Marketers Need to Focus More on Psychology Than Technology Says Quantcast CTO Peter Day

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Predictive Marketing

By STS News Desk On Oct 9, 2019

Marketers Need To Focus More On Psychology Than Technology Says Quantcast CTO Peter Day

AI and Machine Learning Used like ‘Punctuation Points’ in Marketing Presentations

At a series of marketing and agency industry events in Sydney and Melbourne last week, Quantcast Global CTO Dr Peter Day shared his insights into how companies can survive and prosper in difficult climates whilst creating great products that disrupt with lasting impact.

Based upon a career working at the cutting edge of AI and machine learning, Day said agencies and marketers need to do three things to confront the incoming headwinds of digital disruption – organise for autonomy, optimise for the velocity of learning, and be fearlessly optimistic.

Day added that AI and machine learning are two terms that are currently going through ‘hype cycles’ and used like ‘punctuation points in marketing presentations’, making it very difficult for people outside of the industry to separate fact from fiction.

The real value Day believes, belongs in machine learning and its ability to give humans ‘superpowers’, arguing that these systems free up time from the mundane, repetitive tasks which computers are great at.

Technology is only doing what computers have done for years – ‘one thing but one thing very, very well, with human intelligence and creativity still holding the key to successfully changing behaviours.’ Therefore marketers need to continue to focus ‘more on psychology than technology‘ to remain successful and relevant.

On the challenges faced by the agency world, Day praised agencies as the ‘masters of public influence’, offering the controversial view that agencies should eventually be in a position to save publishers by directly funding content.

Group Business Director at Carat Matt Evans, who attended the event said it was refreshing to hear a current and qualified perspective on marketing technology and AI in particular.

“It’s no surprise that the advances in technology have changed the face of marketing and advertising forever. So, keeping abreast of the latest perspectives is absolutely business critical at all levels of our industry.

“Peter’s refreshing take on the subject was a great balance between avoiding well-worn paths and exhausted clichés, and offering genuine insights into succeeding in the new world,” he added.