AI doesn’t solve anything

But it’s an opportunity to solve many things. [View Message in Browser]( / [Add Us to Safe Sender List]( WEEKLY NEWS 2.16.24 WEEKLY NEWS 2.16.24  FEATURED [9 Actions You Can Take To Get Better Content Results Without Spending More]( By Penny Gralewski Just because you have no more budget or a smaller team doesn’t mean you can’t up your content and marketing game. Follow these nine tips to strengthen your marketing success without asking for another dollar or marketing person to help. [Read more](  READ OR LISTEN TO [NEW!] THIS WEEK'S STORIES: [Don’t Wait To See How Cookies Crumble; Cook Up a New Data Strategy Now]( by Content Marketing Institute Team Decipher the third-party cookie conversation. Then, do something to create a data strategy that isn’t impacted by whatever solution Google and others ultimately come up with. [‘Playing Around’ With Generative AI Won’t Lead To Innovation]( by Robert Rose Company leaders think generative AI should give them miraculous new capabilities and that it requires a new strategy or a dedicated leader. Wrong on both counts. Here’s how to channel the pressure in helpful directions. [5+ Real Ways AI Can Benefit Your Content and Marketing Today]( by Jodi Harris Welcome AI onto your content and marketing teams. It can transform your data, SEO, idea generation, and research into bigger and better results for your strategy and audience. [ICYMI: How To Tame Content Tasks With These 5 ‘Cheat Codes’ [AI Not Required]]( by Jodi Harris Working with generative AI tools can help, but they aren’t the only tools to get more efficient. Here are human-created tips, templates, and cheat sheets for content strategy, management, creation, and optimization.  A NOTE FROM ROBERT ROSE AI doesn’t solve anything A weird tension builds as marketing teams across all manners of business experiment with generative AI tools. It boils down to this: Generative AI solves problems you don’t know whether you have. Last week, a CMO at a large tech company told me they felt woefully behind and struggled to understand how to integrate generative AI at the marketing team level. “We just don’t get it,” they said. “Corporate is still afraid of losing our secrets to the public-learning models, but nobody wants to invest the effort into building our own. So, meanwhile, we’re just playing around.” That hurry-up-and-wait pressure is common. In some cases, immense pressure develops to create an “AI strategy.” I’ve seen many business leaders in startups, mid-sized businesses, and enterprise companies scramble to explain their plans to their stakeholders. One large nonprofit threw a customer service chatbot on the website so they could brag to the board that they’re “doing AI.” Behind the scenes, they quietly debated what AI really means to their strategy. Another technology company seeks a “chief of AI” to signal investors they take integration seriously. The promise organizations see in AI (or warning, as the case may be) is that it will improve efficiency, expand creativity, or help companies decide they don’t need those pesky humans running around doing things. And so, marketing leaders hear, “Tell us which one of those things it will be. Quickly! Before we’re left behind.” You’ve all been under increasing pressure to do more over the last decade. Since the first Content Marketing World in 2011, I’ve heard marketers clamor for the proverbial “faster-horse” technologies. But you got a new car, and it’s a rental. Is it any wonder businesses aren’t sure how to feel about this car? Sure, it improves with every driver who takes a turn at the wheel. But the implications of driving this public vehicle raise real concerns. Will it run afoul of legal, regulatory, or competitive concerns? Will a communal car prevent you from differentiating and building trust with your audience? OK, so you’ll build your own car. But wait a minute. If (and it’s a big if) you have enough training data to build a custom AI learning model, it may take many months and possibly millions of dollars to do it right. And if you just use your “small” data set, the result isn’t nearly as cool as something like ChatGPT. All those considerations leave most businesses simply pawing at generative AI like a cat poking a ball to see if anything interesting comes out the other end. So what should you do? I share some ways to approach this question in [Rose-Colored Glasses this week](. Are you facing pressure to work AI into your strategy? [I’d love to hear how you’re handling it.]( In the meantime, 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.  MORE FROM CMI Livestream Next Tuesday: Help for the AI-Challenged Does it feel like you’re already behind when it comes to AI? Get advice from Heather Murray, founder of AI for Non-Techies, on the all-new Live with CMI (hosted by Amanda Subler and JK Kalinowski) next Tuesday, February 20, at 1 p.m. ET. Heather will explain what everyone gets wrong about AI and how to get started. [Tune in here »](  Call for Speakers Now Open! Calling all content marketing thought leaders, brand practitioners, and creative storytellers! You’re invited to showcase your expertise on a global stage and inspire your peers at Content Marketing World 2024, October 21-23, in beautiful San Diego, California. We want to hear your unique insights and practical advice that will arm attendees with the latest tools and innovations to advance their content marketing and grow their business. Submit your proposal by April 1, 11:59 p.m. ET, for consideration. [Speak at Content Marketing World »](  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]