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Communications and Marketing
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About Our
Insights
Reports
Our insights reports cover the latest
trends in engagement and leading-
edge topics that are important to the
PR and communications industry and
our clients’ work. We share these
reports on our global and regional
social platforms, and distribute
them to inspire innovative thinking
about influence and impact around
the world.
• A gap will grow rapidly between leaders, communicators and businesses that
embrace AI and others that ignore the opportunity or are slow to adapt. We
expect the businesses and professional statures of those who fail to engage
will suffer the consequences.
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‘While robot writers and
data visualization have
grown significantly, PR
practitioners shouldn't
close their laptops just
yet. Clients need
content expressing their
unique points of view
and telling their
company and brand
stories, which robots
can't do.’
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Communications Message Targeting and
Decision-Making Audience Optimization
Companies across industries are Message targeting is certainly not new,
adopting AI-powered business but AI elevates it to an entirely new
decision management (BDM) to give level. Communicators can create
leaders the information needed to materials and messaging directed to
consider potential risks and make the narrowest audience slivers, quickly
decisions more quickly. BDM is also and cost effectively.
being used to manage
communications with key stakeholders
AI helps PR planners organize vast
including customers, suppliers
amounts of data, enabling them
and employees.
effectively to target the right message
and content to the right individuals.
In the near future, PR pros may be Advanced tools, especially those that
able to use similar systems to check identify high-potential influencers will
decision-making in certain high-stakes continue to evolve, offering tighter
situations based on historical alignment with the target audience.
outcomes. With human oversight,
these tools may become useful aid
during crises or issues.
‘Advanced tools,
especially those that
identify high-
potential influencers
will continue to
evolve, offering
tighter alignment
with the target
audience.’
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2. Advertising and Marketing
Digital and Programmatic Email Marketing ‘Almost 84 percent of
Advertising With AI, marketers can personalize
AI has become the core of digital emails based on target audience U.S. digital display ad
behaviors and preferences to improve
advertising. Platforms such as Google
campaign performance. Through
spending will be
Ads and Facebook use AI to capture
and analyze user interests and machine learning, they can tell when
it's best to contact each consumer,
automated by 2019.’
demographics for advertisers and help
them improve targeting over time. This how often and which subject
drives higher conversion rates at the lines to use.
lowest possible cost.
Marketers can access this intelligence
AI also drives programmatic through tools like Phrasee, which can
advertising, which uses software for generate human-sounding, brand-
buying and selling ad inventory compliant subject lines in minutes.
through exchanges connecting Zeta Global helps marketers
advertisers to publishers. AI algorithms understand individual consumers and
constantly analyze consumer behavior act on that knowledge automatically
patterns, enabling improved targeting and in real time. Persado generates
and real-time campaign optimization. personalized emotional language to
drive sales and relationships.
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‘Marketers must
translate content into
how people talk.’
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11
3. Overall Support
Knowledge Management ‘Eventually,
Internal platforms to curate company
knowledge emerged in the mid-1990s knowledge
as intranets. Today, many are highly
sophisticated, collaborative resources
management
accessible on computers, smart
phones and mobile devices.
platforms will be able
to tease out insights
AI can enhance knowledge
management platforms in many ways.
and learnings from
As examples, users can search with multiple pieces of
simple voice commands; get search
suggestions based on their location, i”nformation.’
title or role; and receive content
ranked and sorted by relevance.
Advanced systems will deliver
background information, provide
additional content created in other Creativity
global network offices or external
AI could spark a resurgence of
resources, and notify users when new
communications creativity. First, AI-
related content is added. Eventually,
driven knowledge management and
these platforms will be able to tease
monitoring systems can produce
out insights and learnings from
examples of inspiring creative instantly,
multiple pieces of information.
putting ideation materials at ‘Using AI
communications leaders' fingertips.
Knowledge management platforms Second, systems can draw inspiration applications for
help users make smart decisions more from around the world, ensuring
quickly than ever before. Marketers multiple perspectives and fresher routine work gives
should take advantage of their
powerful capabilities to make
ideas. Third, using AI applications for
routine work gives communicators
communicators more
communications decisions, develop
strategies, plan campaigns and craft
more time to do what they do best,
which is plan campaigns and develop
time to do what they
creative content. brilliant creative. do best.’
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Talent Fit Content Management/User Predictive Analysis
Advanced AI systems can help Experience Predicting what is to come, such as
agencies and communications A significant aspect of the user the results of a campaign or the
departments find the right talent in experience (UX) is personalization. impact on sales, is the next
several ways. Programmatic A 2018 Evergage survey showed more communications frontier. AI-driven
advertising allows recruiters to place than 90 percent of marketers use analytics based on historical
highly targeted ads where desirable personalization in some way, with performance and other data can
candidates will see them, profile more than three-quarters employing sharpen all forms of communication
augmentation will eventually infer it in emails and more than half on before they're put into play.
candidates' interests and skills, and websites. AI algorithms make it
automated resume screening provides possible to analyze one person's The data are there. It's up to
benchmarking to help find candidates demographics, devices, location and communicators to find it, analyze it,
best suited for the job. other data and show content tailored draw conclusions and make
to him or her. decisions that transform them from
‘Advanced AI reactive situation managers to
proactive futurists ready to capitalize
To keep website visitors engaged and
systems can help more likely to convert, PR and on opportunities.
marketing practitioners should
agencies and continually manage and customize
communications content. One simple example is to
show blog posts based on blogs and
departments find the topics the visitor previously viewed.
