Amazon Web Services
Marketing & Strategy
Insight
By Ethan Rosch
5th Sep 2024
The debate over artificial intelligence has raged for years – with many different questions raised over what influence it will have on both our personal and working lives.
None of us can see into the future, but we can be certain AI has already become a significant and influential driver of change and transformation across all industries and sectors globally.
Its initial impact has delivered increased productivity in manufacturing, improved analysis in health, greater insight in retail, and sped up legal processes.
We know the general public is now used to hearing lots about ‘ChatGPT’ even if they’re not entirely sure what it actually does, or what it means for them. But they have also been given much reason to fear the rise of artificial intelligence, with story after story claiming it will leave them unemployed.
For an experiential marketing and event agency like Marble, the role of AI is of huge consequence to our clients in legal, business, finance, and technology.
But while it is an enabler – one that can deliver greater socioeconomic equality, reduce human error, and improve client and customer experience – it also brings concerns over biased algorithms, the rise of deepfake pictures and videos, and its ability to be misused for scams or fraud.
For many, confusion still reigns, so perhaps we’re asking the wrong questions about artificial intelligence; all getting caught up in the chatter and cliché rather than the realities.
For example, beyond headlines about redundancies and the dangers of cyber warfare, are we ensuring enough people even understand the differences between the various types of AI.
The data would suggest not. According to research by the UK government in February 2024, the vast majority of the public (95%) have now heard of AI. But among older age groups, just six in 10 (62%) of those aged 55+ said they could explain it. That compares to three quarters (74%) in the 18–34 group.
Following the recent general election, the new Labour government has affirmed its aim of making the country a leader in AI and leveraging it for economic growth. This makes it critical for all levels of society to be educated on the pivotal role it will play.
Within boardrooms, the rush to embed AI must also be tempered by increased understanding, not just for the C-suite but for all levels of an organisation. For instance, a study by IBM suggests two-thirds of UKI CEOs (64%) are pushing to adopt Generative AI more quickly than some employees are comfortable with.
At Marble, we are all about creating experiential marketing and live events that capture the zeitgeist, drive conversations, and offer actionable intelligence.
So, what does a more intelligent and honest conversation about AI look like?
To start with, we must ensure everyone knows the difference between Generative AI and Predictive AI. The former is a creation tool for text, images, audio, and video – such as ChatGPT. The latter uses a wealth of internal and external data to find patterns, anticipate behaviours, and flag up or warn of potential outcomes.
Then there are Large Language Models (LLMs), a subset of Gen AI, which can train online chatbots to appear as if the answers they provide to questions are coming from a real human.
Last year, Marble held an event looking at various emerging technologies, including AI and web3. Our expert panel was able to sit down and discuss with an audience their ramifications in a simple, coherent, and informative way – examining everything from TikTok algorithms to who owns our data and what rights do companies have to use it.
By delving deeper into the detail, rather than continuing with the hyperbole, we can take everyone, young and old, on this exciting journey.
Delivering on AI’s promise can only happen by getting together in person to discuss it – rising above general talk of features to instead debate impacts.
For instance, a live event for legal professionals could focus on the time-saving role Generative AI is having on their day-to-day work, but also raise the ethical issues related to it plus concerns over so-called Hallucinations creating mayhem for their cases. These occur when AI is so desperate to offer an answer that it makes one up to sound as plausible as possible.
And given a survey by LexisNexis shows a sharp increase in lawyers regularly using Gen AI tools, the importance of hosting more and more industry events to explain and challenge its use could not be clearer. It found usage rose from 15% in July 2023 to 26% a year later.
Other sectors have a crucial need for similar live events or experiential marketing.
Among Venture Capitalists, S&P Global Market Intelligence data from the first quarter of 2024 showed the top 35 VC firms announced 51 AI funding rounds, up from 31 just 12 months earlier. This means for those working in Finance or Business, its future role must be debated and drilled down into.
Artificial intelligence is transformative. However, its successful adoption can only be achieved by industries coming together to discuss, design, and embrace a shared vision for its use. By getting together far more frequently, we can not only talk it through… but also talk it up.
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