Computer keyboard with Take Over button

AI is book smart, but is it street savvy?

Yes, artificial intelligence has changed everything. Fortunately, adapting is what marketers do best.

You’ve probably seen this stunt before:

A person writes about AI on their blog or their LinkedIn or for a news outlet. And at the end, there is this big reveal:

“Surprise, I didn’t even write this article… It was written by AI!”

It was cute the first half-dozen times. But within a few days, it became trite. And now, mere months after ChatGPT burst into the public consciousness, readers almost expect it. 

Everyone gets it. Many, many, many of the words on the Internet are now written by AI and then (hopefully, at least) fact-checked and edited by a human.

That’s not a value judgment. It’s just the truth.

Some people think it’s the best invention since fire. 

While others really, really don’t.

There are two sides to every story. 

On one side, there are people who believe this is a revolutionary moment in marketing history. No longer will content creators have to feed the Internet beast. Instead, we’ll let ChatGPT, MidJourney, Bard and so on feed it for us. And marketers will get access to an infinite, fast, free stream of content. 

It’s search engine bliss.

On the other side of the coin, many people worry about losing their jobs – and their sanity – to the aforementioned infinite, fast, free stream of content. They worry creativity and strategy will suffer. And they aren’t quite sure whether there is any way for writers, photographers, videographers and illustrators to adapt. 

(And also, there’s that whole SkyNet thing…)

But actually, if you think about it, both sides of that debate see the world the same way. They just can’t agree whether it’s a good thing or cause for panic.

But this story has a third side to it.

Every time you feel stressed out, take a deep breath and repeat this simple mantra:

A marketer’s job is not to make “stuff.” 

It’s not to feed – or refuse to feed – the Internet. Our job is to generate results, such as optimizing the ratio of LTV:CAC. (You can read more about that ratio in one of our earlier posts, if you’re not familiar with it.)

We get to wake up every day and think about the best way to move the needle.

Start with that in mind, and AI will cease to either excite or dismay you. Instead, it’ll be a tool you can use to get what you really want. 

(As the cliche goes, “Marketers won’t lose their jobs to AI, but they may lose them to someone who uses AI.”)

Raging against the machine is pointless. But surrendering to it is wrong, too.

Like most things in marketing, the key is strategy and process.

The surprise is, there is no surprise.

So that’s it. There is no big finish. This post wasn’t written by AI. And all estound is advocating for is a calm, reasoned approach to defining goals and strategy.

Kind of refreshing, isn’t it?

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Drop us a note and we'll coordinate a time to discuss where your marketing has hit a wall and how UMS might help you break through.

The UMS method has transformed our business. The discipline it gave us helped us survive through tough times and then thrive with years of double-digit growth. This process works and we are evidence of it.

David DeCamillis
VP Sales & Marketing, Platte River Networks