Generative AI is huge, and it's everywhere.
Bloomberg predicts AI spend will hit $1.3 trillion by 2032. Microsoft is investing $14 billion in Open AI. And Netflix has hired a director of AI at $900K a year—which shows me I'm clearly in the wrong profession.
And which corporate function will be most affected by AI, across all industries? You may (or may not) be surprised that it's Sales and Marketing.
How will the incredibly promising technology hit Marketing? Although some fear jobs will be lost to AI, most marketers are taking a rosier view. A full 71% of them say AI will make their work more strategic, not replace it.
How AI is Affecting B2B Sales and Marketing
After a decade-long lull in B2B marketing innovation after the introduction of marketing automation, generative AI is hitting like a tidal wave. So hang on to your trunks.
Up until now, B2B marketing-driven experiences have been static, linear, and one-way. But with digital natives entering B2B buying groups, customer expectations are changing. And just in time, AI is letting us respond with the kind of dynamic two-way customer-driven marketing experiences we once only talked about.
Thanks to its incredible ability to convert natural language prompts into images, videos, code, audio, and writing, AI can help us populate a digital shell with high-volume, highly relevant content, completely based on what customers and prospects are doing in that moment.
It can give us the customer insights needed to activate highly effective mass personalization.
And a hundred other things we haven't even thought of yet!
Four Investments to Win in the AI World
Don't get me wrong: We're still on the hook for pipeline. The average B2B revenue marketing team is now expected to deliver 40% of it. And the pressure continues to mount.
But, although it might be tempting to run out and AI everything, you're not looking for a nail to hit with your new hammer just because it's cool. World-class experiences will be delivered by a great plan, short- and long-term goals, and a superior operations layer focused on talent, technology, content, and governance.
1. Talent
This is not a time for layoffs, but for investment in talent. So create a vision for the next generation of work.
Shift from functional teams to matrixed G2M customer experience teams led by an "experience designer" (campaign manager). Teams should include an AI systems architect, a personalization strategist, a data-to-insights activation specialist, and an ethics/legal partner.
Build, buy, and borrow the talent you need. Get everyone engaged in goals, pilots, and of course successes.
