Here be dragons

Don’t follow gen AI proclamations down the wrong path. [View Message in Browser]( / [Add Us to Safe Sender List]( WEEKLY NEWS 7.26.24 WEEKLY NEWS 7.26.24   FEATURED [Don’t Start an Original Research Project Before Answering These 8 Questions]( By Lisa Murton Beets Original research presents unique benefits for your content marketing strategy. But not just anyone or any AI tool can do it well. Before you get started, read through — and answer — these eight questions. [Read more](  READ OR LISTEN TO MORE OF THE WEEK'S BEST STORIES: [Google Drops Out of the Anti-Cookie Campaign. What’s Next?]( by Content Marketing Institute Team Google made a major announcement this week. After four years of talk (and a few moves) to end third-party cookies, it’s reversed course. What does it mean for marketers? Will tracking really remain a thing in the future? Let’s talk. [Creative People Aren’t Wicked Problems To Solve]( by Robert Rose Human creativity isn’t a “problem” that generative AI can solve. The best it can offer is sophisticated mediocrity. Yet hyperbolic statements from gen AI companies may convince your organization’s leadership otherwise. Don’t fall for it. [Want a New Role? What Hiring Managers Look for in Content and Marketing Job Seekers]( by Ann Gynn Securing a new role in content marketing is challenging. To make it easier, follow the advice of these hiring marketers to craft compelling resumes, ace interviews, and make your application shine. [ICYMI: Helpful Advice To Find a New Job in Marketing or Content]( by Jodi Harris On the hunt for a new job in content or marketing? You know the drill. Create compelling content that attracts a target audience. But that’s not so easy to do. Follow this advice to make it a little easier.  A NOTE FROM ROBERT ROSE Here be dragons We’re headed down the wrong road with generative AI. Over the last few months, I’ve been struck by the messages from gen AI solution providers. Unfortunately, those messages feed the frenzy for implementing generative AI in creative and marketing operations. Take, for example, [this recent quote from OpenAI CTO Mira Murati]( in response to a question about AI replacing humans: “Some creative jobs maybe will go away, but maybe they shouldn’t have been there in the first place.” Really? But she’s not the only one making statements along these lines. Open AI CEO Sam Altman [has claimed]( that AI would handle “95% of what marketers use agencies, strategists, and creative professionals for today.” And, of course, there’s [this famous quote from economist Richard {NAME}]( at the 2023 World Economic Forum Growth Summit: “AI won’t take your job. It’s somebody using AI that will take your job.” Now, it’s not that these statements are entirely true or false. If you peel any of these statements apart, you’ll hear some people say, “Well, what they meant by that was….” And that’s the problem. It’s not the accuracy of the statement — it’s the interpretation. Tech companies make technology the hero of the story. They’re telling people to feel lucky to be worthy of such amazing tools. And they’re frothing up the argument that human creativity is a problem to be solved. That’s ironic when you consider how every one of these technologies used the products of human creativity to evolve. During this gen AI gold rush, business leaders are rushing to tell investors, analysts, customers, and audiences how many roles they can replace with the technology in the name of efficiency. But will some early adopters regret these decisions? Two researchers think so. They [published an article]( in Harvard Business Review last year arguing that although the initial numbers might “look good, especially in cutting costs, the company will miss the opportunity for big gains by creating substantial value — or a defensible future niche.” I see this happening in some companies that have replaced content creators with generative AI. Yes, they are producing more content than ever — they’ve succeeded in creating efficiency in producing content at scale. And the content they create? It’s average. It’s neither bad enough nor good enough to be remarkable. It’s just average. And it’s leading us into an age of sophisticated mediocrity. I wrote about the “[wicked problems]( in businesses’ content and marketing strategies a couple of years ago. A wicked problem is hard to solve because of “incomplete, contradictory, or changing requirements that can be difficult to recognize.” Information researcher Jeff Conklin described wicked problems as those “not understood until after the formulation of a solution.” Think of the way you organize your kitchen. It might work well enough for you, so you can’t see how much better it could be until someone suggests changes that make it work much better. Only then do you realize that you did have a problem worth solving. Wicked problems are rampant in marketing. Your content or marketing approach might be working okay. You know it isn’t quite humming on all cylinders, but there’s nothing so dysfunctional that fixing it becomes a priority. But then you try to fix something minor and realize many other operational areas need improvement, too. Are the problems significant enough to warrant the disruption? Unfortunately, you won’t know until you try. Unfortunately, those hyperbolic statements about gen AI replacing people or teams have created what appears to be a wicked problem in creative and marketing. Business leaders hear about gen AI developments and think, “This is such a cool innovation. We must have a problem it can solve — we just don’t know what it is.” Then, because of the hyperbolic promises about gen AI replacing agencies and creatives, the sentiment shifts to, “Some of our creative jobs probably are redundant and outdated. Maybe that’s the problem generative AI can solve for us.” I’m not saying there aren’t some organizations that employ more people than needed or that could improve efficiency or productivity. And those are wicked problems. But implementing gen AI as a (theoretically) cost-effective replacement for humans who interact with customers or create content usually isn’t a way to solve a wicked problem. So what can you do about it? I share some ideas in this week’s [Rose-Colored Glasses](. Remember, it’s your story. Tell it well. Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute Robert Rose Chief Strategy Advisor Content Marketing Institute Would any of your colleagues or friends benefit from Robert's weekly updates? Please invite them to [subscribe]( here.  A WORD FROM ONE OF OUR SPONSORS [catch + release]( 5 Steps to High-Performance Campaigns With Visuals From the Internet Find out how to take visual content from the internet and use it in your digital marketing campaigns. Get the guide now. [Download the e-book »](  Master Performance Writing: Dive Into Our Free Video + Guide Elevate your marketing with AI-powered analytics and data-driven strategies. Learn to craft high-performing content across all channels. Unlock the secrets of Performance Writing to boost your marketing results today. [Get your free performance writing guide now »](  Need Winning SEO Content That’s Fast and Effective? As AI Search takes over the web, you need SEO that’s built for the future. Zupyak uses AI to guide your SEO in real time and create content your customers will love. [Use code CMI for a free trial »]( MORE FROM CMI Content Marketing World: One Week Left for Early Bird Rates Time is running out! Don't miss your chance to save up to $350 on your pass to Content Marketing World 2024, coming up October 21-23 in San Diego, CA. Register for CMWorld by next Friday, August 2, and find the tools and inspiration to make you a better informed, more confident marketer equipped to excel in marketing today. [Secure your spot »](  Tuesday’s Livestream: Creating a Social Media Strategy & Personal Brand Social media is still an invaluable channel for marketers. But with the constant changes, it seems harder than ever to get any traction (especially organically). Join CMI’s Amanda Subler and Joseph "JK" Kalinowski on Tuesday, July 30, at 1 p.m. ET, for an all-new episode of Live With CMI, as they sit down with Keenya Kelly to discuss ways to create a social strategy that actually creates positive brand awareness and gets clicks — and how personal branding could be a key to success. [Tune in here »](  Was this email forwarded to you? Please [subscribe here.]( To change your email preferences or unsubscribe, visit our [preference center.]( Copyright © 2024 Informa Connect, All rights reserved Content Marketing Institute, an Informa Connect brand 605 3rd Ave | New York | NY 10158 [Terms of Service]( | [Privacy Statement]( [informa tech]