Sources:
9 Applications Of Artificial Intelligence In Digital Marketing That Will Revolutionize Your Business
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2017/03/20/how-advancements-in-artificial-intelligence-will-impact-public-
relations/#7a4589dc41de
https://bigfishpr.com/how-artificial-intelligence-will-change-public-relations/
https://www.computerworlduk.com/galleries/it-business/uses-of-ai-machine-learning-in-business-3639749/
http://www.shiftcomm.com/blog/predict-predictive-analytics-future-pr-part-1/
How AI and Public Relations Go Together Like PB&J Spin Sucks
The journalists who never sleep | Technology | The Guardian
Artificial Intelligence in Marketing and Advertising - 5 Examples of Real Traction applications of AI in advertising - Google Search
How Advancements In Artificial Intelligence Will Impact Public Relations
https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/how-new-netflix-recommendation-algorithm-works
AI-Powered Competitive Intelligence | Crimson Hexagon Blog
These are the bots powering Jeff Bezos Washington Post efforts to build a modern digital newspaper » Nieman Journalism Lab
https://www.space150.com/recommendation-engines-are-critical-to-the-future-of-content-discovery-2/
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AI, Smart Machines and
the Communications
Discipline
Deploying AI technology alongside
communications professionals can help you
amplify, rather than replace, the empathy that
makes successful communications work.
Rashed Haq
GLOBAL LEAD FOR AI AND GROUP
VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLICIS.SAPIENT
Over the last 20 years, Rashed has When external industry or geopolitical
helped companies transform and events impact the organization in
create sustained competitive dramatic ways, communications
advantage, through innovative executives are expected to respond
applications of AI, dynamic with lightning speed. But fast
optimization, advanced analytics and turnaround, with stories that are clear,
data engineering. informative and trusted, grows
increasingly challenging as the public
Prior to joining Sapient, Rashed did becomes more demanding. And no
research in theoretical physics at the executive wants to be the center of an
Los Alamos National Lab and the embarrassing Tweet-storm from a
Institute for Theoretical Science. His story that leaves a seemingly
seminal paper on electromagnetically innocuous, but critical stone, unturned.
induced transparency led to the
emerging cloaking technologies. It’s a daunting task and one where ‘By mining mountains
technology can help. By mining
mountains of raw data (in near to of raw data, smart
real time), smart machines are
pinpointing that single piece of insight machines are
needed to create an informed story
(whether it’s a mundane earnings
pinpointing that
release or important response to a
game-changing event). While AI in
single piece of
communications is relatively new, insight needed to
early-adopters are proving its ability
to help resource-constrained create an informed
organizations appear as if they have an
army of researchers at their disposal. story.’
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If you feel bombarded by information, content, and endless
decision-making challenges, AI is something to consider.
But new skills will need to be acquired (see below).
41%
Communications professionals
34% 13%
AI will increase jobs for AI will decrease jobs
will need to equip themselves communications for communications
with more skills professionals professionals
6%
AI won’t have too much
7%
Don’t know
impact on communications
professionals
Reference: Toluna Analytics and MSL global survey of marketing and communications professionals
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How Should You Launch
Your AI Journey?
Perhaps the best way to begin is to
differentiate what Forrester calls
“pure AI” (where machines mimic
human thinking and reasoning) from
“pragmatic AI” which helps you
achieve specific tasks, much the way
Siri and Alexa help consumers.
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What to do Next?
When it comes to AI, the biggest challenge marketing teams face will be calming
fears about job replacement from more automation. When constructing your
internal communications plan, it's important to show how the deployment of
smart machines alongside your marketing team will help you amplify, not replace,
the human touch that make great communications work. For example:
Data science, AI, and smart machines can play a leading roles in developing
strategy and bringing precision to execution, but they are still limited when it
comes to crafting the creative risks many marketers are willing to take, that later
create business history.
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AI: How Prepared
are Communicators?
In an effort to understand how
communications leaders view AI, the
potential it brings and the impact it may
have on their roles, we conducted an
online survey of primary marketing,
advertising and communication decision-
makers across nine global markets.
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Research Methodology
MSL partnered with research firm Toluna to survey
1,846 marketing and communications leaders from
Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Poland,
United Kingdom and the United States.
Research Notes
In order to get the most relevant insights for our report, we have surveyed those
leaders who have a direct and/or significant influence on the advertising,
marketing and PR/communications decisions made in their companies. For IT
products, 54% of our respondents say they are the primary and final decision-
makers in their companies, and when it comes to advertising/marketing/PR
decisions, 48% say there are the ones who make the final call.
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Our AI survey of marketing and communications leaders
across 9 countries unearthed some interesting insights -- some
expected and others new -- that are indicators of where the
1
global communications industry is, and where it is heading to,
when it comes to integrating AI in the communications mix.
There is optimism
about a future
with AI, mixed 55%
with some
apprehensions. 38%
A majority of communicators feel the
impact AI will have on the future of
7%
brand communications will be positive;
some are also concerned there could
be negative aspects to consider along
with the positive.
Both positive
While there is general optimism about Positive and negative Negative
what AI can do, 20% of those we
surveyed feel their companies worry
about AI and are not particularly keen What our respondents think the impact of AI on the future of brand
to experiment with it. communications will be.
Italy France UK
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For communications leaders, AI is
more than a passing interest: many 2
have stepped ahead of others in their
company in terms of teaching
themselves about the capability.
