How developing an ‘AI halo’ can provide a competitive advantage
First, we connected the world with the internet and gave everyone access to a potential voice and influence through social media. Now, we are starting to integrate powerful generative AI tools that provide organisations and individuals with near-infinite access to knowledge at almost no cost.
Look back to envisage the future
Over the past two decades, marketing and communications have undergone a significant transformation. We’ve moved from an almost entirely analogue world, where print media, television, and radio were the primary channels for reaching audiences, to a digital world dominated by social media.
Of course, you already know this. But it's worth taking a moment to reflect on how seismic this shift was because the next wave - Generative AI - will be even more significant.
In the UK alone, social media gave rise to several unicorns - start-up companies now valued at more than £1 billion—like Boohoo, Deliveroo, Gymshark, and Monzo.
Who can’t but be impressed with the likes of Ben Francis, co-founder and CEO of Gymshark, who started manufacturing sports garments in his parents' garage, taking advantage of the growth of social media and influencer marketing to scale a fashion empire.
The rapid progress of AI tools
Generative AI will result in a new breed of businesses that will successfully ride this wave, of this I am certain. More crucially for the readers of Centrum, an ‘AI-empowered age’ will inevitably create both challenges and opportunities for the professional service sectors in the coming months and years.
I've heard some say, 'It's just a hype bubble.' I disagree. AI is a major technological advancement. Just as the arrival of electricity powered industries and homes, generative AI will transform big data into communications, insights and actions that drive all sectors and impact our daily lives.
In its simplest terms, we as marketers and communicators trade in two primary commodities: 1) our networks and relationships, and 2) our ability to bring strategies, campaigns, and storytelling to life on behalf of our clients. Our content deliverables typically encompass text, audio, visuals, and audio-visuals.
Generative AI, while it can’t replace deep human networking and relationship-building, is incredibly effective at taking big data and producing marketing strategies and content. Some argue the content just isn’t up to scratch compared to those who have honed their marketing skills over years. I don’t disagree. However, it's worth remembering the AI tools and features currently available are the worst they will ever be.
Besides, the content outputs from generative AI are only as good as the prompts and data we input. If we put rubbish in, we get rubbish out.
Eighteen months ago, prompting an image of a ‘cat’ using OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 model would produce a basic cartoon-like image. Now, Sora – its latest text-to-video model - will produce up to a 60-second hyper-realistic video of a cat.
Putting this into practice, a talented video editor with AI knowledge using the recently released Runway’s Gen-3 video tool created a complete concept TV advert for Volvo in just 24 hours.
“Based on our work with the United Nations, the British Chamber of Commerce, and various tech, culture, and media organisations, we’ve identified key barriers to AI adoption: lack of knowledge, skill shortages, and concerns about cost and data security.”
As marketers we must be open to these advancements. While I may not be a prolific writer, content creator, data scientist, behavioural scientist, or app developer, AI has enabled me to become proficient in all these skills. As AI becomes more prevalent in professional service roles, we will likely - in the words of Grammy award-winning musician and technologist Will.i.am - become ‘cross disciplinary’.
Introducing the AI halo
Based on our work with the United Nations, the British Chamber of Commerce, and various tech, culture, and media organisations, we’ve identified key barriers to AI adoption: lack of knowledge, skill shortages, and concerns about cost and data security.
To address these, we developed the ‘AI Halo’ - a simple but effective framework to help teams and their organisations successfully integrate the right AI tools.
The AI Halo includes:
Keynote speeches and competitor research: Inspire leaders to understand the art of the possible. Practical hands-on learning: Upskill teams with role-specific training on the latest AI tools. AI workflow audits: Identify opportunities for AI and automation integration within your organisation. AI tech integration: Implement the right AI tools tailored to your organisation and role.
Real-world applications and benefits
While the results will vary from sector to sector, research by McKinsey suggests organisations that have successfully adopted AI report up to a 25% increase in productivity.
The NHS AI Lab, for example, pilots the use of AI imaging solutions to significantly enhance the speed and accuracy of medical diagnoses in cancer care and radiology services.
Nike collaborates with athletes like Kylian Mbappé and Dina Asher-Smith to design new footwear prototypes using AI and 3D printing. “What would take weeks and months is now taking days and weeks,” said John Hoke, its chief innovation officer.
Klarna, a global payments and shopping service, introduced an AI-powered chatbot that had 2.3 million conversations within the first month and supports 35 different languages.
Marketing has seen an explosion of generative AI tools that improve efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and help companies stay competitive. For instance, Opus AI can analyse an entire conference speech and edit it into 10 video clips for social media in about 20 minutes—a task that once took at least a day.
At The Future Communicator, we have developed our own AI tool called ‘Editor’ enabling in-house communications teams to quickly craft executive briefs, press releases, internal memos and more, all in their organisation's tone of voice.
Many within professional services have already started their AI journey. If you feel you are falling behind, there is no better time to start than now. Have fun developing your own AI Halo—begin by experimenting with tools that can enhance your personal and professional life, and then expand to see how they can benefit your team and wider organisation to drive better outcomes.
Peter Heneghan is a distinguished AI and communications expert with a rich background in prestigious roles at BBC News, Channel 4, BuzzFeed, and 10 Downing Street. Heneghan played a pivotal role in transforming the UK Government's digital communication during the COVID-19 pandemic through tech advancements and audience-centric campaigns. In Spring 2023, he founded The Future Communicator, an innovative agency focused on AI and digital communication strategies. Their clients include a UN agency, The British Chamber of Commerce, Arts Council England, a NASDAQ-listed company, and major media and tech players like Virgin Media and Mailchimp. Testament to its early successes, PR Week named The Future Communicator as an “agency to watch in 2024.” Peter is also a guest lecturer on AI and Communications at London Business School.