Marketers Hopes and Fears
for Artificial Intelligence
David Berkowitz
Chief Strategy Officer, Sysomos
@sysomos / @dberkowitz
dberkowitz@sysomos.com
About this presentation
This talk about artificial intelligence (AI) was presented at IAB Conecta in
Mexico City in August 2017. This version has been annotated and edited for
clarity.
For the research featured here, Sysomos partnered with The Drum, which
surveyed more than 200 marketing professionals in May 2017. The vast
majority of respondents were in senior management levels, and they hailed
from brands, agencies, media companies, and technology providers.
In the notes field of each slide, you can find links to any additional sources.
For any questions about this talk, please reach out to me anytime.
Thanks for reading this.
David Berkowitz
dberkowitz@sysomos.com
These are the associations
most people seem to have
with AI…
“The greatest benefit
of the arrival of
artificial intelligence
is that AIs will help
define humanity. We
need AIs to tell us
who we are.”
-Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable
“47% of all jobs will be taken by
robots.”
- The Future of Employment
“47% of all jobs will
be taken by robots.”
-The Future of Employment
Strong vs Narrow AI
Narrow AI refers to non-sentient technology focused on one specific task.
Strong AI refers to consciousness and sentience, where AI can be applied to any problem.
“In the next 10 years, 99%
of the artificial intelligence
that you will interact with,
directly or indirectly, will be
nerdly narrow, supersmart
specialists.”
-Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable
“More and more products
and services will fuse
machine intelligence with
crowd work to help users
get things done.”
-Shivon Zilis in Harvard Business Review
This isn’t the AI you’ve been looking for, but
it is an early example of predictive problem-
solving assistants.
Why is the race for AI
so hot right now?
• Data sets
• Processing power
• Practical goals
• New algorithms
• ‘Adjacent possible’
In the talk, we turned the presentation into a kind of game show, surveying the
audience about their views. For those who saw the presentation live, that interactive
feature won’t appear here, but I would love hearing your opinions about the topic.
Do marketers understand AI?
Yes
46%
No
54%
Are marketers investigating the full potential of AI?
Yes
36%
No
64%
Why do marketers want to invest in AI?
64%
61%
49%
42%
39%
36%
24%
Increase productivity Increase efficiency Generate new
opportunities
New innovation Increase sales Cost savings Verify performance
Top applications for AI
49% 49%
40%
30%
27%
24%
21%
18%
11%
9%
Competitive
intelligence
Customer
service/ CRM
Media planning/
buying
Auditing:
delivery,
transparency,
fraud
Billing/ finance Community
management
PR/analyst
relations
Creative briefs Recruitment/ HR Legal/ rights
management
What kinds of applications of AI are most interesting to your business?
Which function at your company will benefit the most from AI?
Exec team
7% Brand manager
5%
Strategist/planner
16%
Analyst/researcher
25%
Media buyer/planner
15%
Account manager
6%
Creative
10%
Production
8%
Other
8%
Marketers do not want AI in creativity or recruitment
16%
23%
5%
22%
9%
16%
44%
15%
5%
37%
Customer
service/CRM
PR/analyst
relations
Competitive
intelligence
Legal/rights
management
40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
How much of your job today do you think could be replaced by AI by the end of the decade?
AI can produce works of creativity
Impact on marketing activity expected over next 5 years
3%
14%
19%
18%
8%
22%
4% 4%
3%
1%
4%
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
How long do you think it will be before AI makes a significant impact on your marketing activity?
Will AI harm jobs in marketing?
Yes, some
roles will be
replaced by
AI
61%
No, AI will
let us work
more
effectively
39%
Will the rise of AI lead to job losses?
2%
14%
26%
14%
12%
20%
5%
4%
3%
2% 2%
0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
How much of your job today do you think could be replaced by AI by the end of the decade?
It’s not just marketers who are concerned
It’s not just marketers who are concerned
14
23
29.1
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
New platform won't catch on
Platform obsolescence
I'm replaced by AI
Software Developer Fears
Source: Evans Data Corp
“The advent of AI didn’t
diminish the performance
of purely human chess
players. Quite the
opposite… There are more
than twice as many grand
masters now as there were
when Deep Blue beat
Kasparov.”
-Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable
What job do you want A.I. to do?
What job do you want A.I. to do?
Create your A.I. job interview
Key takeaways:
Get ready for a messy few years ahead
• For the next several years, technologies will
augment what we can do
• There will be immediate opportunities for
specialists who can identify and implement
AI
• Some jobs are more prone to replacement
by automation than others
• People are hesitant to relinquish creative
tasks to AI, but AI can replace creative
functions
¡Gracias! ¡Mantente en contacto!
dberkowitz@sysomos.com
@sysomos / @dberkowitz
www.sysomos.com
This really is my Spanish-language
LinkedIn profile. I took a few liberties
with my description.
Marketers' Hopes and Fears for Artificial Intelligence
Marketers' Hopes and Fears for Artificial Intelligence

Marketers' Hopes and Fears for Artificial Intelligence

  • 1.
    Marketers Hopes andFears for Artificial Intelligence David Berkowitz Chief Strategy Officer, Sysomos @sysomos / @dberkowitz dberkowitz@sysomos.com
  • 2.
    About this presentation Thistalk about artificial intelligence (AI) was presented at IAB Conecta in Mexico City in August 2017. This version has been annotated and edited for clarity. For the research featured here, Sysomos partnered with The Drum, which surveyed more than 200 marketing professionals in May 2017. The vast majority of respondents were in senior management levels, and they hailed from brands, agencies, media companies, and technology providers. In the notes field of each slide, you can find links to any additional sources. For any questions about this talk, please reach out to me anytime. Thanks for reading this. David Berkowitz dberkowitz@sysomos.com
  • 7.
    These are theassociations most people seem to have with AI…
  • 12.
    “The greatest benefit ofthe arrival of artificial intelligence is that AIs will help define humanity. We need AIs to tell us who we are.” -Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable
  • 13.
    “47% of alljobs will be taken by robots.” - The Future of Employment “47% of all jobs will be taken by robots.” -The Future of Employment
  • 16.
    Strong vs NarrowAI Narrow AI refers to non-sentient technology focused on one specific task. Strong AI refers to consciousness and sentience, where AI can be applied to any problem.
  • 17.
    “In the next10 years, 99% of the artificial intelligence that you will interact with, directly or indirectly, will be nerdly narrow, supersmart specialists.” -Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable
  • 18.
    “More and moreproducts and services will fuse machine intelligence with crowd work to help users get things done.” -Shivon Zilis in Harvard Business Review
  • 19.
    This isn’t theAI you’ve been looking for, but it is an early example of predictive problem- solving assistants.
  • 20.
    Why is therace for AI so hot right now? • Data sets • Processing power • Practical goals • New algorithms • ‘Adjacent possible’
  • 21.
    In the talk,we turned the presentation into a kind of game show, surveying the audience about their views. For those who saw the presentation live, that interactive feature won’t appear here, but I would love hearing your opinions about the topic.
  • 22.
    Do marketers understandAI? Yes 46% No 54%
  • 23.
    Are marketers investigatingthe full potential of AI? Yes 36% No 64%
  • 24.
    Why do marketerswant to invest in AI? 64% 61% 49% 42% 39% 36% 24% Increase productivity Increase efficiency Generate new opportunities New innovation Increase sales Cost savings Verify performance
  • 25.
    Top applications forAI 49% 49% 40% 30% 27% 24% 21% 18% 11% 9% Competitive intelligence Customer service/ CRM Media planning/ buying Auditing: delivery, transparency, fraud Billing/ finance Community management PR/analyst relations Creative briefs Recruitment/ HR Legal/ rights management What kinds of applications of AI are most interesting to your business?
  • 26.
    Which function atyour company will benefit the most from AI? Exec team 7% Brand manager 5% Strategist/planner 16% Analyst/researcher 25% Media buyer/planner 15% Account manager 6% Creative 10% Production 8% Other 8%
  • 27.
    Marketers do notwant AI in creativity or recruitment 16% 23% 5% 22% 9% 16% 44% 15% 5% 37% Customer service/CRM PR/analyst relations Competitive intelligence Legal/rights management 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% How much of your job today do you think could be replaced by AI by the end of the decade?
