Being a born geek, I love technology. But the pace of change can be numbing.

I bought my 2011 Nissan Rogue over 15 years ago. At the time, it was a technological marvel. It has built-in navigation, Bluetooth connectivity to my phone, a Bose sound system with a 6 CD changer, and so much more. Just having the car's screen with a backup camera was revolutionary.

But, old Rosie the Rogue is getting long in the tooth. Working from home, I have only put 113,500 miles on her, and she has avoided any major accidents. By today's standards, she is a dinosaur.

Looking at the new cars, they have apps that let you remotely start and heat or cool the car. They come with much larger screens and digital speedometers and odometers. You can charge your phone while connected to Apple CarPlay and use Apple Music, podcasts, navigation, and so much more.

I am also looking at a Plug-In Hybrid. That means you can drive 20-30 miles on the battery before the engine kicks in. Since most of my runs are under 5 miles a day, that would mean less gas and a smoother ride. These have been around for the last 5-10 years in general and have really taken off over the last few years.

Who knows where we will be technologically in the next 3 years when it comes to cars?

Marketing Technology

As AI creeps into all aspects of our lives, marketing is a prime target. With cars, the technology is a leap forward with easier connectivity with cell phones. I find marketing advances more like trying to make machines do tasks — we're optimizing the mechanics without necessarily moving the needle on innovation or making marketing's main goal easier at this point.

Yes, you can create voice-overs, edit video, create images, write blogs, and even develop complete websites. What's missing is context, creativity, and competence. Yes, you can prompt your way into creating content with better content, but prompting and creating use two different creative muscles in my mind.

Context

The thing about creating content is that it involves both the creator and the audience.

The creator has experience in creating exciting, innovative content that stands out and has a tone that speaks to the audience. The audience has life experiences that shape opinions, preferences, and a sense of acceptance that the content speaks to them and their world.

I am sure you have watched a movie or TV show that just left you flummoxed, or just fell flat like a sack of potatoes, because the content did not connect or make sense.

No matter how hard and complete you prompt, unless you can get some human feedback, you are missing the audience context that can mean the difference between success and meh.

Creativity

AI can do many creative things when prompted right, but it's still a data-in, data-out model. Yes, you can ask it to tweak it multiple times to perfect it, but it still doesn't have the ability to see a broken piece of content and have that Ah-Ha moment that turns coal into a content diamond.

It's that sporadic inspiration and experimentation that separates the algorithm from the Alchemist. Then, when you amplify that creativity with a collaborative team who bring various experiences into the mix, you have a creativity cocktail that AI will have a hard time replicating — unless they find a way to make multiple LLMs work as teams and, since money is the goal, that is highly unlikely.

Competence

AI can edit audio, mix music, create images and video, and so much more. But I'm here to tell you, I have seen when a slight fade-up in music with images cut to the beat has made people laugh and cry.

The main point is that it takes time and experience to be competent in creating content that resonates with the audience emotionally.

In this short-attention-span theatre, we are inundated with talking-head videos with captions, no lighting, music, or emotion. That is what AI produces.

Creative teams with competence continue to create standout content that makes people feel, connect, and act. That is the main point of marketing: to connect with an audience and get them to take action. (Normally, make a purchase or talk with another human.)

Closing Thought

I can say that the 15-year gap in technology has made me aware that all the new technology and features have left me flummoxed. I have to learn one piece at a time, like how to charge the car, how to use Apple CarPlay, and how to use the features of my phone to open, start, and warm or cool my car if I need it

It's abundantly clear that AI is and will replace humans at some jobs. Just look at the big company layoffs that are in the news weekly. Most all ackowledge that AI is the main reason for the reduction in workforce.

Even Hollywood is fearing how AI can change the way we are entertained. There is already a complete AI actress that is being represented by a talent agency. Still, there will be a host of jobs that will suffer with subtleties when AI tries to replicate the creative process.

The jury is still out, and the inevitable is coming, yet I believe that humans will be able to vote with their dollars when the content that we have come to expect falls flat or just misses the human emotion, creativity, and inspiration that only a human can pull from the depths of their humanity.

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Comment below and share your thoughts, ideas, or questions about business-to-business sales and marketing today! Do you have a sales or marketing communications strategy that works for you? What tips or techniques can you share that work for you and your business?

To learn more about this and other topics on B2b Sales & Marketing, visit our podcast website at The Bacon Podcast.