Saas Marketer - Is AI Actually Going to Do Anything? 🤖

AI & B2B: A Relationship Based on Money

🤖 Why Do B2B and SaaS Companies Love AI So Much?

Nearly two months ago, I wrote an article entitled “What Are the Opportunities & Problems of A.I. in B2B?” where I delved into B2B’s obsession with AI and explored its pitfalls and strengths. At the end, I wrote this:

‘Don’t get it twisted, I have no doubt whatsoever that AI likely will be the future, but is it not a bit early to be making such claims? Should we not put our efforts into the unification of people and the healing of the climate? I know I know, that’s not a very B2B, venture capitalist, entrepreneurial mindset, but… look at the state of the world for a second.

Look at it. Seriously.

Now look me in the eyes and tell me, with confidence, that our B2B obsession with A.I. and LinkedIn hype is making any of it better. A.I. isn’t going to fill that gaping hole, kids.

Trust me. Not much ever does.’

I stand by what I said there, and since then, the world has fallen into even more disarray. Israel and Palestine are at war; UK politics has turned even more hateful and anti-LGBTQ+; and Matthew Perry of Friends fame has passed away. This year is not pulling its punches, and yet, in spite of all these vicissitudes, B2B and SaaS entrepreneurs on LinkedIn and across the web are remaining ignorant.

In a sense, they can’t be blamed for their ignorance and their inaction. They adore the capitalist system, a system which rests for no one and directly benefits from tragedies; a system that was created to build walls around those involved in the name of a free market, shielding them from the working class. They’re convinced - even if they never admit it - that nothing in the world matters more than their business.

🌎 Yes Yes, Very Noble, But What Does This Have to Do With AI?

I’ll tell you.

In our interview with Marc Stoiber not too long ago he said this: ‘AI is a tool, an accelerant. Like any accelerant, it will get us to a destination faster, and more efficiently. But if you feed it garbage, it will get you to a garbage destination. There is no shortcutting the very human process of striving to understand your target audience viscerally. It’s a process of emotional understanding and emotional connection. Once you understand, flip on ChatGPT and start building those email sequences that touch people on an emotional level.’

He’s absolutely correct, of course, he always is. But if AI is just a tool, if it’s just something designed to help us get towards our destination, then why isn’t it being treated as such? Instead, it’s being treated as this holy thing that we should consider ourselves lucky to be around. Every single person who talks about AI says the same thing: it’s going to open up more opportunities, and if you’re not using AI then you’re going to fall behind.
I have one thing to say to that: bollocks.

What opportunities is AI going to open up? I’ll tell you: more opportunities for profit by businesses because they will be hiring less people.

Look at the writers and the ongoing actors strike – it’s the first time I’ve seen humanity stand up to big businesses and their obsession with AI to make money. Yet if you were to go on LinkedIn, you’d have no idea what was going on. You’d be convinced it is the best thing ever to happen. It’s because it’s what the system wants, and although it appears to be a cushty piece of programming right now, there will come a time in the future - maybe sooner rather than later - that it will become the norm.

🤔 Okay… So What Does This Have to Do With B2B Marketing?

Everything. It has everything to do with B2B marketing.

B2B, an inherently capitalist industry, fucking adores AI because it keeps them going. But what about people like you? The entry level marketers and copywriters wanting to push through; the personal branders; the content creators – are you not even slightly worried?

I am. I’m very worried.

Global warming is on the rise; Disney owns 40% of media across the globe; Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are the two daddies of big business; the cost of living is through the roof; social media has us all in echo chambers and braindead, reducing our dopamine levels, and what, we’re meant to act like everything is normal?

I hate to break this to you, but everything is not normal. We are living in, or are approaching, a science fiction dystopia, and it’s exhausting having to act like we’re not.

I would like my job as a B2B marketer to be safe from AI, even if it’s not in danger for another decade, I need to know I will be able to pay my bills in the future. Don’t you?

Read on the web >>