Two of the world’s leaders in AI research teamed up to do research on the “safety challenges” of artificial intelligence. So we should be asking questions about how big the threat is and and what it threatens exactly. Turns out that the most endangered thing in the next decade will be your job. And this is the topic that 411 Locals would like to address today.
Until recently only manufacturing workers feared replacement by robots. However, with the advance of artificial intelligence, some “white collar” jobs will also be automated.
It’s already happening. A Japanese insurance company replaced 34 of its employees with IBM’s Watson. Discussions are going on on how ethical it is for programmers to automate themselves out of their jobs.
Up to 47% of US jobs will be automated during the next decade, according to an Oxford research study. There will still be, however, fields where the automation will not happen.
Surgeons and lawyers, for example, have a very low chance of automation. Accountants, on the other hand are under threat of an almost 100% of automation. Marketing managers are also among the “privileged” professions that appear to be safe from the automation wave.
And what is saving marketers from automation is the human connection. In order to create a valuable marketing campaign, one has to establish a great connection with their customers. Only humans can do that for other humans.
Having said that, we should also say that the same breakthroughs in programming which will take jobs from white-collar workers will also radically change marketing.
For modern marketers, it will be increasingly important to be both technologists and, even more importantly – to be human, so that they can empathize and actively connect with customers at every stage of engagement.
Software will only eat the lower part of the marketing ladder, so you should be ready to climb. The reliance on automated programs has resulted in the industry’s focus on vanity metrics without a bottom line – clicks and views.
It is not possible for a marketer to understand a customer’s true wishes based solely on their viewing a video or downloading a white paper. Metrics that are so accessible, like for example views and clicks, will quickly lose their integrity when the person behind the clicking mouse turns into and engaged prospect. Bloated metrics help neither customers nor marketers.
Instead of total automation of the marketing campaign, you should move up the ladder. Software should only handle the basic marketing tasks, while more emphasis should be placed on building relationships with the customer.
Human connection coupled with digital marketing solutions is an unbeatable combination that will result in more revenue.
Empathy, listening, and communication are interpersonal skills that will be vital for the marketers of the future. There is no computer so advanced, or will there be in the near future, that can substitute these. However, there is a lot to be gained from the marriage of intelligent programs and “human” marketing.
We don’t want to live in a world where humans will be unnecessary. Technology is, and it should remain, a mere tool. There is huge value in freeing up the time of a marketer’s team by using automated programs which tackle the more tedious activities. This will allow the marketers to apply their skills in new and exciting ways.
If you care about your customer relationship, no robot will be able to replace you. Not now, not ever.
At 411Locals, we have always taken a balanced approach to marketing – we combine our knowledge of the latest of the digital world with a strong relationship with our customers and helping them build the same with their own customers. Whenever you need professional assistance in the field of digital marketing, feel free to turn to our amazing experts to receive it.