Optimism is High Around Productivity Gains, but Impact on Creativity and Quality is Less Certain

Marketing and communications professionals are rapidly embracing and experimenting with artificial intelligence—especially generative AI—in their work, finds a new benchmark survey by The Conference Board, in collaboration with Ragan Communications.

According to AI in Marketing & Communications: Boosting Productivity—and Creativity, Too?, 87% of marketers and 85% of communicators have used AI or experimented with AI tools for at least one application. A majority have incorporated AI into their regular workflow: The survey of 287 respondents found that 68% in marketing and 60% in communications are now using AI at least “sometimes” in their daily work.

“There is no doubt that new AI applications will transform the workflow in all areas of the marketing and corporate communications disciplines,” said Ivan Pollard, Leader of the Marketing & Communications Center at The Conference Board. “We should embrace it, look for the upsides and focus on those places where our human genius is augmented by the power of machines. We work in an industry renowned for its innovation and we will keep driving forward powered by the insights and adventure.”

AI Powering Productivity Gains

For marketers and communicators, AI currently serves above all as a productivity tool, freeing up time for strategy and creative work. They are nearly unanimous in believing these benefits will continue:

• 82% expect productivity will improve with the further adoption of AI—compared to just 4% expecting productivity to deteriorate. Most marketers and communicators also expect AI to enhance learning and development, as well as financial results. Half of respondents say AI will help in future product and services innovation, with just 16% expecting it to have a negative impact.
• For marketers, the top applications of AI include: summarizing content (44%), doing the legwork/inspiring thinking (41%), personalizing customer/user content (33%), conducting research (30%), producing content faster (30%), and improving customer service (17%).
• Likewise, communicators are currently using AI for: summarizing content (41%), doing the legwork/inspiring thinking (35%), producing content faster (28%), conducting research (26%), writing press releases (17%), and writing speeches (14%).
• Mid-level/junior marketers are at the forefront of adopting AI in their work, ahead of senior marketers, positioning them to shape the adoption and evolution of AI within their organizations. Meanwhile, senior marketers are the most optimistic about gains in innovation, work quality, and creativity—likely reflecting hopes that AI can inspire thinking by helping with research and generating output that triggers fresh ideas.

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Uncertain Impact on Creativity, Content Quality, and Risk Management

Marketers and communicators are more divided on the long-term impact of AI in their fields beyond boosting productivity and business results. Among the report’s major findings:

• Feelings are positive overall—but more tempered—on how AI will impact work quality and creativity. In both areas, slightly over 4 in 10 expect improvement, while almost 3 in 10 expect deterioration.

“For marketers and communicators, a critical question has been AI’s impact on creativity and quality of work,” said Denise Dahlhoff, Senior Researcher, Consumer Research at The Conference Board and author of the report. “Our research suggests that there’s reason for optimism. If AI is used to inspire and augment—not replace—human ideas, the effect might well be synergistic and help elevate overall creativity.”

• Marketers and communicators are largely pessimistic on how AI will impact job availability. Just 4% expect the number of jobs to rise, compared to 40% expecting a decline. Likewise, 22% expect negative effects on team culture, compared to just 16% expecting improvements.
• Widespread recognition of potential dangers calls for cautious AI use and greater risk management. Misinformation/lack of accuracy and legal uncertainties are the top concerns in both marketing and communication. Other worries include data security among marketers and the need to upskill for communicators. As AI regulations and best practices develop, the level of concern is likely to decline.

“This important research from Ragan and The Conference Board points to the abundant opportunities and challenges of AI,” said Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Communications. “It makes clear that both communicators and marketers need to embrace AI carefully and with an eye toward protecting the integrity of their brands and messaging. We’re looking forward to continuing to benchmark the use of AI as its impact is profound and ever-changing.”

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