An overwhelming number of respondents (83%) we surveyed said they place a
significant priority on acquainting themselves with AI, and more than 2 out of 3
already somewhat consider themselves experts on the subject.
Not a
priority Strongly
Low
at all Disagree
priority
5% 12% Strongly 10%
Agree
28% Somewhat
Disagree
Very high
priority
20%
39%
Fairly high
priority
Somewhat
44% Agree
43%
This suggests an active hunger for learning and innovation among communications leaders, and most are taking the effort
to stay abreast of the latest AI developments.
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AI training for the
workforce is a must... 3
Many of our respondents have
equipped themselves with AI
knowledge, and a staggering 84% also
think AI training and education is
crucial for market leaders.
84%
of those surveyed think AI
training & education is
crucial for market leaders.
...but most companies have
yet to implement training
While communications leaders globally
agree on the importance of AI training,
only 29% of those we surveyed said
their companies are currently investing
in training and educating the
workforce in AI.
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Companies will use AI to
support Marketing, Employee 4
Training, and Insights &
Strategy functions in the future
Communication leaders expect their companies to use AI capabilities to support
numerous communications and HR functions, including marketing, insights and
strategy, creativity as well as employee training.
Marketing 47%
Creativity 42%
Employee training 42%
Insights & strategy 41%
Crisis management 26%
Measurements 25%
Agency relations 25%
In which of these communications functions do you think
your company plans to include more AI-driven efforts?
Additionally, 63% think their organizations are trying to redefine their branding and positioning
to account for the changes AI is brings to the workplace.
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Companies are including
AI in their strategies to 5
compete and stay relevant.
66%
61%
think that AI-driven customer
experiences are changing how
their organization goes to
market or interacts with
potential buyers.
feel their organization is
concerned that AI-driven
e-commerce is giving an
advantage to competitors.
AI is changing the communications landscape, and communicators worry that other companies that leverage AI at the
right time, in the right manner, will have an undeniable advantage over those who don't. Leaders are cognizant of this,
and recognize the need to fine-tune their AI capabilities if they are to stay in the game.
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Communications leaders at
companies think agencies 6
are doing a good job
leveraging AI...
70% 30%
YESNODo you think communications agencies (advertising, PR,
digital and media) leverage AI as much as they could for
their client work?
...but there is also the
opportunity for agencies to
do more.
Clearly, marketing and communications leaders on the brand and company side expect agencies to be early adapters and
change-makers when it comes to AI, especially since they themselves have built such a high interest. For agencies, it
underscores the opportunity to bring AI-change to clients, especially with client advertising, marketing and PR contacts in
the company being such an eager audience, looking for the innovative applications and ways of making communications
more efficient and more productive.
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Consumers are ready to
embrace AI – almost. 7
57%
think consumers are ready to engage with their
brands via AI.
Most of our respondents felt that consumers were
ready for AI-driven engagements, and the actions
taken by their companies reflect this response.
42%
20% 23% My firm uses AI to deliver
new, personalized and
value-added services to
AI is already being customers.
Incorporating AI has used in my firm's
created better customer
customer experiences communications.
at my firm.
However, 22% of respondents think it could be a few more years before consumers are ready, and 21% feel that
consumers are somewhat ready, just not completely there yet. What is most telling is that only 20% think
incorporating AI has made customer experiences better. Improving the AI customer experience is a key challenge for
client and agency collaboration.
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AI won't take away
communications jobs, but only 8
as long as communicators
keep upskilling.
Armageddon-type worries about AI-enabled robots displacing humans in the
workplace have been around for a while, but not many believe their jobs are in
danger from the machines.
Only 13% of communications leaders said they fear AI technologies will result in
a decrease in jobs. In fact, nearly three times as many communications
professionals - 34% - believe that AI will increase jobs rather than reduce them.
While communications leaders are confident in their jobs despite the doomsday
warnings that come with AI, they also believe it is necessary for those in the
industry to upgrade their skill sets to complement AI.
%
AI will decrease jobs for
communications professionals. 13% 34 % 1 3
Job increase Job decrease
Don’t know. 7%
AI won’t have too much impact on
communications professionals. 6%
France UK Germany
Respondents who are more positive
that AI will increase jobs for
communications professionals 35% 33% 32%
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Communicators see the
risks associated with AI. 9
Looking ahead to the next five years,
nearly 70% of communicators surveyed
are most concerned about data security
and consumer privacy issues or criminal
use of AI technologies.
Machine-
led error
in decision
making
12%
Criminal
use of AI Data security
technologies & consumer
19% privacy
50%
Job losses
20%
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Key Learning
Our global research showed us that In many ways, AI presents a unique
communication leaders at companies challenge not only to
and brands share an optimism about communicators, but to the firms they
AI. Because of their strong skills in work at. While it has many uses in
analytical communication, creativity manufacturing and production, AI
and imagination, it is likely they are also can play a critical role in how
better at envisioning an AI future companies communicate with
than others in their company, customers and other stakeholders,
explaining why many have taken the instantly customizing messages
initiative to teach themselves about based on machine learning, all the
AI and have become early adapters while predicting outcomes.
and evangelists inside their firms. Communicators are right to show
While we didn't ask communicators early interest. AI has the potential to
about their relationships with IT and transform their roles completely.
the CIO who often set AI strategy at
the company level, the overall
relationship between IT and
communicators inside organizations
is known to be weak.
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AI Conversations:
Brands that are Doing It
We spoke with two of our large clients
to understand their take on how AI
impacts their businesses today and
how they envision AI-led growth for
their businesses in the near future.