  • 28.
    AI can produceworks of creativity
  • 29.
    Impact on marketingactivity expected over next 5 years 3% 14% 19% 18% 8% 22% 4% 4% 3% 1% 4% 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 How long do you think it will be before AI makes a significant impact on your marketing activity?
  • 30.
    Will AI harmjobs in marketing? Yes, some roles will be replaced by AI 61% No, AI will let us work more effectively 39%
  • 31.
    Will the riseof AI lead to job losses? 2% 14% 26% 14% 12% 20% 5% 4% 3% 2% 2% 0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% How much of your job today do you think could be replaced by AI by the end of the decade?
  • 33.
    It’s not justmarketers who are concerned
  • 34.
    It’s not justmarketers who are concerned 14 23 29.1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 New platform won't catch on Platform obsolescence I'm replaced by AI Software Developer Fears Source: Evans Data Corp
  • 35.
    “The advent ofAI didn’t diminish the performance of purely human chess players. Quite the opposite… There are more than twice as many grand masters now as there were when Deep Blue beat Kasparov.” -Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable
  • 36.
    What job doyou want A.I. to do?
  • 37.
    What job doyou want A.I. to do? Create your A.I. job interview
  • 38.
    Key takeaways: Get readyfor a messy few years ahead • For the next several years, technologies will augment what we can do • There will be immediate opportunities for specialists who can identify and implement AI • Some jobs are more prone to replacement by automation than others • People are hesitant to relinquish creative tasks to AI, but AI can replace creative functions
  • 39.
    ¡Gracias! ¡Mantente encontacto! dberkowitz@sysomos.com @sysomos / @dberkowitz www.sysomos.com This really is my Spanish-language LinkedIn profile. I took a few liberties with my description.

Editor's Notes

  • #2 How are marketers investing in artificial intelligence? According to new research, most organizations aren’t realizing the full value of AI. Learn how leading brands perceive AI, including topics such as:  * Which departments benefit the most from AI? * Which use cases (such as customer service and media buying) have the most appeal to marketers making AI investments? * Do marketers see any potential for AI to influence the creative process? * Will AI result in job losses, and which kinds of roles could be impacted the most? * Will AI become an important strategic element of marketing plans? * Do any marketers think AI will be able to do the entirety of their jobs? * How can AI solve problems of marketing waste? How else will AI transform marketing in the next five years? Get a glimpse of the future, and discover some of the most practical immediate applications of such cutting-edge technology.
  • #8 Is this your recollection of AI? http://www.sensacine.com/peliculas/pelicula-29280/
  • #9 Or maybe this one? http://www.sensacine.com/peliculas/pelicula-309/fotos/detalle/?cmediafile=21281848
  • #10 http://www.sensacine.com/peliculas/pelicula-206799/fotos/detalle/?cmediafile=21074114
  • #11 Robots can be women too… http://www.sensacine.com/peliculas/pelicula-219931/fotos/detalle/?cmediafile=21165396
  • #12 The grandfather of them all… this was probably my first encounter with artificial intelligence http://www.sensacine.com/peliculas/pelicula-27442/fotos/detalle/?cmediafile=21007309
  • #13 “The greatest benefit of the arrival of artificial intelligence is that Ais will help define humanity. We need AIs to tell us who we are.”
  • #14 https://www.replacedbyrobot.info/about http://geekgirlbrunch.com/c3p0/ “47% of all jobs will be taken by robots.”  - The Future of Employment
  • #15 https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/ https://www.replacedbyrobot.info/about
  • #16 http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/21/408234543/will-your-job-be-done-by-a-machine
  • #17 http://www.willrobotbemyboss.com/
  • #18 Bulk Biceps vs Discord (My Little Pony) Narrow AI: non-sentient AI, focused on one narrow task Strong AI: consciousness, sentience and mind, or the ability to apply AI to any problem For this, we didn’t specify which kind of AI
  • #19 Image source - https://pixabay.com/en/doctor-dentist-dental-clinic-1149149/ “If AI can help humans become better chess players, it stands to reason that it can help us become better pilots, better doctors, better judges, better teachers.”
