The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing has led to a surge in confidence among marketers, with 63% currently using generative AI and 79% planning to expand its use in 2025. However, despite this enthusiasm, CMOs should exercise caution when relying on AI due to its potential flaws and biases.
Research has shown that 51% of AI-generated content contains significant issues, and a staggering 91% has at least some issues. This can lead to erosion of brand trust and marketing effectiveness, or even costly lawsuits. The main concerns with AI in marketing are its tendency to produce inaccurate content, lack of human touch, and potential biases and security vulnerabilities.
AI systems lack human emotions and experiences, resulting in middle-of-the-road output that may not resonate with target audiences. Furthermore, AI systems can perpetuate biases and security risks if not properly designed and monitored.
To mitigate these risks, CMOs need to understand AI's limitations and apply it intentionally rather than opportunistically. It's recommended to limit AI to low-risk areas, such as drafting internal policies, and avoid applying it to mission-critical activities like customer experience and revenue generation.
Human oversight is crucial, especially for customer-facing outputs and experiences, to ensure context, nuance, and accountability. By being aware of these potential pitfalls and taking steps to mitigate them, CMOs can harness the power of AI while minimizing its risks.
