• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, December 1, 2023

Marketers are rapidly integrating generative AI (gen AI) into their tech stacks — 65% have done so, and 45% are ramping up their artificial intelligence (AI) investments, according to SOCi’s AI Marketing Transformation Index, part III of which was released on Thursday. 

But they don’t want to admit it. Of those polled, 52% express at least some concern over revealing their AI use to customers. Drilling down, 13% are greatly worried about possible negative perceptions, and 39% are somewhat concerned.

“It’s clear that while we navigate the benefits of AI, we must also carefully manage its perception among consumers,” Monica Ho, CMO of  SOCi. “Ultimately, we could see greater regulation in this area that could steer disclosures for marketers and brands.” 

At the same time, 21% credit their customers with understanding AI, and another 19% are not very worried. But only 7% are entirely unconcerned. 

Marketers themselves are highly aware of AI — 82% are familiar with ChatGPT, Bard, MidJourney, and other tools. But 12% are not acquainted with these tools, while 6% are unsure of their familiarity. 

“The recognition of generative AI tools among marketers is impressively high, which is a testament to the rapid evolution and integration of gen AI in marketing,” Ho says. “The fact that the overwhelming majority are aware of these tools highlights the demand for technologies that can automate, streamline and optimize marketing.” 

Meanwhile, 51% are using AI technologies often, and 29% are sometimes doing so. Only 16% say they always use these tools, and a mere 4% indicate they use them rarely. 

Still, 31% of marketers have not yet used generative AI at all, and 4% are uncertain about their company’s usage status. 

What are they using it for? For 32%, personalized marketing is the biggest opportunity, while 25% cite automation of routine tasks. Content development is used by 22%, and data analysis by 19%.  

“There’s a common misconception that generative AI is solely about automation and content creation,” Ho continues. “While those areas hold significant potential impact, the real game-changer lies in personalized marketing — be it via dynamic creative or interactive chatbot experiences engaging directly with consumers.” 

And the future? “Efficiency is clearly improving through the use of these tools,” Ho adds. “Hopefully, this will free up marketers to spend more time on strategic, high-value areas, like maximizing campaign performance.” 

The AI Marketing Transformation Index is based on a survey sample of 317 digital marketing professionals in U.S. B2C companies.