When ChatGPT launched its public model, marketing professionals and creatives debated its applications and ethics.
We're still debating and learning, but we're also leaning in. We want to understand this and other artificial intelligence models.
As a brand strategist for professional services, I always do a SWOT analysis with new technologies so that I can make informed recommendations to accounting firms and other clients. So far, my agency has used and recommended AI to brainstorm content ideas and to generate basic outlines for articles. My team has also used it for art concepting and inspiration. There is tremendous ease and efficiency to exploring an AI platform compared to internet research.
However, much like auditors and tax professionals who employ automated processes, we still tailor AI-generated content to our clients. We want to maintain their original viewpoint and voice, their SEO enhancements and calls to action. We still fact-check our work. We still review content with the subject matter experts to capture their intent and maintain quality control.
I recognize that AI will get smarter. That's the point. Anyone using an AI platform is helping it learn and evolve. Again, like public accountants who are enhancing their services with future-focused consulting and automation to be ready for a future with AI, accounting marketing professionals are also exploring AI for future strategies and staff efficiency.
So let's SWOT AI. Here are some thoughts about AI for branding, business development, marketing and general creativity with your future marketing in mind.
Strengths
Visually, AI can "draw" from a variety of sources to inspire branding creativity. Using prompts to set a visual artistic tone, AI will mix and match artistic elements without reservations. These results can help creatives push past mental blocks and take new approaches.
Currently, you get interesting, beautiful, creepy and weird results from AI. That's OK. Its visual design and writing capabilities can help creatives augment or test their messaging and visual concepts.
The bottom line: AI (within the context of human artistic and professional interpretations) may save clients time when rebranding.
Weaknesses
AI does not have filters or morals. Because accounting marketing is a narrow space in marketing overall and is regulated by ethical and professional standards, it will take time and inputs from our own profession for AI to "get" the nuances of ethical marketing and visual representation.
As it is, human marketers and business development professionals who are hired in accounting marketing can take several months to more than a year to understand the industry. Therefore, much of what AI produces to support accounting marketing and prospecting may not initially fit the profession.
Because there is no consensus as to how copyright and likeness will be protected within AI-generated content, this is an ethical consideration for accounting marketers. They want to protect their own intellectual property and will be more reluctant to create prompts for AI that help it learn proprietary brands, messaging or visual elements.
In fact, some firms are exploring in-house AI to maintain security and control over their own content and resources. This may be one way to overcome the ethical and contextual weaknesses of current AI tools.
Opportunities
There is no doubt that AI is a game-changer for content, strategy, brainstorming, collaboration, efficiency and many other opportunities. For solopreneurs and creatives, it's a great companion for sharing ideas and getting feedback. For teams, it upgrades their efficiency and ability to spot trends and plan accordingly.
For leaders, AI will restart the conversation around authenticity. What does it mean to be an authentic leader who demonstrates core values and represents a vision and ideal that people want to support? Leaders can use AI along with human consultants to help them develop their personal brand, but they need to show up in person to deliver the messages and take the actions that result in thriving accounting and advisory firms.
Many people are still wary of interacting with AI to answer their questions and solve problems, but I think it will play a role to augment client service and connect people to their key contacts and resources faster … much like virtual assistants, but better.
Threats
Finally, I think the biggest threat of AI is ignoring it. Everyone is buzzing about it right now as the new shiny technology, but it requires a long-term strategy to integrate it into marketing, business development, communications and client service, among other areas.
Developers of AI are listening to the marketplace, too. They will go after the low-hanging fruit, but eventually they will look for ways to disrupt any industry with their solutions and promises of affordability.
Think of AI as a potential new employee. Where are the gaps in your marketing, your business development or your client service capacity that AI can solve? If you have thought about it, then AI developers are thinking about it, too.
Rather than ignore this change and fear it, head off the threat and lean into methods for leveraging the AI evolution (or revolution) in the public accounting industry.
As we already know, future brand and marketing success depends on IT.
