A hammer is a tool in your toolbox, and so is AI. Neither should hit you over the head.

Across our industry we’re hearing low rumbles about how AI is going to make agencies obsolete. And while I can’t predict the future (I mean, aside from knowing I’ll have to pay taxes until I’m dead, and the chances of me ever becoming the next Olivia Newton-John are slim), AI isn’t replacing the need for human thought.

However, AI can and should be an important tool marketers use to enhance workflows, boost creativity and augment processes. AI isn’t a replacement, rather it’s a tool to help boost your very human brain. Using AI tools can help accelerate your thinking while your judgement maintains a firm grasp on the wheel.

Not sure where to start? The following are some practical ways AI can impact your day-to-day:

Accelerate research

AI is a powerful tool when it comes to gathering and summarizing research and spotting patterns that drive strategy. You can use it to:

• Summarize complex or long reports
• Compare competitor positioning and provide simplified outputs
• Identify recurring themes in customer or stakeholder reviews
• Draft interview questions and prompts
• Synthesize notes from research sessions
• Test and enhance marketing personas

But make sure you don’t confuse summaries with insight. Insight requires interpretation, prioritization and human experience. Let AI gather the data (remember to check your sources) and deliver it in digestible nuggets, and use your noggin to generate what it means, and more importantly, what you can do with the information.

Kickstart a first draft

Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. AI can be a wonderful little content goblin who can generate first drafts based on your rough ideas that become yours to mold. Think of it as those little shoe elves who helped the cobbler soften the leather while he was sleeping (or whatever it was they did, I preferred princess fairy tales as a kid). Using your input and ideas, AI can help:

• Generate rough positioning statements
• Review and test headline directions or provide content outlines
• Create alternative angles on a core idea
• Identify messaging gaps and help create stronger leads and threads

From there, it's up to you to do what humans do best. Judge, refine and deliver.

Test your strategic thinking

Sometimes a strategic plan can use a second set of eyes. AI can help pressure-test your thinking and offer suggestions for strengthening or clarifying your outputs. Some ways AI can help include:

• Reviewing your plans, testing your assumptions and providing edits and opportunities for improvement
• Serving as a test subject by uploading audience personas and asking for feedback through an end-user lens
• Calling out unintended consequences or challenges
• Offering revisions or opportunities for clarifying statements or ideas

It’s like having a teeny-tiny colleague in your pocket.

Develop prototypes

I have hundreds of ideas floating around in my head on any given day (they aren’t all good, but ideas nonetheless). AI is great at helping you get something out of your head and into the world. A clearly articulated prompt can help you generate prototypes of those ideas quickly. Some ways you can use it include:

• Creating visuals for event ideas or tradeshow booths
• Drafting landing page copy or content structures
• Mocking up multiple campaign concepts
• Outline thought leadership articles
• Create rough social post variations
• Build basic customer journey flows

This allows you to generate and prototype multiple ideas that can be vetted or tested. The point isn’t to produce an end product, rather options or a framework from which to build.

Make reporting easier

Pulling and analyzing reports can be a tedious task (not as tedious as cutting clips out of a newspaper and pasting them into a clip book like the olden days). AI can help gather all of your assets and develop a preliminary report-out of data and findings, allowing you to spend your time on more important aspects. AI can help you:

• Translate data into human language
• Spot weird blips or trends you may have missed
• Pull together draft summaries

But don’t get lazy here. While AI can help organize the numbers, it doesn’t know your business. Your job is to connect the dots and find the strategic threads that allow you to extract insights, establish recommendations, set new strategies and create action.

Create administrative efficiencies

And finally, we all know where AI has a sweet spot (and thankfully these tasks are ones we’ll gladly give up). Think of it as your personal assistant for things like:

• Recapping or summarizing long communications or emails
• Creating meeting summaries (hint: make sure you’re still paying attention in those meetings)
• Developing timelines for projects or initiatives
• Establishing workflow documentation

Main point being, your brain shouldn't be put out to pasture. In fact, it’s more important than ever. AI can process information, but only you can make it meaningful!