#BizTrends2025: Joe Public’s Abigail Buckley - AI's impact on digital marketing

Abigail Buckley, digital business director at Joe Public, examines the impact on digital marketing when it comes to AI (Image supplied)

But is that a good or a bad thing? Yes, we need to continue to be inquisitive, push the tech boundaries, but we need to always ensure we are considered, transparent and treat the tools and their output with respect.

The term ‘artificial intelligence’ was officially coined by John McCarthy, the ‘father of AI’ in 1956. He was a computer scientist, and his company hacked IBM machines in the late 1960s into playing chess.

In a time where personal computers were just a figment of science fiction, he envisioned a whole new world of computing that could accommodate for multiple connections and look where we are now.

Within the years that followed, the development of AI grew substantially and embedded itself into our everyday lives, without us probably even really realising it.

An unfamiliar time

Today we are in the fourth industrial revolution, focusing on digitisation.

The current times we are in are exciting times, but unfamiliar ones, which naturally makes one feel overwhelmed.
It is important to not fall for the new shiny toy, without proper consideration and research, based off your objectives.

Only worth it when creativity is added

The future of digital marketing is being shaped rapidly by the advancements of AI, transforming how brands connect with their audiences.

It is revolutionising and redefining the conventional landscape.

Hyper-personalisation, for the demanding hyper-connected consumer will be a priority.

Delivering the right message, to the right person, at the right time.

Where with ease, we will be able to generate dynamic content for websites, emails, or ads based off their user activity and/or preferences in real time.

I love data and technology, but in my opinion, they are only worth it when you then add creativity to it.

Emotion AI and Sentiment Analytics will be a major asset for brands.

It will change the game when it comes to deep consumer insights.

A brand would be able to analyse the consumers’ emotions and sentiment through their text, voice, and even facial expressions, in real time.

AI tools won’t be a threat to marketers, but rather powerful allies and finding that balance between automation and the human touch is crucial for success.

Allowing AI to assist us, allows us to then focus more on what we do best as humans, which is thinking.

Factors that could impact the future of AI

As AI tools gather more data, concerns over privacy and ethical use will grow.

Being ethical, which includes bias and privacy, is something that is very important to me as I continue this journey.

Geoffrey Hinton, also known as ‘the godfather of AI’, said he quit Google to speak freely about the dangers of AI and in part regrets his contribution to the field.

He said “If proper laws are not put in place in the next few years, the world of AI could be a scary place in the future, if exploited by ‘bad apples’.”

It’s important to remind yourself, that AI is a tool that gets ‘better’ with more data, inputs and learning.

The more we ‘feed’ it, the ‘better’ it gets.

But ‘better’, in the case of bias, isn’t a good thing.

We need to be aware of what we feed tools, as bias is something that could come into play, and that is when the outputs are skewed to align with someone’s opinions, rather than facts.

When putting a strategy in place, this would need to be top of mind.

One would need to be mindful at all stages of implementation, whilst being proactive to anticipate potential future risks.

Efforts are intensifying around the world, within governments and organisations, where they are actively working on creating laws and frameworks to address the rapid development of AI.

However, in the absence of these frameworks and laws, it is essential, as an organisation, a brand and an individual to always be ethical.

The future of data

In the world of digital marketing, data is the fuel, and AI is the engine. Data is turning it into a science of precision and personalisation.

We as consumers, are starting to become more aware of protecting our own data.

The Drum said in 2022 that “Data isn’t ‘the new oil’ – its way more valuable than that.”

Data not being managed ethically has been seen in scandals such as Cambridge Analytica, which highlighted how powerful data is and how it can be exploited, making privacy a growing concern.

In the very near future, I foresee a bigger public outcry over the misuse of data, which will then push for stricter regulations and AI models will be built to respect privacy.

The days of ‘grab as much data as you can’ are soon to be over.

The future of data and digital marketing would need to prioritise trust, transparency and innovative, non-invasive AI solutions, to engage with their audiences.

Adapting to the needs of tomorrow

Continuous growth within the AI space has been a key focus for us with the implementation of our digital transformation strategy.

We are working closely with our technology partners, European agency, Springbok, on this exciting journey.

Adapting to tomorrow’s needs isn’t just about leveraging the latest tech – it’s about really understanding and listening to progressing opportunities.

We try as a team to keep our finger on this technology pulse, ensuring we make considered choices when it comes to AI, always looking at the impact it has on creativity, efficiency and most importantly, privacy.

The brands that will thrive tomorrow, will be the ones that merge cutting-edge innovation with empathy, inclusivity, and forward-thinking vision.

Such exciting times ahead, especially for our industry. Be considered, go slow-ish, to go fast and enjoy the ride.