It's no secret that AI content has been exploding over the past year. The accessibility of AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard have made what was once considered the work of science fiction a reality. In its early adoption, many marketing professionals have used AI tools to help with content production, but the jury is still out on whether AI is up to the task. We did a humans vs AI study to take a deep dive to see if marketers believe that AI can outperform the work done by a human.
We were specifically interested in who uses AI in the workplace and, more granularly, in their marketing efforts. We surveyed 184 U.S.-based marketers to explore their AI adoption, assess their perception of AI effectiveness, and examine how they utilize AI in their work.
Can AI-generated content really outperform professional marketers when it comes to content production? We ask the source and get a general pulse on the current state of AI in marketing.
Many students still rely on dedicated academic plagiarism tools like Premier Dissertations’ Free Checker to ensure originality, especially when blending AI with academic writing standards.
Key Findings
- Nearly two-thirds of U.S. marketers use AI in their marketing activities.
- 76.2% of marketers with less than 1 year of experience have not used AI in their marketing activities.
- 84% of marketers utilize AI for content production.
- 82.5% of U.S. marketers use AI for brainstorming ideas.
- 41% of U.S. marketers think AI is not as creative as they are.
- Nearly 90% of marketers believe that AI is on par or less creative than human-created content.
- 3 out of 4 marketers can differentiate between AI-generated and human-created content.
The Evolution of AI in the Workplace
Humans are no strangers to the constant evolution of technology and its effect that it has in the workplace. Since November 2023, Large Language AI Models (LLMs) have been more prevalent in our everyday lives. These LLMs were met with skepticism and resistance but are becoming more and more accepted at an organizational level. Leaders in the marketing world are stuck at a crossroads—do they embrace these tools for what they are or ignore them at the risk of being left behind?
In our humans vs AI study, results from our survey revealed that 62.5% of U.S.-based marketers use AI in some way for their marketing efforts. Interestingly enough, 76.2% of new marketers avoid using AI in their first year of work. This could be for a myriad of reasons, but there could still be a perception among new marketers that AI use is frowned upon in the workplace.
We are still in the infancy of the AI boom, and many employees may still feel that the technology can put them out of work rather than enhance their own. As marketers get more comfortable with their careers, it is safe to assume that AI will be used more as a supplementary tool meant to complement their work, not overtake it.
How AI Drives Content Production
If the majority of marketers are using AI, what are they using it for? We found that 84% of marketers have used AI for content production.
We asked at what stage in the content production process they specifically use AI for, and brainstorming ideas was overwhelmingly the most popular answer at 82.5%. Rephrasing existing content (64.9%) and generating headlines and titles (53.6%) were also popular answers.
AI scours the internet for data that expands upon a prompt or idea. Teams can improve their efficiency by utilizing an AI program to brainstorm ideas and improve or create content. The boundlessness of the internet lets AI research top solutions and present them with cohesion to give direction to employees.
Everyone’s Favorite AI Tool: ChatGPT
Even though ChatGPT gets all of the press, there are more AI options out there for marketers to use. Unsurprisingly, we asked our survey participants about their preferred AI tool, and over 95% responded with ChatGPT. Google Bard (18.6%), Copy.ai (11.3%), Jasper AI (5.2%), and Frase.io (1.0%) all seem to be much less utilized.
ChatGPT’s low barrier to entry and intuitiveness likely have contributed to its explosion in popularity. ChatGPT has been so successful that OpenAI has been rumored to be on the verge of an $86 billion valuation.
Can AI Be More Creative Than a Human?
One of the major talking points surrounding AI is the concern of its output. Can AI match what is capable within the human mind?
Will this new technology eventually become preferred for companies to market their products? The jury is still out, but marketers believe that it is not up to the task just yet.
41.2% of U.S. marketers believe that AI is not as creative as they are. For all of the amazing things that AI can do, marketers still believe it is not up to the task when it comes to being more creative than themselves.