Column: My Interview with AI Marketing Apps

By George Farris

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Small business owners are especially susceptible to the promise of a simple solution to any of the many problems that strain their limited time, talent and resources. 

The latest promise is a simple solution to marketing: artificial intelligence.

I decided to ask what AI thinks about human versus AI-directed marketing. So I interviewed my AI apps.

Who is better at marketing: humans or AI?

Answer: It’s true that with advanced algorithms and data analysis, AI can produce specific types of targeted advertising and engaging content. However, humans may be inherently better at creating marketing strategies that resonate with audiences. One of the biggest advantages humans have is their ability to understand humans.

Whether it’s understanding consumer behavior or developing effective communication strategies, human understanding often drives successful marketing campaigns. Humans have the ability to think and feel beyond the logical capabilities of AI. They can understand emotions, interpret tone and make connections that AI can only replicate.

A major factor in human understanding lies in empathy. Humans can put themselves in others’ shoes and truly understand their needs and wants. This allows humans to create campaigns that are emotionally engaging. AI can only analyze data and produce content that is based on statistics, which may not reflect the emotional connection that humans seek.

Humans can understand the subtle nuances of a target audience and tap into their motivations and desires. Moreover, marketing by humans involves a level of intuition that AI cannot replicate. Intuition plays a crucial role in creating successful campaigns.

Can AI create a unique marketing strategy that has never been used before or a completely new creative theme to solve a unique problem?

Answer: AI can present examples of what has worked successfully in the past or some combination of themes and strategies that have been used. AI cannot create a completely new theme that will guarantee success. Current marketing AI apps cannot create a solution for a unique marketing problem that has never been experienced and recorded somewhere.

SUMMARY

For all of its advantages (and there are many), AI lacks capacity to understand the “Three C’s” of Emotional Intelligence: consciousness, compassion and the ability to create human connections. As any marketer knows, emotions drive most purchases. 

AI doesn’t really come up with new creative ideas. AI’s version of “new” is usually a combination of answers and efforts already attempted. Sometimes that’s good enough.

But as my app says, “… It is important to remember the power of the human touch and the value it brings to building connections with consumers.”

Good answer.

George Farris is CEO of Farris Marketing. Email [email protected].

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