Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping brand and marketing communications. While significant research has been conducted on the impact of AI in other fields, there is little empirical evidence on how artificial intelligence is affecting the customer journey. This research study seeks to answer, “How is artificial intelligence influencing both organizational content strategy and the related customer journey?” To answer this, the authors employed mixed-methods qualitative research via a content analysis of industry publications, a series of in-depth customer interviews, and a case study content analysis of two organizations that are using AI to varying degrees within their content strategy. This study found that many publications agree AI will play a future role as creative assistant in content development, that consumer perceptions about AI and cognitive dissonance impact levels of adoption to some extent, and that companies in different geographical locations may have different levels of AI adoption along innovation stages.
TopIntroduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) has altered the dynamics of the business world. While AI is not new, media and marketing communications are experiencing a growing application of artificial intelligence in both content strategy (in large part, directed by the organization) and the resulting customer journey experienced with the brand. A customer journey is viewed as the process undertaken by a customer to achieve a goal involving one or more brands (Følstad et al., 2013). According to Lemon and Verhoef (2016), as the customer progresses in the journey, they encounter different brand touchpoints that affect the customer experience. Panda (2019) asserts that AI continues to gain traction in media and marketing communications as one of the leading technological developments that can facilitate a better customer experience, thus it weighs as an important variable in the customer journey, along with other experiential factors like employee responsiveness and overall brand strength (Nguyen et al., 2022). As a result, AI has grown to be an important tool for brands that strive to provide a targeted and personalized experience.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Internet of Things (IoT): Internet-connected devices people may use in their everyday lives.
Customer Journey: The cumulative series of interactions a person has with a brand across many touchpoints, both offline and online.
Diffusion of Innovation: The process by which innovative ideas, products, and services spread through a population or geographic area over time.
Lead generation: The identification of “leads” or prospective customers, including their contact information
Content Strategy: How an organization uses content (e.g., digital and nondigital communications) to meet both strategic business goals and objectives, while also effectively delivering against audience needs.
Voice Assistant (VA): A software based program that recognizes human speech and is capable of carrying out commands
Virtual Reality (VR): A computer simulated 3-D environment with (and within) which users may interact
Artificial Intelligence (AI): When computers complete tasks that have historically been completed by humans and previously required human intelligence (for example, perception, recognition, content creation, and decision making).
ChatBot: A computer program supported online service provided by some organizations that mimics human conversation and can answer many users’ questions.
Retargeting: Delivering ads or other forms of online communication to those who have had previous digital interactions with your brand
Augmented Reality (AR): When computer-generated information and images are imposed upon a view of the real world.