Microsoft Advertising on Tuesday announced AI-powered asset recommendations for video and display, as well as the forthcoming launch of connected TV (CTV) ad recommendations.

The video tool launched today, but Microsoft did not provide an exact timeline of when it will release the CTV tool.

Marketers have the option to generate new recommendations for video ads by typing in the landing page URL, as well as choose from AI-generated creatives they can manually edit.

AI-powered recommendations are surfaced in the ad creation, and provide the ability to create assets for multiple formats, from video to display, and connected television (CTV) to strengthen cross-platform campaigns.

AI tools will impact advertising performance, but some marketers and media buyers don’t think it’s necessary to know how artificial intelligence works, which I believe is a mistake.

Without at least an understanding of the technology, media buyers and marketers put too much trust in platforms, whether it be Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok, or others.  

It’s important to understand how AI and machine learning (ML) technologies work. Some marketers put too much trust in automation.

In terms of automation, marketers should gain an understanding of why the platforms do what they do — for example, by calculating the percentages of positive outcomes, determining best targeting methods, and understanding how platforms distribute budgets to gain the most return on ad spend.

Understanding functions and limitations across so many platforms and tools requires time and effort.

In a recent survey of 150 B2C marketers conducted by Movable Ink, about 35% said roles are transitioning toward more strategic planning — a number that is likely to increase as teams optimize AI’s contributions to workflow. 

Only 14% of B2C marketers reported that an understanding of “machine learning” was important in order to succeed.

Instead, marketers who participated in the study are focused on data analysis and AI tool proficiency, learning how to use the tools and interpret the data.

The survey found 50% use AI for email marketing, 49% for content creation, and 32% for personalization.

When asked to cite the skills marketers need in the future, 32% of the respondents cited data analysis, while 25% cited AI tool proficiency, 18% cited strategic thinking, and 10% cited creativity.

More than half said AI reduced time spent on repetitive tasks.

Microsoft Advertising on Tuesday announced AI-powered asset recommendations for video and display, as well as the forthcoming launch of connected TV ad recommendations. How much should advertisers know about AI and ML?