  • #20 https://hbr.org/2016/06/machine-intelligence-will-let-us-all-work-like-ceos More and more products and services will fuse machine intelligence with crowd work to help users get things done. Uber is a good example: it combines on-demand drivers with algorithmic scheduling and coordination to deliver rides.
  • #21 We’re all getting new assistants – it’s like the next generation of Clippy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_Assistant
  • #22 Data sets (mobile, IoT, etc) Processing power Practical goals – eg winning chess, then Jeopardy, then Go New algorithms ‘Adjacent possible’
  • #23 Let’s go to the research (even if it’s 200 global people, not 100 Mexicans)
  • #29 Interestingly, when it comes to specific areas marketers do not want AI to handle, creative briefs and recruitment come out on top This will be a major defining question over the next couple of decades. How much do we really embrace what humans can do and what they can’t do? How much do we value something produced by a human versus software? Are we going to hand over the keys to our humanity to a machine?
  • #30 http://www.allmusic.com/album/bach-by-design-computer-composed-music-mw0001354257 https://alchetron.com/David-Cope-473622-W Left: David Cope Right: AI Creates Art That Critics Can't Distinguish From Human-Created Work Researchers from Rutgers University, College of Charleston, and Facebook’s AI Research Lab have created an algorithm that allows AI to create art that is so convincing, human experts could not distinguish the difference between AI or human-made artworks. http://www.iflscience.com/technology/ai-creates-rather-wonderful-art-that-fools-critics-its-not-humanmade/
  • #31 https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608668/amazon-has-developed-an-ai-fashion-designer/?utm_campaign=add_this&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post
  • #32 Question: How long do you think it will be before AI makes a significant impact on your marketing activity?
  • #33 It seems inevitable that AI will cause jobs to disappear. There are millions of professionals out there who have no administrative assistance or support, and it’s here AI can make their jobs better without displacing anyone. Someone in a very senior position isn’t going to want to use AI when they need a real human being working with them and helping them do their job. The advent of programmatic media for instance hasn’t created a massive loss of jobs of media planners and buyers. Five years ago, this might have been a major concern if you were a media buyer. This old form of media buying has not gone away either. Even within the ad industry, there are reasons for not being too pessimistic yet. It makes sense that this concern is top of mind for most people in the survey.
  • #35 http://imgur.com/gallery/Sf6od On gauging future success… Lesson from Daniel Kahneman (Nobel Prize winner in Economics, author of Thinking Fast and Slow) We are prone to taking the Inside View – based on our own experiences and vision and specific circumstances Take the Outside View – can you look at the class of anything related and make some assumptions about the odds of success? And can you do anything to increase those odds at the outside? Goal is to avoid a Planning Fallacy: Plans that are unrealistically close to best-case scenarios Plans that could be improved by consulting data of similar cases (again, if similar cases exist)
  • #36 https://dev.to/tra/will-programming-be-automated-a-slack-chat
  • #37 https://evansdata.com/press/viewRelease.php?pressID=231 Software Developers Worry They Will be Replaced by AI SANTA CRUZ, CA. March 8, 2016 Developers fear that their own obsolescence will be spurred by artificial intelligence, according to a new survey of over 550 software developers to be released this week by Evans Data Corp. When asked to identify the most worrisome thing in their careers, the largest plurality, 29.1%, cited “I and my development efforts are replaced by artificial intelligence.” This was significantly more worrisome than platform issues, such as their targeted platforms becoming obsolete which was the second most cited worry at 23%, or that the new platform they’re targeting doesn’t catch on (14%).
  • #38 https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/02/on-this-day-garry-kasparov-faces-off-with-deep-blue/253230/ “If AI can help humans become better chess players, it stands to reason that it can help us become better pilots, better doctors, better judges, better teachers.”
  • #41 For the next several years, technologies will augment what we can do There will be immediate opportunities for specialists who can identify and implement AI (following curve of programmatic) Some jobs are inevitably more prone to replacement by automation than others People are hesitant to relinquish creative tasks to automation, but AI can replace creative functions