Navigating AI with Cathy McPhillips
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic of discussion lately. These days, the technology seems to be affecting just about every aspect of our daily lives, from our workplaces to the media we consume online.
On this episode of NYWICI’s WomenHeard podcast, Cathy McPhillips joins us to shed light on the opportunities AI can bring to business and marketing. As the Chief Growth Officer at the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute, Cathy leverages AI daily and teaches others to utilize the efficiencies that come with it. Here’s a sneak peek at the discussion.
Marketing & AI: Finding Tools for Efficiency
AI can be used for a wide range of activities, including processing data, composing music, and making digital art. Cathy finds it especially useful for completing time-consuming tasks. “Focus on what you love and use the right tools to help you do the other work in a more efficient way,” she says. For example, she’ll feed a vast amount of data to an AI software and it will return concise “analyzable” data, therefore making her work more focused and allowing effective strategy development.
Cathy strongly believes that AI can allow workers to dedicate their time wisely to a project. “Tech is not going to go away,” Cathy says. That’s why she encourages people to think about ways they could use AI to their advantage and what they could do with their extra time if they no longer need to complete those tasks.
Embracing AI
Of course, there’s plenty of controversy around AI. With the release of ChatGPT and other similar tools, many people are worried about plagiarism, copyright concerns, weakening ethics, and much more.
However, Cathy highlights the advantages that come with using AI in an ethical way. She talks about how many of us use AI without even realizing it on tasks such as transcribing or removing backgrounds in photos. Marketers can expand the usage, allowing for smoother and faster ways to complete projects. Ultimately, Cathy advocates for workers to “do right by your customers and employees” while reading the fine print and keeping knowledgeable about the risks that come with AI.
Overwhelmed with AI?
There are many AI tools out there and it can be hard to determine which ones can be beneficial to you or your business. On the podcast, Cathy discusses step-by-step how to get started with AI. Here’s a preview of her guidelines:
- Break down your projects and identify where AI can bring efficiency.
- Find the right resources to help you get started.
- Explore AI by introducing some tools to your personal life.
- Learn about all the possibilities of AI, from Excel spreadsheet formulas to strategizing for social media.
“I’m just at the forefront of this excitement and I’m not ready for it to stop,” Cathy says.
To gain a deeper understanding of AI’s impact and how it can be transformative for your work life, be sure to listen to this week’s podcast episode.
Thanks to Cathy McPhillips for joining us! You can listen to Cathy’s complete interview and all of the episodes of NYWICI’s WomenHeard podcast here.
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