More than half of US marketers use generative AI every day: study

More than half of marketers in the U.S. are using generative artificial intelligence every day, according to a report from Human Driven AI, an organisation that upskills marketers on AI technology. 

The report, Marketing Leadership Outlook on Generative AI Adoption, is based on a survey of 1,100 U.S. marketing professionals. It provides an overview of their attitudes and thoughts about generative AI, covering topics from the most commonly used tools and perspectives on ethics to generative AI’s impact on employment and professional development.

According to the survey, more than half (56%) of U.S. marketers use GAI tools daily, most commonly for copy generation, with more than one-third (37%) saying they use platforms like ChatGPT, Claude and Bard regularly. More than six in 10 (62%) said they use GAI tools for proofreading and to make their writing more concise.

Meanwhile, 22% said they use image-generating products like DALL-E and Midjourney. Other common uses for GAI include building decks (16%), data analytics (12%), GAI-powered video editors (9.4%) and keyword selection and search engine optimization (9%).

The general sentiment among marketers is that GAI is useful for increasing efficiency or facilitating personalization. The report found that more than three-quarters said GAI can be used to automate common tasks, and 70% said that it allows them to spend more time on building relationships with clients and partners. 

While a growing percentage of marketers are using GAI tools regularly, the sentiment toward them is largely divided by age. Forty-eight percent of Gen Zers and 39% of millennials said they feel optimistic about generative AI, compared to 24% of those between the ages of 45 and 60 and 8% of those over the age of 60.

Many respondents expressed serious concerns about the technology. More than seven in 10 (72%) marketers said they worry about whether the tools provide truthful information, 63% shared fears of copyright infringement and 46% said they are concerned about job losses due to AI.