With AI technology services like Google Bard and ChatGPT entering the mainstream, many marketers are eager to see how they can leverage them. Bard or ChatGPT for marketing content can certainly be used to jumpstart your efforts, surfacing new ideas and making your team more efficient. But, as is the case with most technology tools, there are areas where human talent simply can’t be replaced. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS ABOUT CHATGPT FOR MARKETING CONTENT

Here’s a quick rundown of how we see the current state of these language-processing tools and how they fit into marketing localization efforts.

Useful for initial research and topic generation

Tools like ChatGPT and Bard rely on enormous databases of source information. So they’re highly useful for generating ideas, such as blog topics based on your topic cluster content strategy. They’re also helpful in expediting initial research about a topic (although the content has to be rigorously fact-checked). They can help summarize existing content, or stitch together existing content from different places into a coherent early draft.

Not recommended for generating original, publishable content

These platforms run on their knowledge of existing text. This means any content you receive back from them may include specific phrases from other sources. Bard claims it will offer a citation if it quotes a website “at length.” But beyond that, the possibility for parroting is high. This introduces the potential for unoriginality, at best – or at worst, copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property infringement.

It will be difficult for ChatGPT or Bard to create content that fits within your brand perspective and tone of voice. In the current state, these tools are unable to meet the level of originality and consistency that a strong brand demands.

Lastly, Google will actually demote content if it senses that it’s been generated by AI. So if you do use these tools to help with initial drafts, be sure to edit them heavily for your brand message, tone, and style. And definitely double-check references for accuracy.

Like anything on the internet, the info you get is not always accurate

ChatGPT’s sources of info come from an enormous database of journals, books, and some websites – including Wikipedia – that it used for initial learning. The model continues to learn as humans provide it with input. Bard was initially trained on a similar dataset and now pulls its information from the web at large. This could lead to limited viewpoints, inaccuracies, or biases in the responses these tools curate.

Inaccuracy is one of the main problems with the technology, to the point where there’s even a term given for it: hallucinations. This is when the tool creates reasonable-sounding responses that include factual errors. Bard famously demonstrated this flaw by wrongly attributing an accomplishment to the James Webb Telescope in Google’s demo of the tech.

The more niche the subject area, the smaller the body of existing content it can draw from, and the likelihood of incorrect output goes up. Tools like ChatGPT and Bard may be useful to help jumpstart ideas and initial research. But it’s critical for content creators to always incorporate fact-checking into review cycles.

Never upload sensitive or proprietary content to Bard or ChatGPT 

Never submit company or client information in hopes of refining the output. AI adds whatever information humans submit into its database for future responses. In this case, that would mean your sensitive IP is now available to the world.

OK for quick, minor translations, but marketing localization requires human talent

AI tools can be useful for minor translations to help your team decipher meaning. For example, if you’re running ads in other countries and languages, but don’t have a native speaker on hand, AI offers a convenient way to quickly translate comments on social posts, or on keywords you see in Google Search Console. Plus, Google Translate is a well-established tool for this purpose without curating your content in the process.

AI translations are efficient, but they don’t capture creative nuance. Whichever tool you use, while AI translation can give you a general sense of how to say something in another language, skip the temptation to localize your ad copy with it. Or even worse, translate your keywords. 

Marketing localization needs to be led by humans to drive results in-country and protect your global brand integrity. Given all the cultural and linguistic nuances to consider with international marketing, in-country experts are always your best guide on how to effectively engage with your audience.

FINAL THOUGHT

AI tools like Bard and ChatGPT for marketing content can be useful for jumpstarting ideas and research, and speeding up content creation cycles. But these tools carry a high risk of inaccuracies and are still far from replacing human talent. Use them to augment your brainstorming or generate rough drafts. 

And, when it comes to marketing localization, always take a human-first approach to put the final polish on your international content and campaigns. The use of AI-driven automation tools in localization isn’t a new concept. “Humans marketing to humans” is far more effective in driving engagement and conversion at the local level. The proof is in the results.