WILL AI REPLACE MARKETERS?

Ah! The classic AI v/s human debate is here. 

AI has made its grand entry into every industry. Logistics, marketing, healthcare, IT, you name it. Though AI is boosting efficiency in many industries, it seems that marketers are in a tricky spot. Why? Certain marketing roles are suddenly losing relevance with the advent of AI and professionals are ranting about how clients now rely on AI tools instead of hiring a service provider to do the job. 

AI has simplified many aspects of the marketing industry, which has apparently contributed to layoffs and job scarcity. Some are unfortunately facing the consequences of the AI wave, while some fear they may receive a termination letter at any time. 

There was a time when the advent of machines sparked a similar fear of unemployment among the labourers. But machines did not wipe out jobs entirely. There was still a need for people to operate these machines. So the notion that AI would completely replace marketing jobs is baseless. 

That said, AI does have the potential to replace at least a few, if not many, marketing jobs. In this article, we will explore whether AI will be a boon or a bane for marketers overall. 

What jobs will AI replace?

AI will replace the mundane, repetitive tasks. The tasks that you actually want a tool to simplify. Remember making monthly social media reports and hoping for a tool to analyse the data for you instead of wasting time in manual data comparison?

Yes, these are the kind of jobs that the AI is quickly replacing. AI is meant to take over the jobs that don’t need human intervention so that the tasks that inevitably demand human effort get more attention.

Devising a strategy, interpreting a brief correctly, reading between the lines - you can’t trust AI with these things. At least not for now. Probably in the future, AI may evolve to a more advanced level. But for now, marketers who are good at their job don’t need to fear AI. 

Here is a list of jobs that AI has already taken or will soon replace:

1. Basic writing 

AI tools can now very well draft emails, product descriptions, blogs and so on. Entry-level writers who made money by providing basic writing services are now in trouble. At the same time, writers who have a firm grasp of the market trends, strategy, positioning tactics and brand voice have upskilled and leveraged AI to their advantage. 

2. Social media posting

Junior-level professionals in the social media department may no longer be useful to the firm if their only job is scheduling and posting. Posting and scheduling are now safe in the hands of AI. A host of tools is available to automate social media tasks with accuracy and efficiency. 

3. Entry-level designers

Designers who know only basic templates will have to upskill as AI now creates beautiful designs in seconds. Entrepreneurs just have to submit their requirements to AI before they can select from a range of templates suited to their expectations. 

4. Email marketing executives

Writing email drafts, perfecting subject lines, and segmenting audiences based on behaviour are essential aspects of email marketing. But these jobs can now be done by AI. Companies no longer prefer employing a team to execute these tasks. 

5. Basic marketing data analysis

AI systems can easily handle basic data analysis jobs, eliminating the need for entry-level data analysts. Compiling reports, identifying trends, and tracking campaign performance are a few tasks AI systems have taken over. 

Where does AI fall short? 

Sure, AI is quick, efficient and error-free (most of the time). But does that mean AI can single-handedly devise marketing strategies?

If you are in the marketing industry, you already know the vast list of jobs that simply cannot be trusted with AI.

Let’s say you want to create a strategy for a brand. A campaign that addresses customer pain points, bridges the gap, informs the audience, excites them and at the same time converts them within a short span of time.

Do you think AI is capable of creating a strategy from scratch? AI may provide a rough framework to begin with. But it can never replace a human strategist who has years of experience to his credit. 

Only a human who has spent sleepless nights on a pitch that gets rejected for reasons, fair or unfair, is capable of devising an eye-popping, mind-blowing strategy that finally wins the claps and lands the client. 

You can use AI to avoid wasting time on manual research. AI will compile data, derive conclusions, and give directions. But it cannot THINK like you. 

Why can't AI replace marketing professionals?

Imagine you are meeting with a client to discuss a brief. The client elaborates on what he wants, how he wants it, speaks passionately about certain USPs of the product, points out a few shortcomings, raises eyebrows at suggestions that may exceed the budget, and so on.

As a strategist, you have interacted with the client and know what excites him, what doesn’t and what will ultimately make it through the approval process. All these seemingly minor things that unfold at the meeting play a crucial role in how you craft a strategy. 

AI simply can’t replace a human’s ability to observe, perceive and weave emotional depth into a strategy. 

If you think “Strategy Building = Feed the brief to AI & Copy Paste into your PPT”, you couldn’t be more wrong.

AI tools will only help you to a certain extent. It may give you some ideas when you feel stuck. But you can’t expect it to miraculously come up with a foolproof strategy just by feeding it some prompts. 

Creative roles driven by human insight will never be replaced by AI. Marketing professionals who bring originality and flair to their work will use AI as a tool to enhance their efforts.

Now that you know the reality of AI’s implications on marketing jobs, upskill, upgrade and enjoy its benefits rather than fearing it may snatch your work!