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Coty: AI is Opening the
Door to Personalization
at Scale.
Fred Gerantabee
GLOBAL VICE PRESIDENT
OF DIGITAL INNOVATION, COTY
Fred Gerantabee is global vice When we talk about AI's impact and
president of Digital Innovation for Coty, role at Coty, the place to start is the
one of the world's largest beauty end result for the consumer and, in
companies. Coty's iconic portfolio of turn, for the organization. There's a
brands includes COVERGIRL and lot of emphasis now on brands
Rimmel in the consumer beauty becoming more like service providers
category, Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss and not just product companies. This
in prestige fragrances and skincare, is true for us as a beauty company
and Wella Professionals and OPI for and for the consumer packaged
salon owners and professionals. goods (CPG) category as a whole.
We can no longer just put items on
With experience developing both the shelf; today's consumers want
technology applications and products value and services heavily rooted in
for agencies and corporations, Fred one-to-one personalization.
has unique perspectives on AI's current
and future roles at Coty and in
business in general.
‘We can no longer
just put items on the
shelf; today's
consumers want
value and services
heavily rooted in
one-to-one
personalization.’
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While bringing one-to-one personalization in communication aimed at
consumers has historically been difficult to do at scale, we believe AI can help us
achieve it in two meaningful ways:
1 2
Going beyond segmentation
Using data to drive product to create better consumer
development cycle experiences
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‘Data scientists
derive insights for
our creatives to build
upon. We integrate
these capabilities to
get the most value
from them.’
Rethinking creative is actually much more effective for big From a technology standpoint
ideas. Some of the best campaigns especially, everything must roll up to
approaches and brand I've seen were based on insights from the brand. When my group thinks
management real data -- sometimes data sitting in about a new piece of technology or a
The “big idea” has always been core to plain sight. platform, we really have to root it to
the creative process for companies that identity. If a platform plays in a
and agencies. While still important, This level of insights and intelligence space that isn't true to the brand, or if
what matters today is where the big leads us back to AI and the people we partner with a company that
idea comes from. It can't be rooted involved in the chain. It used to be the doesn’t support diversity the way we
solely in one person's opinion or creatives sat in one part of the do as a company, it is not authentic to
someone saying, “Hey, I've got a good building and data scientists sat in the who we are and for our consumer.
idea;” it needs to solve a real problem other. That's a fail. They should sit in People know when brands don't
or need. At Coty, for example, we're the same space and talk to each other deliver what they promise, whether it's
not just convincing consumers we every day. Data scientists derive a product attribute, personal service or
have the right lipstick; we're answering insights for our creatives to build upon. a higher order mission.
a higher order mandate to make We need to integrate these capabilities
people feel good, confident and able to get the most value from them.
to express themselves.
We must also think differently about
With AI giving us a more
doing things in line with the brand. We ‘What matters today
dimensionalized view of the
once saw brand identity as very
superficial. We made sure our
is where the big idea
consumers we talk to, we think very
photography, fonts and creative were comes from.’
differently about our creative
right and our message was consistent
approach. Instead of testing two or
across media. It's much more visceral
three concepts where we're either this
now. Our services, alliances,
or that, we marry the big idea with
partnerships, consumer tools and
data to ensure it's meaningful to
platforms must all take into account
consumers. Functioning this way
what the brand stands for.
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Evolving smarter Putting data security in
conversations with proper balance
consumers Data security is second nature at Coty. Years ago, people were apprehensive
Meaningful conversations with We think constantly about where data about allowing devices or software in
consumers are incredible sources of is stored, how data is transported and their lives. Today, despite all the
knowledge and insights. AI gives us breach contingencies. But keeping security concerns, we are consciously
the ability to optimize these up with evolving vulnerabilities, or unconsciously willing to trade
conversations. At Coty, we've used a including those made possible by AI, privacy for personalization,
few straightforward, decision tree- is a challenge. convenience and utility. Devices such
based messaging tools, but now we're as Amazon's Alexa and Google's
using natural language processing The types of data we capture, for virtual assistant can potentially listen
(NLP) for speech-to-text translation example, are changing. The definition to everything we say and know exactly
and context. It's a great data mining of personally identifiable information when we order batteries and diapers.
tool because it helps us understand (PII) used to be straightforward, as in The question is how we balance the
how people talk about our services name, email address and Social tradeoffs and mitigate as much risk as
and products and evolve the way we Security number. Now, social identities much as possible. AI can certainly
talk about them ourselves for a more and universally unique identifiers help by accelerating threat detection
personalized consumer experience. (UUID) are in the mix too. New devices and response.
and non-owned platforms also create
ambiguity. Voice-powered devices
Additionally, the launch of our Digital introduce variables that test the limits
Accelerator has been another step of privacy. Many new data points,
towards transforming our digital especially in chat platforms like
capabilities across the organization. Messenger, are being scanned. Who's
In 2018, we took this initiative a step the responsible party or owner of
further by bringing in external start- that data: the brand, the agency,
ups to the mix, and making AI the whoever built the tool or a platform
priority area. We now look forward to like Facebook?
working closely with the winners of
the program -- Nudest, Skingenie
and Glamtech, as well as other
participant companies that joined us
to build AI tools that will help
drive more seamless consumer
shopper experiences.
