Gen AI Revolutionizing Content Supply Chain
The latest insights from the IBM Institute for Business Value reveal a seismic shift in the way content is produced and managed, with generative AI emerging as a game-changer in the industry
The voracious appetite for content has reached unprecedented levels, driven by consumers’ desire for personalised experiences across various platforms. As organisations strive to meet evolving consumer expectations, generative AI offers a transformative solution to scale content creation and delivery while ensuring consistency and relevance. The latest insights from the IBM Institute for Business Value reveal a seismic shift in the way content is produced and managed, with generative AI emerging as a game-changer in the industry.
To assess the state of content supply chain practices and unearth best practices in the age of AI, Adobe, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBM IBV) teamed up to survey 1,930 executives and professionals across 9 countries and 11 industries who are leading processes and technologies used to plan, create, deliver, and measure content.
Organisations need faster content
With content demands growing exponentially, organisations need to create more content at a faster pace to fuel timely, personalised experiences. 9 out of 10 executives and content professionals also said they need easier access to content assets, and 75% need improvement in the delivery of consistent experiences across channels. But knowing exactly how to manifest these improvements is not always clear.
The survey found that an overwhelming majority (95%) of respondents agree that generative AI will be a game changer in content creation. Additionally, 89% of respondents believe that generative AI will free up creative and marketing teams from mundane tasks, allowing them to focus on more important, value-add activities.
Enterprises are reimagining their content supply chains to adapt to the digital age, where the creation, delivery, and management of content are integral to enhancing customer experiences and driving brand differentiation. The concept of a content supply chain encompasses a holistic approach to content production, emphasising the need for streamlined processes and innovative technologies.
Gen AI transforming content creation
Organisations are already engaging with generative AI for various tasks, such as concepting, creating/editing visual content, analysing, and synthesising customer insights, translating copy, and creating administrative reports. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents strongly agree that generative AI will help vastly scale the creation and delivery of personalised content.
Per data from the survey, it is evident that generative AI holds significant promise in transforming content creation workflows by enhancing scalability, personalisation, and efficiency. The high level of agreement among respondents regarding the potential impact of generative AI underscores its importance as a strategic tool for organisations looking to revolutionise their content supply chains.
AI will be embedded in content workflows
Majority of respondents predict that by the end of 2024, generative AI will be firmly embedded in their content supply chain workflows, indicating a strong trend towards adoption and integration. The document also suggests that after 2024, organisations expect generative AI to be heavily embedded across functionalities, showcasing a long-term commitment to leveraging this technology.
Hurdles to cross
Despite the enthusiasm for generative AI, organisations face significant hurdles in integrating this technology into their content supply chains. Only 5% of respondents have an organisation-wide approach for generative AI best practices and governance, indicating a gap in preparedness for responsible integration. Concerns such as legacy systems, data integration, oblique content processes, and organisational silos pose challenges to the seamless adoption of generative AI, emphasising the need for strategic governance and best practices.
While the majority of respondents are already engaging with generative AI, only a small percentage (2%) have optimised the technology, with most organisations still in pilot mode or early stages of implementation. By the end of 2024, a significant 77% of respondents expect to have generative AI embedded in platforms, indicating a rapid pace of adoption and integration within content supply chain workflows.
A significant portion (43%) of survey respondents admitted that their organisations have not set up a generative AI ethics council, indicating a gap in addressing ethical considerations and potential risks associated with the use of this technology. Concerns related to misinformation, biases, privacy/security breaches, data provenance transparency, and content generated by AI versus humans highlight the need for robust risk mitigation strategies to ensure responsible and ethical use of generative AI within content supply chains.