Every week, I read at least three to five new articles confidently announcing that marketing as a profession is on the verge of extinction, soon to be replaced by artificial intelligence. I could read hundreds more if I wanted to. The argument is almost always the same: AI writes better copy, analyzes data faster, automates campaigns and even predicts customer intent. So, what's left for the humans?
As Alex Kantrowitz of Big Technology likes to say, what often gets lost in these debates is the nuance - so let's parse the rhetoric from reality. At the extremes, two scenarios could play out: Firstly, in a world where AI agents facilitate critical moments of truth for consumers making decisions about brands, products, and services - and immediately execute transactions - advertising becomes obsolete.
The execs kick things off: Why are we here? What will this achieve? Then the consultants descend. Let the process mapping begin. Swim lanes. Handoff points. Decision makers. Stakeholders. RACI charts. Today is all about people and process. The message is clear: fix the people side first - because until you do, no technology will save you. No more silos. No more pain points. Content, data and insights delivered on time and on spec.
