Artificial Intelligence and UGC Strategies, Friends or Rivals?

We can summarize the current objective of technology growth, especially in the marketing field, in a single word: automatization. 

Broadly speaking, advanced automation can significantly accelerate the efficiency and speed of specific tasks, including content creation. Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to automate tasks and generate content faster and more efficiently than ever before, helping companies save time and money.

A study by Sony revealed that UGC (user-generated content) currently accounts for 10% of all global online content, and by 2025, it is expected to comprise up to 20%. This is where the question arises: could artificial intelligence benefit this type of strategy, or will it replace it completely in the future?

With the rapid growth of technology, we have constantly asked ourselves the question: "Can artificial intelligence replace human creativity?” I think that, in this time and space, to answer that question with certainty would be a bold move. What is worth mentioning is that AI has unique limitations that have been programmed in, humans do not. The human mind is full of infinite possibilities that can transform and evolve; there are no limitations or structure, our ideas just appear.

So, based on this, we could start to stop seeing artificial intelligence as competition and now see it as a possible ally. 

As mentioned at the beginning, artificial intelligence has a very specific objective, automatization. What if we implement it as a tool to generate the basis of content?

If we insert the right keywords and elements into an artificial intelligence visual content generator, then it will give us an idea that later, human creativity can polish and improve. In this way, we will optimize our time and resources, even help us with those annoying creative blocks that often delay the work. 

Artificial intelligence can also help brands better track the success of content as well as its impact on business goals. This means it's now much easier to measure the ROI of organic content and make informed decisions on how to optimize it for better results. 

But where does that leave organic content?

The whole idea and basis of user-generated content is that users and consumers themselves are the creators of content for a specific brand or product. In a way, the "authenticity" of this content is what has led to this strategy being implemented more and more by large and small companies.

While content creation with artificial intelligence can never replace organic content in its entirety, when it works in conjunction with a UGC strategy, it becomes more "real," as user-created content has the particularity of a social context and people's "life" experiences. 

If we merge the empirical part of the human being with an increasingly advanced artificial brain, it is now possible to create "organic" content at scale without sacrificing quality. Intelligent algorithms can detect patterns in large amounts of data and help brands better understand the interests and needs of their consumers, allowing them to create content that resonates with their target audience.

Together, AI and UGC are changing the way organic content is developed. This means marketers will have more control over the content and how it is presented. This opens the door to more innovative and engaging, real content for users, which can help marketers reach a wider audience. 

Let's review an example of how a brand could make use of AI for content creation. Suppose we want to generate a banner with a very specific image and elements, but the job is urgent and there's no time or resources to do a photo shoot. There is always the possibility of editing and re-editing, but now with artificial intelligence, we can generate a first idea or draft and from that, which is already a big part, polish the final delivery.

“Organic” content is changing rapidly thanks to the use of artificial intelligence and user-generated content. This means that marketers will have greater control over how organic content is presented and they will have the opportunity to reach a wider audience. However, as a brand you need to consider the strategy, the cost and be aware of the risks it can create for consumers, such as wrong answers or misused information.

Reviewing all of the above, I can't help but ask myself the following question: Will 100% organic content continue to exist in the future? Answering that with certainty, at least at this point, is impossible for me. We could think of the combination of a user-generated content strategy with artificial intelligence as the evolution of organic content. They start from something real, something authentic, but are modified for the benefit of the brand or company.

We can conclude that artificial intelligence has drastically changed the way organic content is created and optimized for a mass audience. It is now possible to produce relevant and accurate content with less effort, measure success more efficiently and optimize campaigns based on real data for better end results. Combined with user-generated content, AI offers great potential to radically transform the way brands interact with their digital audiences. Of course, like everything in life, there is room for error, the more specific and precious with information and targets we are, the better results we will get.