🦾 Are AI Agents Real? Here's the Breakdown for Marketers

Hey Marketers,

There’s a lot of buzz around AI lately, and it’s getting tough to tell what’s real innovation versus overhyped tech. This week we broke down the biggest AI stories you need to know. Let’s dive into the news and make sense of what's happening right now.

🦾 AI News for Marketers

👉 Coca-Cola's AI-Generated Christmas Video

Coca-Cola recently dropped an AI-generated Christmas ad, and everyone is talking.

• The Good: It’s the most advanced AI video we’ve seen so far, with impressive tech.

• The Not-So-Good: Is it at the level we’d expect from Coca-Cola? Not quite. The execution still has some kinks.

• Why It Matters: Despite the imperfections, people are talking about it. That attention is priceless, and it shows that AI-generated content is edging closer to mainstream use.

Takeaway: Could AI video be mainstream for marketing soon? Likely within the year.

👉 AI Agents: Intelligent Automation or Overhyped Assistants?

Microsoft and Salesforce have been throwing shade at each other over their AI agents, each claiming theirs is the best.

• The Reality: The term “AI agent” is a bit misleading. We’re not seeing true autonomous bots; it’s more like intelligent automation.

• What’s Missing: These tools still need human input to set up workflows and oversee results.

• The Promise: Smarter systems for handling repetitive tasks are here, but don’t expect a fully autonomous marketing assistant just yet.

Takeaway: Intelligent automation is making progress, so invest in process, systems, and leveraging the best of AI to make them run better.

👉 Has AI Hit a Wall?

Rumors are swirling that AI development has plateaued, which is why we haven’t seen ChatGPT-5 yet. Sam Altman from OpenAI and Anthropic’s team disagree, predicting continued growth.

• If AI Has Hit a Wall: We’ll need to make do with what we have, which will take years to be fully leveraged just like it took us years to make the most of social media.

• If AI Keeps Growing: AI could revolutionize more than just marketing—think education, healthcare, and beyond. It will be the future for how we do everything in marketing.

Takeaway: Whether we’re at a standstill or on the verge of more breakthroughs, there’s still plenty of untapped potential in today’s AI.

👉 The State of Workplace AI

Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini are here, promising to revolutionize daily work.

• The Question: Where are the success stories?

• The Reality: Despite big investments, we haven’t seen many marketers sharing how these tools are boosting productivity.

Takeaway: If you’re experimenting with them, we’d love to know what’s working and what isn’t. Let’s figure out how these tools can really start paying off. Let us know »

📊 Poll Results: Is AI Going to Be Bigger Than Social Media?

Last week, we ran a LinkedIn poll asking: Is AI going to be bigger than social media? The results were mixed but leaned toward optimism:

• 60% of respondents said AI will 100% be bigger.

• 27% thought maybe.

• 13% weren’t convinced at all.

Our Take: AI is poised to have a bigger impact across more areas of life than social media ever did. Social redefined communication, but AI is redefining decision-making, creativity, productivity and just about every area of our future lives. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to it now.

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn to see the next poll »

😲 Viral Post Breakdown

This week, we found a viral AI-generated rap video by Kyle Shannon that used the latest creative tools in ChatGPT-4 to create some impressive lyrics.

• Why It’s Cool: It made us rethink how marketers might use AI music. Imagine AI-written jingles that turn heads on social media or even short brand anthems that get people talking.

• The Opportunity: AI music tools are getting powerful enough to use today, and there’s a real opportunity for marketers to experiment and stand out with creative soundscapes.

😆 AI Meme

P.S. Remember, in the world of AI, it's not about how much noise you make, it's about how well you can tune out the hype and turn insights into action. Until next time, keep your marketing smart and your coffee strong.