In an era where artificial intelligence – AI, for short – continues to reshape industries, its impact on life science marketing is both transformative and increasingly accessible. During a recent webinar hosted by SAMPS, Paul Avery – VP, Marketing at BioStrata and Supreme Group and co-host of the Artificially Intelligent Marketing podcast – delivered an informative and practical session on the role of AI in marketing for life sciences.
Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways from the session, perfect for beginners and those looking to explore the potential of AI for marketing.
A Beginner’s Guide to AI in Marketing
Avery started the webinar by addressing a common sentiment among marketers: AI can feel overwhelming and complex. However, his goal was clear – to empower marketers to embrace AI tools for boosting creativity, saving time and discovering new ways to work efficiently.
He emphasized the mindset shift required to leverage AI, noting that AI is not a tool you master once and for all. Instead, it’s an ever-evolving technology that requires constant testing, learning, and iterating.
Why AI Matters in Life Sciences Marketing
AI’s capacity for time savings is a major draw. Avery highlighted that he personally saves between 8-12 hours a week by utilizing AI tools. More importantly, AI opens up avenues for greater creativity by automating mundane tasks, allowing marketers to focus on higher-value work.
But AI's true value lies in its ability to assist in a wide range of marketing activities—from drafting content to analyzing data and even creating visual assets. With tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Google Gemini, life sciences marketers can streamline their workflows, create new content, and even analyze complex datasets without the need for specialized knowledge in data science.
AI Applications That Save Time and Boost Creativity
Avery walked through several AI applications that can save marketers time and enhance the quality of their work:
- Dictation Tools: Replace typing with dictation apps like AudioPen or built-in dictation features in Microsoft Word to save hours of writing time each week.
- Meeting Recordings and Transcripts: Use tools like Fathom or built-in platforms on Google Meet and Microsoft Teams to record meetings, generate transcripts, and create summaries for quick follow-up and action points.
- Content Creation: AI tools can help generate blog post ideas, outlines, and social media content, using context and documents you provide to improve accuracy and relevancy.
- Image Manipulation: Tools like ClipDrop allow marketers to easily remove backgrounds from images, enabling seamless integration of assets into marketing materials.
- Data Analysis: ChatGPT’s data analysis module uses Python to help marketers analyze large datasets, visualizing trends and correlations that would otherwise require advanced knowledge of analytics software.
Confidentiality and Legal Concerns
Avery also addressed common concerns about data security, legal issues, and AI’s tendency to "hallucinate" or produce incorrect information. His advice? Use paid versions of AI tools like ChatGPT Plus to ensure your data is protected and not used for model training. Additionally, always fact-check outputs and avoid relying solely on AI for final drafts, particularly when dealing with sensitive or proprietary content.
AI for Content Creation and Marketing Strategy
In the world of content marketing, AI has proven to be a powerful tool. Avery demonstrated how AI can draft, critique, and even improve content quality. For life sciences marketers, this means being able to generate content quickly and efficiently without compromising on accuracy. By combining AI-generated outputs with human editing, marketers can ensure that the content maintains its integrity while benefiting from AI’s ability to speed up the process.
What’s Next for AI in Marketing?
According to Avery, the future of AI in marketing lies in continuous exploration and creativity. AI is capable of generating high-quality video content, building interactive tools (like online calculators), and even creating synthetic voices that sound human.
He also touched on tools like Claude Artifacts, which allow users to design and deploy AI-generated tools for their websites, such as total cost of ownership calculators.
Takeaways for Life Sciences Marketers
- Start experimenting: The only way to truly understand the benefits of AI is to start using it in your day-to-day operations. Whether it’s ChatGPT for drafting or Midjourney for visual content, get familiar with these tools.
- Edit and improve: AI is not perfect, and outputs often need refining. Use AI to get over the blank page problem, but rely on human creativity to polish the final product.
- Stay up-to-date: AI is constantly evolving. Stay informed about new tools and advancements by subscribing to industry-specific podcasts and updates, such as the Artificially Intelligent Marketing podcast.
- Be mindful of data security: Only use paid AI tools if you’re working with confidential data, and always check the platform’s data privacy settings.
By incorporating AI into your life sciences marketing strategy, you can unlock new levels of efficiency, creativity, and innovation. As Avery pointed out, AI’s real power comes from its ability to save time and automate repetitive tasks, allowing marketers to focus on what they do best—creating meaningful connections between their brands and their audiences.