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The Future of AI at Coty
While AI's enormous potential is impossible to quantify, it will no doubt play an
increasingly significant role at Coty. We've identified three areas of our business
where we believe the technology's impact will be most profound:
2
Insights mining for
communication and product
development
3 Understanding and
qualifying consumers
With all the upside AI offers, organizations must be cognizant of the challenges
it can create internally and externally. If we create great consumer-facing tools
but fail to optimize supply and demand, delivery or availability, our efforts will
fall flat. From an enterprise standpoint, AI can help streamline these
increasingly intertwined functions to ensure we meet each consumer's
expectations and our organizational goals.
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BMW: AI is more than
Autonomous Driving
Craig Westbrook
VICE PRESIDENT,
BMW NORTH AMERICA,
U.S IMPORTER OF BMW LUXURY/
PERFORMANCE VEHICLES
During his 22 years with the company, When I think about AI, I immediately
he has worked on three continents, go to autonomous driving and other
held positions in total vehicle quality automotive applications. After all,
and research and development, and I'm a car guy. But I also realize the
was Vice President of Aftersales. implications are much broader and
touch every part of our business, from
Prior to his current role as Regional manufacturing to communications to
Vice President, Craig was Vice brand positioning.
President of Customer Experience and
Chief Customer Officer, where he was AI illustrates perfectly why we must
responsible for BMW's dealer network change our thought processes and
development and training, the in- acceptance levels at lightning speed.
dealership customer experience and Here's a parallel: Not that long ago, I
the customer experience with BMW warned my daughters about this thing
service departments. He sees called the Internet. I said don't go on
intriguing opportunities to use AI to it, but if you do, don't tell anybody
better understand, educate and who you are. If you do that, don't ever
engage his three ‘audiences’, car ask them to meet you somewhere.
buyers, dealers and employees. And if you do that, do not -- under
any circumstances -- get in their car.
Guess what? Now we all do these ‘AI illustrates
things every day and call it Uber. perfectly why we
This just shows how quickly the must change our
consumer journey is evolving, both in
terms of the experience and how
thought processes
people perceive brands. At BMW, we and acceptance
know AI can open exciting new
avenues in the way we approach our levels at lightning
end user customers, our dealers, our
employees and our products. We also
speed.’
know to expect everything from
excitement to unfamiliarity to fear
as we incorporate AI into our
everyday work.
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‘We know to expect
everything from
excitement to
unfamiliarity to fear as
we incorporate AI into
our everyday work.’
Building the consumer Adding new value to the ‘We see AI enabling
purchase experience broad consumer journey
Convenience and trust are key to A few years ago, I would never have
us to leverage
consumers. As an example, in the UK, imagined I would have an app to show existing data to add
we sell cars online and provide me where my electric car is, where I
support via chat lines. It's very can charge it and where I can park it. more value to the
successful, in part because we have Now it's an integral part of what we
real people conversing with offer, which dovetails with automotive consumer journey.’
consumers. Potential buyers feel engineering design: what cars look
they're talking to someone who cares like, what they do by themselves, how
about their wants and needs and they fast they do it, etc.
can end the conversation whenever
they want. They don't feel stuck on the
There's no question we've thought
line with someone who just wants to
about how the product will fare, but
sell them a car.
what about the consumer using that
product? Who are they? What do they
There are pros and cautions to moving expect from their cars and from us?
a process like this to AI. It can certainly That's where I see AI making a big
give us more intelligence and allow us impact, enabling us to leverage
to quasi-interact online with existing data to add more value to the
consumers who want to be consumer journey.
anonymous and don't want a super-
personal experience. Our functionality,
for instance, can prequalify buyers and
recommend cars based on their
answers to lifestyle questions. AI can
make these interactions more
interesting and go further even than
the telephone in some cases. But
authentic, interpersonal
communication via AI is still a future
move for BMW. Until the technology
reaches a very high level of
sophistication, we are placing more
value on functional applications.
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‘AI could help us
identify trends so we
know what to
leverage to get
employees to stay.’
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What's next for AI at BMW
Obviously, we're full speed ahead with AI in product innovation. In other parts of
our business, we're at varying points along the spectrum, exploring possibilities
that make sense for us and our consumers. From a communications standpoint,
I see our biggest near-term opportunities in these areas:
1 2 3
Consumer Connecting
experience products to Privacy
improvements consumer expectations protection
AI is broadly democratic in its It's mind-boggling to think how At BMW, we think privacy is
first application, but by the many ways we can use AI to more than securing data. It's
time it gets down to the make our products and also ensuring consumers know
individual consumer level, services better for customers. what data they're giving us,
things get interesting. We think The trick is to do it not just for why and what the possible
AI can help us dig deeper into technology's sake, but in implications are. Clear
existing data on existing response to what consumers communication and education
platforms to tailor our tell us they need and want. ensure we never cross the line
engagement with consumers in and jeopardize consumer trust.
creative, compelling ways.
4 Dealer
education 5 Employee
training
Consumers today expect more from brands and don't necessarily care how you
develop or deliver it. At BMW, we don't want to be known as a car maker or as
AI experts. We want consumers to trust us as a premium provider of mobility
services. AI is part of the recipe that can help us get there and delight every
single consumer throughout the BMW journey.
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AI Conversations:
Experts Weigh In.
We also asked other AI experts from across the
spectrum about their thoughts on AI and how it
will impact business and society. They shared
their insights on where AI stands now, the
challenges and opportunities it brings and what
the future looks like.
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The Tech Natives and AI:
Christopher Isak looks
through a Millennial lens.
