AI changes the way we work
The rise of generative AI is transforming industries
and our understanding of what it means to work
efficiently. Tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney
produce copy and imagery at lightning speed which in
previous years took skilled writers and designers years
of training to craft. Now this technology is available to
everyone and has been experienced by the masses, it
is empowering people from all around the world to be
creators. This disruptive technology has lowered the
entry bar and levelled the competition. It is a golden time
for small companies without many financial resources
who can do battle with the big brands. AI has moved
beyond a data analysis tool to be a collaborator, like a
personal genie helping us to think, write and work more
efficiently.
AI has been used by business and big corporations for
years until recently opened to the mass public. In fact, marketers around the world have already incorporated
AI into their work and are using it in a variety of ways.
AI software runs millions of daily ad auctions at Google.
Its algorithms decide which feeds you are reading on
Facebook and LinkedIn. It enables customer services bots
at HSBC and other banks. From automated operational
workflow to programmatic advertising and media
buying, AI gives people across the marketing ecosystem
the power to do more, to accelerate, and enhance how
they create and work.
Imagine: a marketing team is tasked with creating an
engaging social media campaign for a new product.
In the past, this would have required brainstorming
sessions, multiple drafts, and revisions by a team of
writers and an art director. With generative AI, the
campaign can be crafted in a fraction of the time. The
AI can generate countless ideas, taglines, and visuals,
drawing from a vast database of existing materials. The
marketing team can then pick their favourites and finetune
them to perfection.
In addition to content creation, generative AI can also
streamline the product development and design process
in the consumer goods sector. By analysing data on
consumer preferences and behaviour, AI can identify
gaps in the market and suggest the product ideas that
are most likely to be successful. AI visual generators can
also assist in product design by generating designs based
on consumer preferences and feedback.
This newfound efficiency is undoubtedly a boon for
businesses, but it also raises questions about the future
of work for marketers. As AI takes a more significant
role in content generation, the skills needed to thrive
in marketing are shifting. Creativity and a keen eye
for design are no longer enough; marketers must also
possess the skill to use these AI tools effectively. A deep
understanding of the limitation of the technology, and
the ability to analyse and interpret data generated by AI
will be crucial.
The limits of generative AI
Efficiency is not necessarily equal to quality. While visual
generators can generate aesthetically pleasing and realistic
images, they may not be able to generate the intended
images accurately from the prompts. They may also struggle
to create high-resolution or detailed images, especially
when trained on limited data. The outputs are simply
unpredictable. Those who have used ChatGPT to produce
copy will know they sometimes produce incorrect fabricated
information that sounds utterly convincing, but which may
lead to misinformation. This is particularly risky for students
who rely on AI-generated content to learn new concepts,
and who may inadvertently absorb inaccuracies.
No matter how advanced, AI cannot truly understand
the human condition. It lacks common sense and can
generate nonsensical or inappropriate responses. It lacks
the critical thinking and creativity necessary for offering
authentic perspectives and higher-order strategic
insights. A Harvard Business Review article recently
characterized AI as a prediction machine that does not
invent: "Marketers invent and the AI learns what works
for whom, when and how."
Preparing students for success in the AI Era
To thrive in the AI era, educators must prepare students
to be AI-literate through advancing curriculum design.
Educators must provide opportunities for students
to leverage technology wisely, developing prompt
engineering skills and evaluating the accuracy and
reliability of AI-generated results.
In addition to technical skills, students will need to
develop soft skills that are not easily automated by AI.
Soft skills like creativity, critical thinking, collaboration,
and communication are crucial, all of which require
empathy and an understanding of others' feelings and
needs. While AI may be able to perform many routine
tasks more efficiently than humans, it cannot necessarily
replicate nuanced and complex interactions that are
inherent in business roles.
To combat the danger of complacency and the potential risk
of over-reliance on AI, educators must cultivate in students a
mindset of constant growth and curiosity. As AI continues to
evolve, we too must evolve. We must strive for excellence,
not settle for convenience. We must challenge ourselves
to think critically and creatively, to push boundaries, and to
create content and ideas that AI cannot.
Universities' assessment policies must reflect these
changing demands, recognising creativity and originality rather than fluent English writing. The existing
assessment policy of higher education in Hong Kong
and tertiary education worldwide typically favours
students who write coherent and persuasive text in
English. Students, especially non-native English speakers
who cannot express their thinking clearly through
writing, often suffer from low marks, even when their
marketing ideas and business strategies are good. Their
creativity is not duly recognised when the final output
is in essay form. Product innovation happens not from
good writing but original breakthrough ideas. ChatGPT
can help non-native English speakers spend less time
writing and more time on thinking and problem solving.
The rise of generative AI is disruptive yet exciting, but
we must learn how to drive these genies, not be driven
by them. While AI technologies like ChatGPT and
Midjourney have undoubtedly transformed the way
we can create content, it is crucial to recognise their
limitations and potential downsides. Students must be
equipped with the skills to navigate them, maintaining
a healthy balance between embracing AI's potential,
and cultivating the essential human elements of critical
thinking and creativity.
References
"Competing in the age of AI: How machine intelligence
changes the rules of business." Iansiti, Marco; Lakhani,
Karim R. Harvard Business Review 2020, Vol.98(1), p.60.
"What Smart Companies Know About Integrating
AI." Palumbo, Silvio; Edelman, David. Harvard Business
Review 2023, Vol.101(4), p.116-125.
"ChatGPT: Bullshit spewer or the end of traditional
assessments in higher education?" Jürgen Rudolph,
Samson Tan, and Shannon Tan, Journal of Applied
Learning and Teaching,
Vol. 6, No. 1, 2023.
