21 AI Tools Impacting Marketing, Advertising, and Customer Service

Since the introduction of ChatGPT, AI innovation has rapidly evolved, leaving a notable mark on many industries, with marketing and advertising at the forefront of this transformation. Businesses are increasingly leveraging AI to enhance their marketing strategies, creating more personalized, data-driven campaigns that resonate with their target audiences. AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data, predict consumer behavior, and optimize ad placements has proven indispensable for marketers looking to stay ahead in a competitive marketplace.

However, the impact of AI extends far beyond the realm of marketing. AI applications are making significant strides across numerous sectors, from revolutionizing customer service through advanced chatbots and contact centers to transforming healthcare diagnostics with precision medicine.

This article explores the groundbreaking advancements in AI since the debut of ChatGPT, with a particular focus on its applications in marketing, advertising, and customer service, as well as other remarkable innovations that showcase the technology’s expansive potential.

Related Article: How AI Is Revolutionizing the Customer Journey in 2024

Introduction to OpenAI, ChatGPT and AI

Joe Burton, CEO at Reputation, an online reputation management solution provider, wrapped it up in a nutshell when he told CMSWire that generative AI is today’s great disruptor and will change everything — from the competitive landscape of every industry to how we get information and the journey a consumer takes when they are making a purchase. “The businesses that win in today’s competition will thoughtfully balance AI innovation with human touch to deliver on their brand promise.”

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a product of the broader GPT (generative pre-trained transformer) series, which are advanced language models based on deep learning techniques. The journey of ChatGPT began with the release of the original GPT in June 2018. This model used unsupervised learning to process and generate human-like text based on the input it received.

Building on the success of GPT, OpenAI released GPT-2 in February 2019. GPT-2 was a more powerful model with 1.5 billion parameters, capable of generating highly coherent and contextually relevant text. Despite its impressive capabilities, OpenAI initially withheld the full model due to concerns about potential misuse.

In June 2020, OpenAI introduced GPT-3, a significant leap forward with 175 billion parameters. GPT-3 demonstrated a remarkable ability to generate text that was virtually indistinguishable from human writing, leading to widespread recognition and adoption in various applications, including conversational agents, content generation and more.

ChatGPT, based on the GPT-3 architecture, was released as a specific application of this technology. It was designed to facilitate human-like conversations and assist with various text-based tasks. OpenAI refined the model further, addressing issues such as handling ambiguous queries and maintaining context over longer conversations.

In November 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT as a prototype on its website, allowing users to interact with the model and provide feedback. This prototype quickly gained popularity, showcasing the model’s ability to engage in detailed and meaningful conversations.

By March 2023, OpenAI launched GPT-4, an even more advanced model, further enhancing the capabilities of ChatGPT. GPT-4 included improvements in understanding context, generating more accurate responses, and supporting multimodal inputs, such as images and text.

On May 13, 2024, OpenAI launched GPT-4o, an advanced iteration of its AI model powering ChatGPT. GPT-4o enhances capabilities by reasoning across voice, text, and vision inputs and outputs, offering a significant improvement in performance. It is designed to be twice as fast and half the cost of GPT-4 Turbo. Notably, GPT-4o is available for free to all ChatGPT users, while paid users benefit from up to five times higher capacity limits. Additionally, the model can be accessed via the OpenAI API, further extending its utility for developers and businesses. 

Throughout its development, ChatGPT has been used in various domains, including customer support, education, content creation and more. Its applications range from providing instant answers to user queries to generating creative content and assisting in complex problem-solving tasks.

Today, AI stands as a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize industries and improve human life in myriad ways. However, its rapid development also raises important ethical and societal questions, such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the impact on employment, which must be addressed to ensure that AI benefits all of humanity.

Since the debut of ChatGPT, AI has undergone a remarkable evolution, expanding its capabilities and applications across various industries. This period has seen AI grow from a tool for basic automation and data analysis to a sophisticated technology capable of understanding and generating human-like text, predicting consumer behaviors, and personalizing interactions at an unprecedented scale. The rapid advancements in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) have enabled businesses to harness AI for more complex and impactful uses.

In marketing and advertising, AI has become a game-changer. Its ability to analyze massive datasets and derive actionable insights has transformed how businesses approach their marketing strategies. AI-driven tools now allow marketers to create highly personalized campaigns, predict customer behavior, optimize ad placements, and automate routine tasks, leading to more efficient and effective marketing efforts. These innovations help brands connect with their audiences in a more meaningful and engaging way, driving better outcomes and higher returns on investment.