Christopher Isak
FOUNDER AND MANAGING
EDITOR OF TECHACUTE
Christopher Isak is the founder and MSL: First of all, how well
managing editor of TechAcute, an
online magazine focused on do you think Millennials
technology-related topics and news for understand AI and how
consumers and businesses. He is also receptive are they to AI-
an information technology (IT) and
business analyst for Global Media driven technologies and
Services (GMS), where he supports services?
global enterprises and helps enable
collaboration on an international scale. Christopher: I think all of us, not just
Christopher provides his perspectives Millennials, often misinterpret what AI
on how Millennials perceive and will is and is not. AI has become a bit of a
interact with AI and how it will shape buzzword slapped on products. Does
the future world. it refer to an artificial entity that can
think, grow and is self-aware, or is it a
machine that can actually mimic
natural cognitive functions such as
learning and solving problems?
‘Essential user
Because AI is still largely undefined
and lacks scope, it's tricky to truly
experiences, which
understand. I believe personal AI millennials are highly
assistants like Cortana from Microsoft,
Siri from Apple, Alexa from Amazon, receptive to, will
the Google Assistant and other such
services will do the pioneering work shape future
for AI-driven technologies. These
essential user experiences, which
interactions with all
Millennials are highly receptive to, will
shape future interactions with all types
types of AI for the
of AI for the better. better.’
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MSL: How do you think
Millennials will engage with
AI products and
technologies differently
from other demographic
groups as consumers and in
the workplace?
Christopher: Collectively, Millennials
‘Millennials will be differ from other demographic groups
the most active users in many ways, but I hesitate to put
of AI technologies them into a drawer with respect to AI.
As individuals, they have a wide range
and the most critical of feelings and opinions about
in questioning the products and technologies. I will say,
however, that Millennials are more
systems.’ likely to interact with AI if they grew
up in a household that embraced
digital devices and the internet quite
early in comparison to others.
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MSL: If Millennials are more These functions are really what an AI
assistant is about. It assists you, helps ‘Companies leverage
comfortable with AI than
other generations, will it
you, makes your day simpler. These AI with contextual
features and functions are just the
create a generational divide beginning and I am very interested to user data to improve
and where will that divide
see more soon. It's only now, after a
decade, that smartphones are truly
the experience in
be drawn? smart, even though they might not yet ways we couldn't
be truly intelligent.
Christopher: There is already a divide imagine a couple of
between those who support AI and
those who don't, but it is not a matter
years ago.’
MSL: What are your biggest
of demographics. As an example, the
line will be drawn between people concerns about AI and how
who use self-driving vehicles and it will be used?
those who will not, under any
circumstances, let AI control them, Christopher: While leveraging AI to
their location or anything about them. advance the human race and protect
our world is desirable, we must make
Let's play out a possible scenario. sure the technology is equipped with
Once governments start using self- rules. Humankind is controversial, to
driving vehicles, the divide will say the least. A newly "born" entity
become more apparent. Insurance that knows nothing but logic could
companies could make it so expensive consider humans not only irrelevant,
to drive vehicles yourself that it's but even see us as threats to the
economically unviable for everyday existence of the planet and therefore a
citizens to stay on the steering wheel. threat to the existence of AI.
A governmental ban on human driving
could follow. This is likely the nearest Before we research and develop things
possible moment where people will too fast, now is the time to define laws
either support or oppose AI. that are priorities to all AI in use and
do it so they cannot be bypassed.
Technological advancement must not
MSL: As a Millennial become our downfall.
yourself, what do you like
most about how AI is
influencing society?
Christopher: While there is a lot of
discussion about privacy protection
and data usage, I find it interesting
how some companies leverage AI with
contextual user data to improve the
experience in ways we couldn't
imagine a couple of years ago. My
smartphone can suggest apps I'm
likely to need based on my usage
pattern, time of day, geographical
location and other metadata the
phone manufacturer or owner of the
AI assistant knows about me.
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MSL: What are your top MSL: Any last thoughts ‘AI must always
predictions of AI's impact on AI?
on business and industry?
recognize humans
Christopher: I believe this field of
science, research and development has
and the living
Christopher: To name one example,
Amazon played a crucial role in massive potential, but as with every environment as
generating demand for product technological milestone, we need to
make sure it cannot be turned to harm
priorities and
quality, customer service and delivery
speed. All of that combined to create humans. AI can be used not only for necessities for its
consumer entertainment and
a high comfort level users were not
familiar with. Beyond tackling retail, commercial uses, but also to discover own existence.’
Amazon put a lot of effort into raising cures for terrible illnesses.
the bar even further with things like
Amazon Dash buttons or asking your We cannot rush into this space blindly.
Alexa AI assistant to order more We should rapidly think about how to
cookies for you. These developments regulate and govern progress not to
changed the way we consume. slow our options down, but to
preserve our environment and life as
AI has even more potential for we know it. AI must always recognize
disruption in business and industry. If a humans and the living environment as
company uses AI to make decisions, priorities and necessities for its own
why would they keep analysts and existence. For Millennials and every
other knowledge workers around? generation before and after us, this is
If AI can optimize team performance most important.
to a record high, why do they need
managers? If robots already do a great
job on all fronts, why keep workers?
And most intriguingly, if AI always
makes the right decisions and never
sleeps, why do we need CEOs? We
could take this further and further until
we're talking about a dystopian future,
but I really don't feel that negative
about it or think we should be too ‘When leveraging AI,
critical. When leveraging AI, one of the
most important aspects is to not stop one of the most
thinking on our own, but to stay
relevant and keep improving.
important aspects is
to not stop thinking
on our own, but to
stay relevant and
keep improving.’
