Chatbots based on generative artificial intelligence are ideal for optimising B2B marketing. Our advice is to carefully plan the rollout of GenAI tools in the corporate context. We provide tips on AI strategy, tool selection and risk management.
GenAI chatbots are opening up unanticipated opportunities for companies. They are extremely powerful and uncomplicated to use, and thanks to their wide range of use cases, offerings such as ChatGPT are particularly suitable for B2B marketing. They help to noticeably increase the productivity of marketing teams and the effectiveness of campaigns.
However, their ease of use without prior knowledge also harbours risks. It can be tempting to simply roll out GenAI without further consideration – but that would be rather unwise, because the technology has its pitfalls, just like any other. There are specific risks associated with the technology, such as the widely-discussed "hallucinations". Comprehensive risk management and selecting the right tool to use are therefore critical aspects of using GenAI. That is why the first step towards GenAI success in B2B marketing lies in a strategic embedding of the technology to systematically cover these aspects.
Using AI Chatbots Correctly: The GenAI Strategy
If you want to embed GenAI in a company, you should only do so following a clearly formulated strategy – whether in B2B marketing or beyond. This strategy sets out how GenAI can help achieve business goals, who should use the technology and how, and which processes are to be followed. This establishes reliable, clear guidelines for secure GenAI operations.
At the same time, the strategy should also give employees enough freedom to experiment. After all, one of the most exciting advantages of GenAI is the virtually endless potential of innovative use cases that can be developed and implemented by users themselves – especially in marketing. The GenAI strategy should definitely include the following aspects:
- GenAI knowledge: Education and training for employees to lay the foundation.
- Creativity: Teams should have the freedom to develop and test new use cases independently.
- Workflow: Clear processes must be developed for the implementation of use cases in the production environment, including for resources (tool selection, etc.) and risk management.
- Optimisation: GenAI projects should be systematically monitored. Analysing these results means approaches can be iteratively improved.
From Hallucinations to Copyright: GenAI Risks Under Control
GenAI is amazingly powerful, but the technology is not perfect. High-profile cases are constantly being reported in the media where chatbots have made mistakes or caused problems. Recently, for example, the AI-based support chatbot of a global logistics service provider suddenly became foul-mouthed and insulted its own company. The user had to deliberately manipulate it to say these things by making targeted entries, so this was not a standard situation. And in B2B marketing, such direct customer interactions with chatbots are the exception rather than the rule.
Nevertheless, this is a fundamental problem for all GenAI use cases that must be taken into account. Otherwise, you run the risk of reputational or financial damage, legal sanctions and regulatory penalties. We therefore recommend comprehensive risk management for GenAI across three dimensions.
Challenges and Solutions for the Use of GenAI in B2B Marketing
1. Facts and Logic
Challenges
- GenAI can invent “facts” (“hallucinations”)
- It can make mathematical and logic errors
- It works on the basis of probabilities without any inherent understanding
Solutions
- Double-checking of all outputs by a human (“human in the loop”)
- Have explicit processes for review embedded in your GenAI strategy
2. Data Protection
Challenges
- Not all services comply with GDPR
- Critically consider the use of personal data
Solutions
- Use specialised domestic GenAI solutions that comply with GPDR
- Create your own models that follow data protection guidelines
3. IP and Copyright
Challenges
- Protection of trade secrets and intellectual property
- Some GenAI versions could use inputs as their training data
Solutions
- Use of solutions that do not use inputs to train the model
- Increase awareness and looking out for risks during prompt inputs
Avoid Hallucinations and Logic Errors
GenAI does not generate answers on the basis of real understanding, but on the basis of probabilities within the framework of large language models (LLM). That is why it is possible for a chatbot to freely invent "facts" and present them in a very confident and believable way ("hallucinations"). What is also astonishing for a computer-based technology is that these systems can sometimes have considerable difficulties with logic, and even with mere counting. Answers and results must therefore always be checked by a human. Appropriate processes have to be set up for this.
Secure Data Protection
Strict regulatory provisions such as GDPR apply to the collection and processing of personal data. However, many GenAI offerings do not fulfill these regulations. In principle, GenAI acts as a "black box" whose behaviour cannot be predicted. For example, it is possible that protected data processed by GenAI could be included in the model's training and then be put out again in response to requests from third parties. In some cases, such behaviour can also be deliberately induced (via prompt injection). It is therefore best not to enter protected data into GenAI technology at all. Alternatively, you can look to special GenAI chatbots that have guaranteed GDPR compliance.
Protect Intellectual Property
A similar issue arises in relation to intellectual property and copyright. If users enter trade secrets or copyrighted content into a chatbot, this could also be incorporated into the model's training and thus potentially be accessible to third parties. For this reason, sensitive content should be handled very consciously and carefully. One solution is to offer services where the user input is not used to train the language model. However, users have no way of verifying whether these safeguards are being adhered to. Intellectual property of critical importance should therefore not be processed by external GenAI services.
Which Chatbot for Which Purpose?
GenAI comes with a whole range of risks. However, marketing teams should not be put off by this. The good news is that there is also a whole range of offerings on the market that can be used to implement individual use cases securely and compliantly.
For example, the well-known ChatGPT offering from OpenAI is available in several versions, some of which do not utilise user input for training. There are also offerings that are specifically geared towards the needs of marketing teams. Or there is the option – albeit a rather demanding one – of running your own language model, which makes it easier to manage risks.
Marketing managers can derive the criteria for their ideal tool from their designated GenAI strategy and risk management requirements. Here is an overview of the basic options:
1. ChatGPT by OpenAI: Versions
- ChatGPT: Free, based on GPT-3.5, for private users
- ChatGPT Plus: GPT-4, plugins, image analysis, DALL-E, access to the internet
- ChatGPT Team: Expands the Plus membership for team use and promises data protection compliance
- ChatGPT Enterprise: Limitless GPT-4 access, individualised pricing and enhanced security
2. Integrated GenAI Tools
- Bard/Gemini (Google): Seamless integration into Office suites, internet access without plugins
- Bing/Copilot (Microsoft): Seamless integration into Office suites, internet access
3. Specialised GenAI Tools
- Jasper: Focuses on marketing teams, content creation, data analysis, project management
- Claude Pro: Marketing integration, real time analytics, CRM embedding, regional restrictions (available in the UK, not the EU)
4. Operate Your Own Model
- Data protection: Highest data protection standards
- Requirements: Complex, requires specialised expertise
Holistic AI-Strategy: Selecting the Right Use Cases
With a holistic GenAI strategy, risk management concept and appropriately selected tools, marketing managers have fulfilled the most important requirements for successful GenAI implementation. Now they can get started and roll out GenAI in their teams. Of course, this is where the real work begins – the development and application of use cases that boost productivity, take pressure off the team and increase the effectiveness of B2B campaigns. We know from our own experience at &weekly that the possibilities of GenAI in B2B marketing are as diverse as human creativity itself.
To get you started, we have created a comprehensive GenAI guide that describes over 20 attractive use cases in all areas of B2B marketing – from strategy optimisation, content and campaigns to technology, automation and CRM. All use cases are strategically categorised in terms of the expertise required, the effort involved and the potential productivity gains. Our guide also provides further practical details, such as tips on the different strategies for GenAI input (prompts). Click here for the free download.
