When conducting research on marketing trends, one theme stands out above the rest: the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). AI is currently driving marketing automation, and it is expected to continue doing so in 2024. In 2023, generative AI gained significant popularity, particularly with the widespread adoption of ChatGPT. A survey by McKinsey and Company revealed that one-third of respondents regularly used gen AI in at least one business function, and 40% planned to increase their investment in gen AI. These statistics are remarkable considering that most gen AI tools are less than a year old and businesses often face obstacles when adopting new technologies. This surge of interest and adoption has led to three major shifts in marketing automation.
Firstly, marketers felt a sense of urgency to build strategies around AI adoption as the industry buzzed about its potential. Marketing automation became the natural starting point for implementing AI. Secondly, the doubt surrounding AI’s integration into our daily lives disappeared when ChatGPT gained widespread acceptance. SaaS companies no longer needed to persuade others to invest in AI; it became a necessity overnight. Lastly, the increased use of AI led to the discovery of new use cases, as both AI and marketers gained a deeper understanding of its capabilities. Over time, AI and automation became integral parts of a marketer’s everyday life.
Chatbots are an excellent tool for strategically using marketing automation and AI. In the past, there was a debate between live chat and chatbots. Businesses that prioritized accurate information preferred live chat, but providing 24/7 service required a large support team. Chatbots, on the other hand, could accurately answer simple questions at all hours but lacked the human touch necessary for building relationships and handling complex inquiries. However, a new option has emerged: AI-powered live chat. This combines the best of both worlds, as AI assists human support agents in finding information, answering simple queries, and escalating conversations to the appropriate individuals. This evolution has led to improvements and new use cases for chatbots.
Contrary to expectations, the increased adoption of AI in marketing has made customer interactions more human. Firstly, chatbots handling simple queries allow human agents to focus on complicated inquiries and relationship-building. Additionally, advanced chatbots that utilize natural language processing (NLP) models can respond more naturally to conversations. They learn from human speech patterns, colloquialisms, and tone, making their interactions more human-like. While true emotional intelligence is still developing, sophisticated chatbots can detect sentiments and respond accordingly. Sentiment analysis, facilitated by AI, provides valuable insights into customer interactions and helps improve relationships.
Voice assistants are following a similar trajectory to chatbots. With 24% of US adults owning a smart speaker and the number of digital voice assistants expected to reach 8.4 billion by 2024, voice search is experiencing significant growth. In the future, businesses may develop custom voice assistants to assist users with tasks while they work. Voice assistants will also become more human-like, incorporating pauses, emphasis, and variations in voice to enhance user experience.
As more companies adopt AI-powered live chat tools for marketing, sales, and customer support, they will find additional internal uses for these tools. For example, chatbots can assist in onboarding processes, guiding new users and elevating questions to the appropriate team members. This not only streamlines internal workflows but also equips chatbots with knowledge about the company, making them better suited to answer customer inquiries.
In 2024, it will become expected for businesses to have a chat experience available to customers. Adopting AI-powered live chat now ensures that businesses meet future customer expectations. Furthermore, the AI models used in live chat will learn more about the brand, products, and services, enabling more accurate and personalized conversations with customers.
One of the most transformative applications of AI in marketing automation is predictive analytics. When data can be used to predict future outcomes, an AI-powered marketing automation platform can make data-driven decisions independently. This is particularly beneficial for marketers who want to set up reliable automated journeys. Predictive analytics is already widely used in various applications, such as weather forecasting and behavioral targeting.
In conclusion, AI is driving marketing automation, and its rapid advancements are shaping the future of marketing. Marketers are embracing AI-powered tools like chatbots and voice assistants, which are becoming more human-like in their interactions. AI-powered live chat is not only improving customer experiences but also finding new applications within businesses. Furthermore, predictive analytics is revolutionizing marketing automation by enabling data-driven decision-making. As we move into 2024, AI will continue to evolve and become an indispensable part of the marketer’s toolkit.
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