Controlling AI with your thoughts, spermbots, and digital butlers. It might sound like science fiction, but it was the new normal at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas. And it affects your work as a marketer or communications professional more than you think.
At SXSW, one thing was clear: we are on the brink of the biggest tech supercycle we have ever experienced. AI is penetrating the very core of how we communicate and work, advancing rapidly into domains where, until recently, we needed humans. It will inevitably lead to the disappearance of most jobs. By the end of this decade, there will only be two types of companies left: companies that fully utilize AI, and companies that no longer exist.
Standing still = falling behind
We notice it daily with clients: at many organizations, AI is still stuck in the ‘nice-to-test’ phase. Translating a text with ChatGPT, an AI tool for social media posts. A fine start, but the vanguard is already working on scalable applications: digital brand ambassadors available 24/7, agentic AI handling your content, customer contact, and strategy, or AI autonomously making marketing decisions. The gap between the frontrunners and the rest is widening by the day. Those who do not take steps now will soon face an insurmountable backlog.
Delve into the possibilities
As a marketer or communications manager, you don't need to build AI, but you do need to understand what it can do for your brand. Now is the time to actively explore the possibilities. Which tasks can be done smarter? How can you deploy technology to support your business and boost creativity? How do you make AI an integral part of your operations? It’s not about tools, but about vision.
What you can do now
Explore AI applications within your field. From content creation to customer contact.
Formulate a clear ambition: what should AI deliver for you in terms of time, impact, or brand value.
Invest in eliminating 'AI illiteracy' within your team. Everyone needs to understand the basics.
Experiment with concrete applications. Start small and scale up where possible.
Let’s talk future
Hibou was in Texas, where we saw what the near future looks like. We would love to brainstorm with you about what technological progress means for your brand. Feel free to contact us.
Watch the aftermovie of the Hibou X SXSW event below.
