Let’s accelerate past the ‘Case for Gen AI’ billboard.
To paint with a (very) broad brush, AI has grabbed marketers’ attention through diffusion models and LLMs. Through diffusion models, AI has compressed creative effectiveness from weeks to seconds – text to audio, video, illustrations, photorealistic imagery.
Meanwhile, LLMs have revolutionised storytelling and strategy by co-creating personalised taglines, compelling narratives, tailored textual and contextual content, as well as revealing granular information about audience campaigns, automating aspects of campaign management, breaking down siloes, and offering real-time campaign optimisation opportunities.
“Many marketers struggle with not knowing where to start and how to effectively implement AI across creative, content, and analytics domains.”
Now that we’re past the billboard, we need to address the very real speed-breakers on the highway to AI adoption remain.
“There’s a significant gap between expressing interest in AI and actually deploying it strategically,” said Nicolas Nath, a marketing leader from Dubai, in conversation with Campaign Middle East.
Clearly, there’s more to the industry’s reluctance than the “Caution, Curve Ahead” signs on the road. Several industry leaders have pointed to the fact that many marketers lack the knowledge required for its implementation, the technical know-how to do so, and also an underlying fear that AI efficiencies could raise expectations leading to scale/demand that the industry isn’t prepared for.
“The primary barriers to GenAI adoption in the Middle East marketing industry are multifaceted,” Nicolas explained. “While cost concerns exist and some have a cautious mindset towards AI-driven efficiency, the main hurdles are a lack of understanding and skills. Many marketers struggle with not knowing where to start and how to effectively implement it across creative, content, and analytics domains.”
“This is compounded by a shortage of skilled personnel who can harness AI’s potential for specific marketing challenges. Additionally, there’s often a disconnect between marketing teams, upper management and IT departments, hindering seamless integration of AI tools into existing systems and workflows,” he added.
Other leaders opine that many marketers are still finding their feet in terms of how to train and fine-tune GenAI, how to use it to acquire new customers and retain current customers, how to best use existing first-party and zero-party data in a compliant manner, as well as how to segment their audiences more effectively, improve category entry points, and make more informed decisions.
“One of the main barriers to Gen AI adoption in marketing is the lack of technical skills among marketers.”
When questioned on implementation, Aditya Krishnan, creative strategist at SOCIALEYEZ, said, “I leverage AI platforms to debrief proposals and pinpoint key focus areas. AI offers a broad range of touchpoints to focus on, enabling a more comprehensive and strategic approach. In the UAE’s dynamic marketing landscape, AI can transform how we strategise, providing deeper insights and fostering more effective campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences.”
Responding to the question about hurdles to implementation, Aditya adds, “One of the main barriers to GenAI adoption in marketing is the lack of technical skills among marketers. However, what many don’t realise is that Gen AI can significantly enhance our craft and amplify our impact.”
One thing is certain. The time for marketers to bring themselves up to speed is short. Those who are learning and growing with AI are making exponential strides in the industry.
Nicolas Nath sums it up well, “Business and marketers who fail to familiarise themselves with AI tools and implement the benefits it brings, will fall behind, both in their own professional development as well as company growth.”
