Creating a tech brand at the start of the AI Revolution

In 2022, I was offered an amazing opportunity to build a capital markets fintech brand. Previously, I had spent two decades in financial services as a communications professional, often gravitating towards white knuckle events to the detriment of my stress levels.

I consider myself a lifelong learner, so when a founder I had met during my Wall Street years called, I leapt towards the role as I saw it as a chance to gain more technology industry experience. Little did I know that it would coincide with the advent of Chat GPT and the subsequent AI revolution and provide an even greater learning experience than I had ever imagined. 

As with many PE-owned companies, we are comprised of two foundational firms, and I was tasked with shaping the integrated brand from scratch. My colleagues include experts in development and data, and they encouraged me to use generative AI because Chat GPT launched as we were embarking on our go-to-market strategy. The idea of using a novel technology as it was being invented while also creating a brand from scratch in a new role was both daunting and exhilarating, but I never back down from a challenge and felt secure in the company of my more technically minded colleagues.

Over the past two years, generative AI has become a buzzword and source of controversy. But it is here to stay, and, as communications and marketing executives, we all need to embrace it. Particularly as generative AI’s limitations with math means that the opportunities for companies to create efficiencies with AI will remain, at least until the next breakthrough, in writing-centric disciplines.

Below I share my initial, high-level observations and advice to encourage others to embrace generative AI.

Your website is your LLM and can help prevent GIGO.

LLM stands for “large language model”. For generative AI to work well, your LLM must be pristine. Otherwise, you will find yourself in a GIGO situation. GIGO stands for garbage in, garbage out.

LLMs sound highly technical, but they’re very simple: they contain the information that AI models scan to generate text. For communicators, a website is the best example of an LLM from which you can successfully generate first drafts of content. If the messaging on your website is up to date, so will be the output of your efforts with your generative AI tools.

Consistency of message is crucial to strong brands and credible stories. If you treat your LLM as the golden source of information, and keep it current, cascading messaging to maintain consistency becomes simple. On the flip side, if you neglect your LLM by allowing it to store stale messaging, the output will also be stale. Stale messaging is the garbage. It is that simple!

AI won’t replace you, if you learn how to be a good “human in the loop”.

While AI can automate numerous tasks to accelerate a content strategy, human oversight in communications and marketing will remain essential. In the era of disinformation, it would be highly irresponsible for companies to leave their communications and marketing strategy to a bot. To the contrary, the human qualities of strong judgement and the conscientiousness to protect the brand will continue to grow in importance.

However, the communicator’s role is rapidly evolving: CMOs and CCOs need to become good “humans in the loop” to direct and oversee the output of AI models. This involves being strategic and decisive, and getting it right the first time. Being a good human in the loop with a carefully crafted LLM will equate to having communications superpowers.

You will have more time for impactful work and ideation.

With your new superpowers, you and your team will enjoy more time to produce more content, as well as the space to develop ideas and sharpen strategy. This will help all of you become more impactful and strategic within your organization.

With more time, you can wield your superpowers for good by encouraging creative problem-solving and innovation within your team. You can also become citizen developers, using your imagination to inform the prompts that generate code for new technologies.

Conclusion

Creating a tech brand at the start of the AI revolution has been an exhilarating journey, filled with challenges and opportunities. As I set out to shape an integrated brand from scratch, I was fortunate to be surrounded by experts in development and data who encouraged me to leverage the latest AI advancements. Generative AI, despite its controversies, has proven to be a game-changer for communicators and marketers. All communications and marketing executives should embrace AI for its limitless possibilities. AI is not just a tool; it’s a transformative ally that can elevate your work, sharpen your strategies, and supercharge your ability to make a lasting impact.