Helping clients prepare for the integration of generative AI has revealed an interesting insight. Despite the expectation that generative AI would reduce the need for resources, it actually adds new capabilities to the team. These are tasks that the team usually doesn’t have time to do due to their focus on content creation. For example, generative AI can create useful topic maps and structured taxonomies for existing content. These maps can be used for auto-tagging future content and identifying gaps in content categories. However, integrating generative AI requires a commitment of time and effort, which presents a new challenge. Since adding new resources is not always feasible, the important question to answer is: “What are you willing to stop doing in order to make room for the new tasks?”
When it comes to marketing, it is often considered the most challenging function in business because it constantly requires adaptation and change. Unlike other functions, marketing and content creation are built on a foundation of flexibility. Success in marketing comes from exploring new directions as old ones become obsolete. This realization can be daunting, as it means real people will have to carry out these tasks. The objections arise from the fact that the team still has existing responsibilities to fulfill, such as supporting the sales team, publishing newsletters, updating websites, and launching new products. The integration of AI only adds to their workload, rather than making it more efficient. Therefore, it becomes crucial to identify what tasks can be stopped in order to make way for the new initiative.
The business case for integrating generative AI is not just about why it should be done, but also why certain existing tasks should be stopped. Business professor Michael Porter believes that the essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. Therefore, when taking on a new marketing initiative, it is important to consider what activities can be discontinued. This approach can be learned from media companies, who understand that launching content products requires a willingness to stop unsuccessful endeavors. Media companies invest in numerous pilots, but only a small percentage actually make it to air. Similarly, businesses should not develop content or marketing properties based solely on available resources. Instead, they should focus on creating opportunities for success and be willing to stop initiatives that are not resonating with audiences.
In a world where resources are limited, it is crucial to ask better questions when deciding what initiatives to pursue. Instead of immediately implementing new platforms or adding more content, it is important to evaluate their effectiveness. This may involve questioning the need for certain platforms or redirecting resources to more innovative endeavors. It is not a failure to stop something that is not working; it is a necessary part of the process. As the new year approaches and the integration of generative AI becomes a priority, it is essential to approach it with the mindset of creating something new and more efficient, rather than simply adding to existing tasks. Before adding more to the plate, it is important to determine what can be stopped.
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