How to Surf the AI Wave to Empower Digital Platforms

By Abhinandan Ghosh On Apr 26, 2018

The more we dig into AI, the crazier it gets. The business value it brings remains unfathomable despite the convincing rate of its adoption across various industrial domains and social segments. Digital platforms are a classic example of how rampant AI-adoption in business could impact overall productivity. In 2018, marketers leveraging AI-powered platforms still search for an ROI calculator that could answer if the connected automation did indeed guarantee growth or success.

However, most marketers would like to state that AI is a driver, if not the engine. With new developments in AI every day, there’s something valuable for every marketer that could forever change the way digital platforms deliver! Numbers suggest that organizations are yet to invent that secret ingredient that assures a perfect AI-driven recipe.

Only 15% of enterprises have adopted AI but 31% have it on their agenda for the coming 12 months (Adobe)
72% of business leaders consider AI as a competitive advantage (PwC)
47% of digitally-advanced organizations have a defined AI strategy (Adobe)

To determine the exact direction where AI-powered digital platforms are heading is hard. But it’s possible to establish some foundational principles which will shape the success of such digital platforms. Emphasis must be laid on the current AI tools, high-quality data, and simple UI for digital platforms to thrive.

Let’s zero-in on the three pillars. These can help organizations and marketers to make the most of AI-powered digital platforms.

Training isn’t Mandatory

Marketers and software developers need to understand that UX is a priority for digital platforms. Hence, digital platforms that are designed for instinctual usage will stand out. Platforms full of complexities don’t make the cut anymore. The reason is simple – end users don’t like to be taught too much about how they should use a platform. A good practice for marketers here is to be in the user’s shoes and think how they like to use a Marketing Automation Platform (MAP). Surely no marketer has the time to train himself and his team for months on how to use a MAP.

The crux here is to automate the prosaic so that efforts can be directed at important tasks. Marketers today use multiple digital platforms and mastering them all is a big ask. When the UX is simple and ready-to-use, the adoption of your platform will be higher.

Data on Top

A common pitfall in creating an AI-driven digital platform is focusing too much on what the algorithms and not data. Algorithms matter but the very essence of AI systems is the primary data you feed to them. If the quality of data is not spot-on or the quantity is not adequate, machines won’t learn it right. When machines don’t learn well, the entire purpose of AI stands defeated. In turn, the UX you deliver won’t be intuitive or smart enough.

“There’s a convergence taking place in managing data, giving AI an opportunity to go to work and enable businesses to make better, faster decisions within the SaaS product itself.”
John Reese, SVP of Marketing, Mavenlink

Data quality remains the pinnacle of a successful digital platform. The quality is a factor of the type of data involved. Irrespective of that, to achieve optimum data quality, there’re two components you can ill-afford to miss:

Firstly, your data capturing method needs to be embedded in the source at both levels – marketing engine and the platform itself
Secondly, data collection from the above should be perpetual and without chasms

Ensuring the above keeps your AI features in sync with the latest, updated data insights. That’s when those algorithms work like magic. While this can escalate costs to begin with, data analytics proves to be an ROI enabler in the long run. Here’s why:

Marketers expect their data analytics spending to increase from 5.8% to 17.3% of their marketing budgets (The CMO Survey)

Why Take it ‘Out of the Box’ When it’s in the Box

Pondering too much over things to come can make you lose sense of the present. Unlock the full potential of the existing AI tools for your digital platform. These tools are advanced and powerful enough. Thus, trying to create your own AI tools from the scratch can turn out like meandering in the dark and hoping for light. Also, the efforts and skill-base the exercise requires is tremendous and can make you deviate from your actual goal – the platform.

There’s no shortage of enterprise AI tools on offer which can be deployed within your networks. These tools cater to all the requirements of yours and the end users of your digital platform.

From institutional tech powerhouses –

From modern crusaders –

How to Surf the AI Wave

Stick to the basics mentioned for your AI-driven digital platform as they are fundamental to your platform’s success. Probing too much on what lies under the AI’s hood could be misleading. The present-day AI applications and capabilities can blend with numerous digital platforms. The type of platform is a choice of yours based on your business needs. Determine the platform type first and then adopt the appropriate AI, not vice-versa.

Make the voyage of your digital platform a serene one for your end users. Deliver the best UX possible, keep data at the helm, and trust the existing AI tools. At the same time, remain flexible about what lies next in the upcoming wave of AI.