhance the speed, scale, and accuracy of creative and analytical marketing functions, rather than eliminating the need for human strategy or judgment. Andrew Ng reinforces the pervasive, foundational impact of this technology by asserting, “AI is the new electricity”. Like electricity, AI is expected to integrate universally across all sectors of business and marketing, redefining organisational efficiency.

The integration of AI into marketing exponentially accelerates the demand for clean data and amplified ethical oversight. The power of these systems, which Ng compares to electricity, relies entirely on the quality of their input. Stonebraker’s warning that data science is worthless without clean data becomes highly relevant: the power of AI only magnifies the risk associated with poor data quality or existing inherent biases. Consequently, the ethical imperative identified by Kotler gains immediate urgency, as AI systems require careful programming and monitoring to ensure they do not replicate and automate existing human or systemic biases at machine speed.

Demis Hassabis, the British CEO and co-founder of DeepMind, has characterised the current technological shift as being potentially ‘10 times bigger than the Industrial Revolution – and maybe 10 times faster,’ underscoring the urgency for marketers in the UK and globally to integrate AI capabilities rapidly.

"Why It Matters" offers a collection of afterthoughts for my marketing students, specifically designed to deepen their understanding of the week's topic. It provides crucial added insights to the content explored in each workshop.