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The Humanity of AI:
John Havens and Jeff Catlin
Spotlight the Ethical Questions.
John C. Havens is executive director of Jeff Catlin is co-founder and CEO of MSL engaged two ethical
the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Lexalytics, the leader in ‘worlds-first’
Autonomous and Intelligent Systems machine learning and AI that translates
experts around the
and The Council on Extended text into profitable decisions for social humanity of AI, a rich topic.
Intelligence. He is the former executive media monitoring, reputation
vice president of Social Media at management and voice of the
Porter Novelli, where he worked with customer programs. With more than MSL: What is the human
clients including P&G, Gillette, HP and 20 years of experience in the fields of
Merck. John is a contributor to search, classification and text analytics
role in AI interactions?
Mashable and The Guardian on products and services, he offers a Jeff: It is similar to the human role in
technology and wellbeing issues and unique perspective on how ethics play computer-human interactions. When
the author of the books, “Heartificial into AI interactions. Jeff is a frequent using AI, we must ask the right
Intelligence: Embracing Our Humanity contributor to Forbes and VentureBeat questions, provide data and act on
To Maximize Machines,” and “Hacking where he shares his unique perspective recommendations and predictions. If
Happiness: Why Your Personal Data on technology-related issues. we point AI the wrong way, we're
Counts and How Tracking It Can going to make bad decisions.
Change the World.” He shares his
interesting insights on how to preserve A human should have their finger on
humanity as AI technologies advance. the trigger for any decision that could
impact someone's life. AI should
make recommendations that
humans can act on.
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MSL: As AI starts leading so
many customer interactions,
what is the danger of losing
the humanity in customer/
brand relationships?
John: The primary loss of humanity
comes from people's inability to ‘The primary loss of
access and control their data. While humanity comes from
government protections like the
European Union's General Data
people's inability to
Protection Regulation (GDPR) are access and control
essential, corporations and brands
must support sovereign identity
their data.’
structures allowing individuals to have
their own digital/algorithmic 'terms
and conditions.' Organizations like
Meeco.me and MyData are paving the
way for blockchain-like, peer-to-peer
(P2P) methodologies where individuals
can provide incredibly specific and
useful information to brands, but only
when companies commit to using that
data the way customers stipulate.
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‘Organizations that MSL: How do you think AI
can contribute to better
don't allow users to ethical decision-making?
have their own terms Jeff: The most powerful enemy of
and conditions for ethical decision-making is bias.
Biases can be implicit or explicit,
exchanging personal known and unknown. All AI has
data will seem not biases; it is not the pointy-eared
Vulcan myth of Spock, which is all
only behind the logic. AI bias depends on the data
we feed it and how we structure
times but of the ‘learning’.
questionable ethical
AI’s major advantage is that its
standing.’ biases are potentially quantifiable
and always consistent, so we can
account for them. This reduces
MSL: How do brands and biases’ impact and leads to
companies deal with this inherently more ethical decisions.
challenge and maintain
humanity in customer ‘The most powerful
relationships? enemy of ethical
John: In terms of data, companies decision-making
should create P2P, blockchain-enabled
channels for their customers right away. is bias.’
The first brands to do this will
experience a massive burst of trust
from customers and a clear market
edge. Soon, organizations that don't
allow users to have their own terms
and conditions for exchanging
personal data will seem not only
behind the times but of questionable
ethical standing.
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MSL: Can we remove biases MSL: John, you've written it
from the data we feed into is time for the AI industry to
AI? What do humans need create ethical standards and
to understand about this leverage innovation
and how do we stemming from transparent
compensate? stakeholder dialogue. Can
Jeff: Biases can be minimized in AI, you explain?
but not removed entirely. Society is John: This is what we've tried to do
biased, therefore the data we generate with IEEE, which now has fourteen
is as well. Keep in mind, bias is simply approved standardization projects (the
a slant. It doesn't have to be good or IEEE P7000™ series) focused on
bad, but it should be quantified. ethical Autonomous and Intelligent
Systems (A/IS). Standards form a type
There's a lot of interesting research of soft governance and work because
going on right now on detecting they're created by consensus over two
problematic bias; for example, the sort to three years with a lot of people
that would lead a deserving person (in from multiple industries asking
the U.S.) to be disqualified for a loan questions like, "How do we eradicate
based on their ethnicity. There are no negative algorithmic bias?" It is in
great answers, but best practices are these in-depth, global conversations
to have very broad data gathering that innovation happens. People truly
processes and aggressive test cases. empathize with colleagues in various
A broad testing set allows institutions disciplines and fully understand
to understand biases and account cultural specifics that affect AI design.
for them with training data or in
direct tuning.
‘Bias is simply a
slant. It doesn't have
to be good or bad,
but it should be
quantified.’
