1. Write on your own where/how you think AI is currently being used, or might be used in the near future in your field, whether academically while studying or in the workplace (1 point)

In the field of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC),  I think AI is being used to analyze consumer data, predict trends, and personalize marketing campaigns. Academically, AI tools can help students research audience insights or optimize content strategies. In the workplace, AI can assist in automating social media management, generating ad copy, and measuring campaign performance to make marketing more efficient and targeted.

2. Use one of the AI tools to see what it will suggest are ways AI will be used in your field. Cite the AI with the link and your prompt (1 point)

https://chatgpt.com/s/t_693032223b288191894c10bc9af25fef

In the field of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC), AI is increasingly used to enhance personalization, efficiency, and engagement. It analyzes customer data to deliver targeted campaigns, predicts consumer behavior and market trends, and generates or optimizes content across platforms. AI-powered chatbots improve customer interaction and gather insights, while social listening and sentiment analysis help brands adapt strategies in real time. Additionally, AI enables precise ad targeting, programmatic advertising, and immersive experiences through AR/VR, all while tracking campaign performance to measure effectiveness and maximize ROI.

3. Interview a professor at AUC about this – you can ask them about both academic and professional uses. You can take permission to record the interview in audio and put the recording on your blog, with a summary of your key findings. Or you can take notes. Maybe take a photo with the professor as well 🙂  (2 points)

• Questions:

Reem Nafie

• How do you see AI being used in academic research related to Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)?

AI is now heavily used by marketing professionals to generate ideas, prompts and ads. This generation is unable to sit and brainstorm sporadically without asking AI for initial help and that is the huge issue. Original ideas in the past were generated with long hours of thinking and revising thoughts, now AI does this part for you and people just develop what AI gives them.

AI streamlines research in marketing by scanning and extracting relevant information from vast sources, replacing traditional library work. It compiles content from books, articles, and online resources, allowing researchers to focus on analysis and formulation rather than manual data gathering.

• Can you share an example of a project or task where AI significantly improved efficiency or results in IMC?

She finds that AI can never be completely efficient because it is devoid of the human element, and this reflects on work produced in advertising and marketing.

• How do you think AI will shape the future of professional work in marketing and communications?

AI will change how work is done. It will be used as a tool for research, compilation, editing and visuals. If people modify the outcome, sometimes it could be successful. But if there is total reliance on it, it will be obvious that the human element is missing. In the end, everything must be used in moderation, when abused it affects reality and credibility.

4. Interview a person in the profession that you know – an older sibling, family friend, etc. If you cannot think of someone you know, you could interview an additional professor who works a lot in the field (some part-time professors are like that) or interview someone from the career center. Again, you can audio-record or take notes, and provide a summary. (2 points)

He is a TA for Dr. Reem Nafie (Mohammed El Ashry) and works in the Caravan. These are his summarized answers:

How do you see AI being used in academic research related to IMC?

From his point of view, AI has become a very important part of academic research, especially in the IMC field. It helps researchers analyze large amounts of data about consumers in a much faster and more accurate way. It also makes it easier to discover patterns that people wouldn’t normally notice. However, the most important thing is that we are the ones who are supposed to drive AI, not let it drive us.

Can you share an example of a project or task where AI significantly improved efficiency or results in IMC?

He mentioned that yes, it actually worked on a project where they used AI to analyze social media interactions for a specific campaign. Normally, going through comments and engagement manually would take a lot of time, but AI made the process much quicker. Another task was storyboard AI helped him to do full storyboard in just a few seconds and it was mind blowing

How do you think AI will shape the future of professional work in marketing and communications?

He believes that AI is going to reshape the future of any field not only in communication. Many routine tasks like data analysis, audience segmentation, and content monitoring will become automated with only one click. This will allow everyoneas a marketers focus more on creativity and strategy. At the same time, AI will make personalization more advanced than ever, helping brands speak to each person in a way that feels relevant and meaningful. In his opinion, anyone who learns how to use AI well will have a major advantage in the marketing world

5. Provide your reflection: were you surprised? What about your findings excite or scare you? Are you feeling anything else? What do you think you need to be doing right now about what you’ve just learned? (4 points). There are  2 points on how critical your interview questions and reflection are. In order to question any hype or exaggeration or unsubstantiated claims in your interview, see the tips below on how to be critical. (2 points)

I was surprised when Dr. Reem Nafie said that she could not find an example of a project or task where AI significantly improved efficiency or results in IMC. This challenged my assumptions because I had expected that AI would already be making a noticeable impact in marketing workflows. It made me realize that sometimes the hype around AI is ahead of its practical applications.

Reflecting on the interviews, I feel that I need to gain a deeper understanding of their responses because many of them were eye-opening and provided perspectives I hadn’t considered. Their professional experiences offered insights that helped me see the practical side of AI in IMC. Also, I completely agree with Dr. Reem’s point that “AI streamlines research in marketing by scanning and extracting relevant information from vast sources, replacing traditional library work. It compiles content from books, articles, and online resources, allowing researchers to focus on analysis and formulation rather than manual data gathering.” I find this application very useful and realistic, showing that AI can help with efficiency in research rather than magically improving marketing outcomes on its own.

Another finding that surprised me was Mohamed’s comment that AI will make personalization more advanced than ever, allowing brands to speak to each person in a way that feels relevant and meaningful. Initially, I thought AI’s accessibility could be a disadvantage because anyone can access personal data, and it might not feel meaningful or authentic. However, his perspective made me realize that if used thoughtfully, AI can enhance personalization in ways I hadn’t considered. At the same time, I feel he could have also mentioned the potential drawbacks, such as privacy concerns, ethical implications, or the risk of over-reliance on automation, which could harm a brand if not managed properly. Overall, I feel excited about the opportunities AI presents in research and personalization, but I am also cautious. The interviews made me more aware that AI is a tool, not a solution by itself, and that critical thinking and human oversight are essential to using it effectively. Moving forward, I think I need to continue reflecting on these insights, explore concrete examples of AI applications in IMC, and consider both the advantages and potential risks in order to form a balanced understanding.