Marketers turn to AI as human judgement remains key
Speaking during the Jam show on Capital FM, Top Marketers Club President Victor Mutua said AI is increasingly cutting across different aspects of marketing and business, but should be viewed as a tool to support professionals rather than replace them.
Nairobi, Kenya, Sep – Marketing experts are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline routine duties and boost productivity, yet industry leaders contend that human ingenuity, inquisitiveness, and discernment will persist as indispensable components of the trade as AI gains broader acceptance. The topic will be at the forefront during the ninth annual Top Marketers Club Conference, set for October 2 at Tusker Brew House in Nairobi, focusing on the theme “The AI-Enabled Marketer.”
During his appearance on Capital FM's Jam show, Top Marketers Club President Victor Mutua stated that AI is increasingly permeating various facets of marketing and business, but should be regarded as a supportive instrument rather than a substitute for professionals. "AI spans across. But fundamentally, marketers, given its community-oriented nature and likely business leaders, span from users to business proprietors," Mutua noted.
He emphasized that AI should be perceived as "an aid, not a replacement," as marketers adjust to alterations in the nature of their duties. Mutua clarified that the annual gathering began as informal get-togethers among marketers in Upper Hill nearly a decade ago before broadening to Uganda, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. Mutua stated that the rising acceptance of AI is already altering the kinds of tasks marketers undertake, with the technology increasingly employed for research, presentations, data processing, and brief preparation.
While AI may eliminate certain roles, Mutua explained that before a job disappears, it first eliminates certain components of that job, as a job comprises an amalgamation of responsibilities. Automation of mundane tasks may grant marketers more time to concentrate on domains necessitating imagination, strategy, and interpersonal interaction.
Fred Kithinzi, founder of Belva Digital, asserted that the transition accentuates the significance of human judgment as AI tools become more attainable. "When intelligence becomes cheaper and commonplace, human judgment becomes even more important," Kithinzi remarked. "Because while AI can provide you with 100 concepts, someone must decide which idea takes precedence."
Kithinzi pointed out that marketers' roles are transforming as AI assumes some repetitive assignments, with curiosity, innovation, and the ability to determine how an idea should be implemented becoming ever more crucial. Belva Digital has been creating AI-driven tools to tackle practical challenges encountered by businesses, such as managing information and communication across multiple digital platforms.
One of their solutions, Axis by Belva, aims to consolidate dispersed digital endeavors, including data and interactions scattered across various social media channels. Kithinzi also highlighted work on the Kenya Pipeline Company's initial public offering, where his team developed an AI agent to assist users in navigating and comprehending data within a lengthy IPO document.
Users could pose inquiries about the IPO to the system and receive responses based on the document's information, including queries concerning the share price, the pipeline, and the company's strategic plan. Both speakers indicated that this year's conference will feature a hands-on masterclass showcasing how marketers can deploy AI tools in their workplaces.
Kithinzi explained that the session will shift the conversation beyond discussions about AI and illustrate how the technology can be integrated into daily work. "We are making AI very practical, accessible, and affordable in the workplace. There's a lot of talk but we actually bring that talk to action on Friday. Come experience our masterclass," he explained.
Mutua affirmed that the conference is open to marketers and business leaders, including professionals who have not yet initiated AI usage in their work. He identified learning, networking, and practical exposure to AI as some of the conference's primary aspects, with attendees expected to engage with marketers from Kenya and across the region. The conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 2 at Tusker Brew House in Nairobi.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
