The AI genie is out of the bottle, and it’s here to stay

Struggling to keep up with AI and all that is developing in the space? Well, you’re not alone. While the basic rules of marketing haven’t changed that drastically, the integration and adoption of AI is impacting a majority of marketers (72%) and causing them to be overwhelmed, according to LinkedIn’s latest marketing jobs outlook data. Today, more than half (53%) of marketers surveyed say they feel expectations are now higher than ever and worry about being left behind.

This sentiment was echoed at the recent Microsoft Advertising Connect, a forum for senior marketers to explore impactful ad experiences, where many expressed concerns about keeping pace with AI.

While it is only natural to feel this way, Nick Seckold, regional vice president of Microsoft Advertising APAC, argues that it wouldn’t help to simply “put your head in the sand”.

“The genie is out of the bottle and it's not going back,” said Seckold who has spent much of his career in digital marketing.

Advising marketers to break down their challenges or what exactly is overwhelming them, he says the trick is to start a little bit at a time, and take note of how each small piece made efficient by AI can be relevant for the business, rather than worrying about it.

“Nobody's the expert here. I think we all get a bit overwhelmed – even for those of us that are in the industry and we talk about it every day – because there's so much coming at us constantly,” he said.

“While some of us are further down the road than others, when it comes to AI everybody's learning. So, I would advise marketers not to just run away from it, cut it down into smaller pieces because you know it is going to be a good thing eventually.”

Seckold, who has also spent a part of his career in advertising agencies, also shared that integrating AI can truly benefit agencies who are often time and talent starved. Microsoft’s Copilot, for example, is being adopted by creatives to come up with “the big idea”, he said.

“We’ve been talking about the big idea in the ad industry for years, but does that mean a human needs to come up with the big idea at that moment or can it be co-created with AI? Sometimes it’s just about getting an initial spark to jump-start the creative process,” he added.

Big trends shaping 2025

When asked what some of the biggest trends will be with AI, Rohit Dosi, VP and GM of Strategic Revenue Partnerships at InMobi, said the first big area to note are the benefits consumers are having via AI tools that are coming out to market.

When it comes to a brand or advertiser view, he added there will surely be an increase in efficiency in how campaigns are executed and managed. One of the biggest shifts as the integration of AI grows, however, is the ability to conduct personalisation at scale.

“Personalisation has always been a hot topic, but with AI, the industry is moving towards a new way of driving this. It starts with the consumer, and brands must join this phenomenon by being a part of their experience,” he said.

Adding to that, he said that currently AI is at the centre of what most people do on the internet, and therefore its impact on the digital marketing and advertising landscape is also massive.

“AI is for the masses and it is for everyone. It's no longer with the hands of just a few. There’s a huge opportunity and a significant shift happening where advertisers actually have a chance to connect with their consumers in a deep and personalised way,” Dosi said.

Specifically sharing the example of Microsoft’s Copilot, he explained that consumers are shaping their experiences using Copilot – be it for holidays, recipes or exercise plans.

“That's personalisation at an individual level, which enables brands to deliver value with precision,” Dosi said.

Given the fragmented journey consumers are taking today in their interaction or purchase with brands, marketers must also leverage AI for a 360-degree omni-channel strategy rather than looking at channels in isolation.

Seckold added that for players such as Microsoft who have users logged in across the ecosystem, advertisers undoubtedly stand a chance at connecting with consumers across its host of platforms.

He said that Microsoft is also opening up more opportunities for advertisers to connect with audiences across all those different surfaces which wasn’t possible before.

“We effectively know who is logged on, what their interests are, their likes and dislikes and how they spend their time. This allows us to serve advertising in a relevant way on the right surface in the right time, in the right environment, benefiting our partners,” Seckold said.

About Microsoft Advertising: Microsoft Advertising is an End-to-End digital marketing solution helping brands reach the right audience across their digital life through rich ad experiences and consumer intelligence within its expansive network.

About InMobi Advertising: An official Microsoft Partner, InMobi Advertising builds transformative technologies to positively impact people, businesses, and societies around the world. Its mission is to power advertisers' and publishers' growth with high impact experiences and innovative solutions that help them activate their audiences and drive real connections with today's consumers.