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MSL: With AI, some MSL: What are the ethical ‘If we take humans
companies may choose to risks of AI? What kinds of
reduce reliance on the corporate crises could AI
completely out of
human workforce. What is ethical lapses spark? the loop on life-
your take on the ethics of Jeff: There is an unfortunate tendency changing decisions
an automation-led society? to believe AI is some sort of panacea
for all human problems. Humans are
and leave everything
John: I don't see motivation for seen as being slow and expensive. to AI, there is the
businesses to avoid automation to
ensure humans will have jobs in the
That may be true in some cases, but
we're also really good at certain
potential to make
current status quo. Unless society
changes the focus on gross domestic
decisions. If we take humans lots of really bad
completely out of the loop on life-
product (GDP)-driven exponential changing decisions and leave decisions really
growth, which automation serves, the
bottom line will always win. This isn't
everything to AI, there is the potential
to make lots of really bad decisions
quickly.’
any company's fault -- where really quickly.
shareholder value is in place as the
ultimate goal it's a legal mandate. Some major AI ethical issues will look
Unless we go triple bottom line in our familiar, such as the pathological thirst
priorities as a society, where new legal for data that leads to risky and
models like the B-Corporation provide unethical decision-making. Some
ways for organizations to get from issues will be new, for instance,
point A to point B, there will be no blaming a medical device company's
labor equality. Everything that can be machine or AI for products shipped
automated will be. It's not a question out with bad parts. A discussion of
of if, but when. You will never read a autonomous car liability is a good
headline saying, "The X industry has overview of the possibilities.
decided to stop creating AI because
they're worried about human workers."
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MSL: How will AI make
business leaders smarter?
Jeff: When we talk about getting
‘smarter’ with AI, semantics are
important. AI alone will not make
anyone smarter. More knowledgeable,
yes; able to process more data, yes.
But not smarter, and therein lies the
rub, just like when using a computer.
People can drive AI to make poor
recommendations, then use it to justify
unethical behavior. Now more than
ever, influencers and decision-makers
must understand AI's positive and
negative implications and leverage it
to maximize the positive impact on
business and society.
The other thing to do is train humans The final thing is to prioritize applied
in emotional intelligence, empathy ethical methodologies in design. This is ‘Now more than ever,
and compassion. While AI can
replicate aspects of human emotions,
often called value sensitive design,
based on Batya Friedman's work, and
influencers and
it is not human or emotive, but a
mirror of our innate abilities. This
functions as a sort of ‘agile for ethics.’ decision-makers must
These methodologies don't use
doesn't mean AI-oriented emotion is utilitarianism or virtue ethics to make understand AI's
not fantastic and hugely useful. There final decisions, but they help design
are times when humans prefer AI teams ask questions based on these positive and negative
emotion over human scrutiny; a great
example is soldiers with post-
traditions that they may not have
asked in the past. AI directly affects
implications and
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
talking to AI therapists.
human agency, emotion and identity,
so methodologies providing new levels
leverage it to
of due diligence are extremely maximize the positive
important to employ.
impact on business
and society.’
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Powered by AI:
Our Predictions
Communicators and marketers have
come a long way in a short time from
struggling with the ambiguity of AI to
experimenting and applying it to
business initiatives. While it may seem
like AI will be taking over every aspect
of business, MSL and Publicis.Sapient Here's how we believe AI will impact
experts believe we are still in the the role of communicators over the
experimentation phase, just beginning course of the next few years:
to scratch the surface of what it can
do for communications.
AI will be a key priority for
communications
professionals.
AI's role in human interactions is
expanding. This will create a societal
shift in how people consume
information, which communications
must reflect. Communications
professionals already see the need for
AI expertise and will prioritize it even
more in the near future.
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AI will transform AI will shift
relationships between communicators' tasks from
communicators and the mundane to the more
technology experts. interesting.
Communications and IT, two groups AI will change the way
that historically functioned communications professionals
separately, will come together to function day-to-day and lessen the
imagine, develop and navigate AI time spent on rudimentary tasks like
applications. Communicators will monitoring, reporting, news scanning
take the lead in establishing these and sentiment analysis. With these
relationships and the two groups will out of the way, communicators will
become unlikely collaborators in focus on actionable insights, creative
technology-based communications breakthroughs and sharper
solutions. communications strategies.
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AI will continue to enable
hyper-personalization.
Tailoring communication by sub-
population (potentially a sub-
population of a single individual) will
start to become possible across the
platforms where their consumers
spend time. Features like
individualized push notifications
will make the consumer journey AI will transform the
more appealing, seamless and
relevant. Marketers will eventually
agency and corporate
have the ability to manage an communications structure.
individualized Q&A with consumers AI will replace some jobs, enhance
or other stakeholders. others and revolutionize how agency
teams work and interact. Work
AI will change how we processes and team relationships will
adjust as innovation becomes a key
view ethics.
ingredient of success.
Our growing dependence on AI
technology will force ethical
concerns like data privacy, consumer AI will not replace humans;
security and yet-to-emerge issues it will augment human
into the spotlight. We expect
communicators to quickly shape
roles and make them
new ethics codes with guidelines smarter and more agile. AI is here to stay and its role in the
for the algorithm era. communications field is growing
There are more positives than quickly. Openness to AI innovation
negatives to having AI in the will separate practitioners and
workplace. AI-driven insights will companies from their less curious
help communicators understand counterparts. The gap between
more about their stakeholders, those who build on AI advances and
markets and work, saving them those who ignore them will grow
time and increasing efficiency quickly and their businesses and
and productivity. professional statures will suffer the
consequences. As AI opens more
doors, it is up to communicators to
leverage it for profitable results for
their companies and the industry.
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Our last two reports:
PR 2020
The Dawn of the
Augmented Influence
Michael Echter
Director of Corporate Communications and
Marketing, MSL
(michael.echter@mslgroup.com)
Melanie Joe
Senior Manager and Consultant,
Research & Insights, MSL
(melanie.joe@mslgroup.com)