PhotoShelter Research Reveals 82% of Creative Professionals Believe AI Will Redefine the Future of Branding and Marketing

New data demonstrates how AI will shape marketing in 2024 as an indispensable tool for innovation and productivity

PhotoShelter, the premier digital asset management (DAM) and content distribution platform for growing brands, today released the findings of AI: Brand’s Next Frontier Report, to better understand the impacts of AI on the future of compelling content. The research found that creative professionals and marketers are under immense pressure to maximize results while still minimizing budgets and resources. This pressure means creative professionals are looking for new ways to pivot and streamline operations. PhotoShelter found that 76% of respondents agree that economic fluctuations have amplified the need for strategic pivots in teams’ workflows. AI is one of the solutions brand and marketing teams and even executives are looking to explore and leverage in 2024.

“As content creation demands soar, brand and marketing teams must leverage technology to stay ahead,” said Andrew Fingerman, CEO of PhotoShelter. “The creative industry is facing a pivotal moment as AI allows creative professionals to work in new and innovative ways. With this study, we hope to further businesses’ understanding of the impacts of AI and how it ultimately provides businesses with a competitive advantage”

Additional findings from the PhotoShelter Report Include:

Streamlining content workflows is essential for growing brands
Many creative professionals have been grappling with the difficulties of creating unique and engaging content while meeting the increased demand for outputs. A staggering 85% reported facing increasing pressures to produce content more rapidly, creating numerous challenges with their content creation workflows. Other insights marketers shared include:

1 in 2 respondents expressed a strong desire for streamlined content-creation tools
38% struggle with creating relevant content and/or increasing social media followers
42% reported trouble driving higher brand engagement, a challenge 47% more prevalent among those employed by enterprise companies with over 10,000 employees

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AI investment is already on the rise
In response to these challenges, many marketers have already started adopting AI tools and DAM (Digital Asset Management) platforms to increase team efficiency and productivity, and the quality of their content. Over half (59%) report incorporating these solutions into their content and asset workflows, and it’s only the beginning.

78% of marketers believe AI can help companies increase revenue
56% say their company has already increased its AI budget allocations in the past year and 39% say their company has plans to invest in additional AI tools in the next year
AI adoption is even more pronounced in the C-suite. Chief Marketing Officers are 66% more likely to leverage AI for task automation and 40% more likely to use AI for asset organization

The ROI of AI is clear for marketers and creative professionals
Creative professionals believe that companies that embrace AI and DAM tools are more likely to gain a competitive edge, while those that don’t, are leaving opportunities behind. Overall, current AI users are reaping significant benefits and are seeing the positive impacts of AI.

88% of users state it has increased the ROI of their work by freeing up more time for more meaningful tasks
84% of those who have implemented a DAM tool in their workflow reported increased quality of work
69% believe AI could help their company expand to new markets, while 71% believe that companies that don’t embrace AI will lose their competitive edge

Ethics will play a critical role as AI tools grow
However, embracing AI technology is not without its concerns. There is a shared sentiment that AI has a place in content creation but AI implementation needs to prioritize ethical considerations in content, marketing and branding.

66% of respondents expressed concerns about the ethical implications of AI-generated content in marketing
66% are concerned about avoiding bias when using AI-generated content
71% are concerned about maintaining transparency when using AI-generated content

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