Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly transforming the workplace. And early adopters are already seeing the results in their bottom line, especially those in the marketing industry. In a recent global survey by McKinsey, 42% of companies reported using AI tools in marketing and sales—more than any other business function.

AI is a force multiplier—enhancing productivity, supporting human creativity and improving both employee and customer experiences. Today, AI is giving tech-savvy professionals a competitive edge, while those who don't have an AI strategy risk falling farther behind.

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According to data from Ernst & Young, 97% of senior business leaders whose companies are leveraging AI report positive results from their organization’s investment. Yet, a recent Pew Research survey reports only 16% of U.S. workers accomplish a portion of their work with AI and 81% aren’t using AI tools at all. In addition, women are adopting AI tools 25% slower than men, according to a recent Harvard study.

For senior leaders, the gap in AI adoption is both a hurdle and a game-changing opportunity. To fully harness AI’s potential, businesses must upskill their workforce, build trust in the technology and overcome resistance to change.

AI Allows Marketers to Understand (and Serve) Customers Better

Greg Boone, newly appointed CEO of digital marketing and branding agency Walk West, is an industry leader who is tackling these challenges head-on. Named by NC Tech as tech executive of the year in 2018, Boone believes the key to success is using AI responsibly and strategically to enhance, not replace, human ingenuity. His leadership offers a case study in how marketers—and organizational leaders—can navigate this new era with innovation and integrity.

“Our mission is to redefine how brands tell their authentic stories, which we will accomplish by leveraging AI and automation to build engagement, fostering meaningful connections and delivering measurable results,” Boone says.

For example, AI allows brands to understand customers on a deeper level, achieving the goal of true personalization. If a marketer is targeting a specific role in an industry, they can gather real-time insights about an individual—what they post on social media, what they engage with—and craft highly personalized emails, campaigns or social posts in seconds. As consumers, we see this in action when we search online for a product we’re interested in; we immediately see ads for that product in our correct size.

Move from the Mundane to the Mind-blowing

Marketing teams often spend half of their time—or more—on repetitive, non-strategic work: formatting reports, manually segmenting audiences, revising content for different platforms and audiences. Boone and his team at Walk West are using AI-powered tools to streamline processes, facilitate brainstorming, improve real-time collaboration and ensure efficient time management. By offloading administrative tasks, the staff can focus their energy on more rewarding and meaningful activities, which translates into better service for clients and a better experience for employees.

“AI gives you back time for deeper thinking, brainstorming and human connection,” Boone says. “Imagine the value of extra time for meaningful conversations, networking, and creative collaboration.”

4 Ways CEOs Can Speed AI Adoption at Their Organizations

As I’ve written before, AI’s significance can’t be underestimated. CEOs and other senior executives must continue to highlight the strategic upside for their organizations and the productivity gains possible for every employee. To support employees as they integrate AI into their workflow, CEOs should consider the following strategies: 

1.      Communicate clearly about your AI rollout. Many employees are afraid of the prospect of so much change. CEOs must be transparent about their AI policies, plans to upskill employees, ethical best practices, and how the technology can help workers be more efficient. People need to understand that mastering AI tools will help them professionally, and that the organization will support them as they learn.

2.      Invest in AI education and training. Your upskilling strategy might include group training sessions, paid subscriptions to learning platforms or simply dedicated time each week to explore AI tools and hone skills. Leaders should be vocal about their own learning journeys and share helpful tips and techniques. The goal is to promote a culture of continuous growth to ensure your organization stays ahead as the digital landscape evolves.

3.      Address AI bias proactively. One well-documented challenge with AI is the potential for bias, and successful organizations create processes to mitigate risk and get inclusive outputs.  Because the tools were created from data sets that reflect existing cultural bias, it’s up to users to craft detailed and inclusive prompts. For example, when asked “Who are the five most important philosophers?” ChatGPT may give the top thinkers in Western civilization. Adding “worldwide” or “Eastern” results in different responses.

4.      Center humans to get good outputs. Employees must always review AI-generated outputs, whether they’re working on content, analyzing data or researching a topic. Unconscious bias training helps employees find and correct flawed AI responses. Ensure quality control by verifying data and checking for plagiarism. Adopting rigorous guidelines helps build trust among employees, customers and stakeholders.

 

The biggest obstacle for CEOs right now isn’t AI capability—it’s adoption. Their teams might resist change, but leaders can overcome that reluctance through transparent communication, education and ethical guidelines. AI is a business imperative, and executives must act now.

As Boone explains, “AI is similar in many ways to business innovations throughout mankind. Old ways of working will get displaced and massive amounts of new jobs will be created. Obviously, those that embrace this reality sooner will benefit the most. Those that ignore the wave, risk getting crushed or swept away. My hope is that as a society we recognize the AI bell cannot be unrung, and there is an amazing opportunity out there for the taking.”

About the Author  

 

Donald Thompson, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 SE Award-winner, founded The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options Company, to fundamentally transform the modern workplace through diversity-led culture change. Recognized by Inc., Fast Company and Forbes, Thompson is author of Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success, hosts the podcast “High Octane Leadership in an Empathetic World” and has published widely on leadership and the executive mindset. His new book is The Inclusive Leadership Handbook: Balancing People and Performance for Sustainable Growth, co-authored with Kurt Merriweather, Vice President of Marketing and Innovation at The Diversity Movement. Follow Thompson on LinkedIn for updates on news, events and his podcast, or contact him at info@donaldthompson.com for executive coaching, speaking engagements or DEI-related content.