Unlearn to Relearn: A Shift towards AI in Digital Marketing

Is it really time for digital marketers to unlearn to relearn? Well, there’s no denying the fact that AI is transforming the way we experience things. And, the role of AI in digital marketing is one of the most debated topics among digital marketers.

Some say AI is very beneficial, while others say it’s not. Here’s the truth.

AI is neither entirely good nor bad for digital marketing; it’s both an opportunity and a challenge. It boosts efficiency, targeting, and decision-making, but requires high-quality data, robust infrastructure, and skilled professionals. AI won’t replace marketers; those who learn to use it will stay relevant and competitive. For that, a digital marketing course in Kolkata can help.

Let’s explore what the debate is all about!

Is AI good or Bad for Digital Marketing?

We can’t say AI is either good or bad in the marketing field. According to Christina Inge, AI is both an opportunity and a challenge for marketers, primarily digital marketers.

It is worth noting that today, most digital marketers are underutilising AI. This can also be attributed to the rise of mass hysteria concerning job loss due to AI.

However, the AI is already transforming businesses globally by improving decision-making and efficiency.

What is the current state of AI in Marketing?

• ChatGPT is dominating the market, as 83% marketers said that ChatGPT (GenAI tool) has impacted their marketing outcomes positively.

• Content has been the most impacted by AI in marketing. 64.5% of marketers said that they experienced value-driven content creation with AI.

• Time saving was the most significant advantage. Around 76.8% said they saved substantial time with AI adoption.

So, generative AI is one of the most popular tools for marketers now. With that in mind, let’s briefly explore the pros and cons of AI in digital marketing.

Good Things about AI in Digital Marketing

• Predictable Marketing: The outbound marketing strategy (although it exists) that tries to target everyone is almost obsolete now. The form of marketing that predicts the user behaviour and then proposes solutions to the problem is highly effective. Don’t you think so? That’s what AI in digital marketing does.

• Better Analysis of Users: As a digital marketer, having better data means your marketing decisions will always be effective. AI enhances your analyses by processing large volumes of data. This way, you can have better business outcomes from your marketing efforts.

• Improved Targeting: As a marketer, your effectiveness will always be measured by your ability to persuade your prospects. With AI in digital marketing, you can easily convince your users. This happens because of the targeting technique that enhances personalisation in your marketing strategies.

Bad Things about AI in Digital Marketing

• Lack of Infrastructure: Although AI in digital marketing is a hot topic worldwide, without proper AI infrastructure, you can never leverage AI to its full potential. The advanced AI infrastructure needs massive investment. So, affordability can be a disadvantage of AI in marketing.

• Lack of Quality Data: For your AI-driven marketing campaign to succeed, you will need sufficient quality data. Without that, you can neither predict nor analyse effectively.

• Skill Gap: In a place like India, where the skill gap is enormous, expecting AI skills can be problematic. Only 42.6% of the Indian graduates are employable. And, with an emerging tech like AI, you can already guess what the skill gap is. That means that even the top companies are struggling with AI.

However, this skill gap can act as an opportunity to stand out from the rest. If you master the AI skills, you will always be in demand. A reputed digital marketing course in Kolkata can help you with this.

Is AI Going to Replace Digital Marketing Jobs?

No, digital marketing jobs will not be affected by AI. However, without AI, your digital marketing efforts will undoubtedly fail.

“There is a saying going around now — and it is very true— that your job will not be taken by AI. It will be taken by a person who knows how to use AI. So, marketers need to know how to use AI.” — Christina Inge, Author, Marketing Analytics: A Comprehensive Guide and Marketing Metrics.

So, you don’t have to be insecure about your job if you implement AI in digital marketing. Instead, you should improve your AI skills to stay relevant in the field.

Plus, if you don’t include AI in your marketing efforts, it won’t fail completely. It will either take longer or you will miss valuable time-sensitive prospects.

And, if you allow the AI to automate repetitive tasks, you will have the liberty to focus on what you do best: strategy and creative thinking. By lifting the burden of trivial tasks, AI will free up time for your brand-building work and crafting big ideas, enabling high-impact results.

Along with automation, Generative AI or GenAI has transformed the digital marketing landscape.

What is GenAI in Simple Words?

GenAI is a type of AI that generates content with commands or inputs (known as prompts).

Unlike traditional AI automation, which relies on static code and predefined responses, these models are more dynamic and generate unique images, audio, video, and text that more often mimic human creativity.

However, as a digital marketer, you should never rely too much on GenAI for creativity. That’s because human creativity substantially supersedes AI creativity.

Do you want to know more about the distinction between AI and human creativity? You can check out“Have We Perfected the Art of Stupidity? A Peek into AI and Creative Thinking.”

What is the State of GenAI Adoption in India?

• According to a 2025 BCG report, India has an AI adoption rate of 92%. A massive chunk of this adoption can be attributed to the use of GenAI.

• Another BCG report suggests that Gen AI usage has an ROI of 10-20%. The median, however, is somewhere around 10%.

• According to Designrush, Multimodal AI is dominating growth marketing by reducing content enrichment and tagging time by 70%.

Let’s now explore the various ways to use AI in digital marketing.

Ways to Use AI in Digital Marketing

AI in digital marketing is not about replacing your creativity with AI. Although it’s tempting to decrease the time needed for creative thinking, it is essential not to lose the human touch in digital marketing processes. Here are some ways through which you can do that.

1.Automation of Repetitive Tasks

AI is great for automating repetitive tasks. Trivial tasks such as scheduling posts, analysing user data, and more can be automated using AI in digital marketing.

Even Zapier reports that their marketing department uses AI automation the most.

This frees space for creative tasks. Creative tasks, such as campaign optimisation and ideation, require more than just AI.

2.AI in Digital Marketing Enhances Smart Decision-Making

AI can help marketers analyse large volumes of data and predict user behaviour. With the assessed data, you can optimise your campaigns and marketing efforts. The predictive capability can help you target prospects effectively with personalised ads.

But you also have to use your judgment and shouldn’t rely entirely on AI recommendations. That can make your brand stand out among the competitors.

3.A Blend of AI Efficiency and Human Thinking

While AI (especially GenAI) can help you craft targeted messaging and marketing personalisation, users will always resonate with messages that have a human touch. The messaging will come across as more authentic, hinting at the sincerity of building relationships rather than just selling.

Indeed, there’s a blurred line between human-generated and AI-generated content. If you want to know more about this, you can check out “The Blurred Line Between Human and AI-Generated Writing.”

Is AI in Digital Marketing Worth Pursuing?

AI is indeed revolutionising digital marketing. But there’s no way it’s going to replace digital marketers.

Instead of worrying about your job security as a digital marketer, you should focus on acquiring AI skills that will help you adapt to the changes brought in by the AI revolution.

For that, generic AI skills will not be enough. You need to learn AI skills for digital marketing. That’s possible only if you pursue a digital marketing course with AI.

Don’t know where to start? Webskitters Academy is here for you.

Contact us and talk to our career experts to make your digital marketing career shine!

FAQs

1.Is AI good or bad for digital marketing?

AI is both beneficial and challenging, depending on how effectively it’s used.

2. Will AI replace digital marketing jobs?

No, AI will support marketers, not replace them.

3.How is AI used in digital marketing today?

AI is used for automation, data analysis, personalization, and content creation.

4.What is the biggest benefit of AI in marketing?

AI saves time while improving targeting and decision-making.

5.What is the biggest challenge of using AI in marketing?

Lack of skills, quality data, and proper infrastructure.