Ryan Doser, VP of inbound marketing at digital marketing and PR agency Empathy First Media, told CMSWire that when it comes to personalized marketing, AI has transformed his processes by assisting with ideation, copywriting, and also repurposing long-form content to short-form. “I use AI daily to help with PPC, SEO, email, and other marketing campaigns,” said Doser, who added that AI apps/tools are improving at such a rapid pace that his AI tool stack is likely to change by next week.

Beyond marketing and advertising, AI’s influence extends to various other sectors. In customer service, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants enhance user experiences by providing instant, accurate responses to inquiries. In healthcare, AI aids in diagnostics and personalized medicine, improving patient care and outcomes. Financial services benefit from AI’s capabilities in fraud detection and risk management, while the retail industry uses AI for inventory management and customer insights. This widespread adoption highlights AI’s transformative potential across different fields, underscoring its role in shaping the future of technology and business.

Related Article: AI’s Transformative Role in Customer Support and Service

Real-World AI Marketing and Advertising Apps

Brittani Boice, SVP of marketing at customer experience platform provider Team Velocity Marketing, told CMSWire that AI has revolutionized personalized marketing and data-driven campaigns by making them more efficient, effective and customer-centric. “Whether through dynamic website content, personalized email campaigns, or targeted ads, AI creates and curates content that resonates with specific audience segments, ensuring that each customer receives information that is most relevant to them.” Boice said this results in a more cohesive and seamless customer experience leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately, increased business transactions.

The integration of AI into marketing and advertising has introduced a plethora of tools that streamline processes, enhance engagement and boost efficiency. These AI applications cater to various aspects of digital marketing, from social media management to SEO and advertising. Here’s a look at some of the top AI marketing, advertising, customer service, writing, and SEO tools transforming the industry today.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite stands out as a comprehensive social media management tool that leverages AI to simplify and enhance social media activities. Its AI-powered feature, OwlyWriter, generates social media captions, post ideas, and relevant hashtags, significantly reducing the time and effort required for content creation. Additionally, Hootsuite’s AI-driven analytics provide insights into the best times to post, engagement metrics, and competitive benchmarks, helping businesses optimize their social media strategies.

Cost: The Professional version is $99 a month, the Team version is $249, and the Enterprise Custom version varies by the number of accounts and users.

Top Features: 

• Create, schedule, and publish content across multiple social media networks from one dashboard.
• AI-powered content generator.
• Unified inbox for managing messages and comments.
• Advanced social listening tools to track brand mentions and trends.
• Analytics for insights into post performance and audience engagement.
• Advertising management integrating paid campaigns with organic content.
• Supports team collaboration.
• Integrates with over 100 other tools.

Pros:

• Comprehensive social media management from a single dashboard.
• Detailed analytics for insights into post performance and audience engagement.
• Integration of paid campaigns with organic content for cohesive advertising strategies.

Cons:

• Higher cost compared to some other social media management tools.
• Advanced features and integrations may have a steep learning curve.
• Limited features in the lower-tier plans.
• Customer support can sometimes be slow in response.
• Analytics, while detailed, can be complex for new users to navigate.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT, a natural language processing (NLP) chatbot developed by OpenAI, has become synonymous with AI content creation. It can generate human-like text for various applications, including blog posts, social media updates and more. ChatGPT’s ability to understand context and produce coherent, engaging content makes it a valuable tool for marketers looking to scale their content production.

Cost: Free for basic use, ChatGPTPlus is $20 a month, and Team is $25 per person, per month. 

Top Features: 

• Natural language understanding for accurate text interpretation.
• Content generation tailored to specific styles.
• Dynamic conversational AI for context-aware interactions.
• Data analysis with insights and visualizations.
• Multilingual capabilities for cross-linguistic communication.
• Research assistance with credible citations.
• Image generation through DALL-E based on detailed descriptions.

Pros:

• Highly versatile and can be used for various content types.
• Strong context understanding and coherent content generation.
• Accessible with free and affordable paid plans.

Cons:

• May require human oversight to ensure accuracy and relevance.
• Some advanced features are only available in higher-tier plans.

DALL-E 3

DALL-E 3, developed by OpenAI, is an AI image generator that creates highly detailed images from textual descriptions. This tool can produce unique and creative visuals that can be used for marketing campaigns, product design and more.

Cost: Available for free to ChatGPT Plus users, with additional features and higher usage limits available in premium plans.

Top Features:

• Generates high-quality images from text prompts.
• Supports a wide range of styles and subjects.
• Integrates with various content creation platforms.
• Enables rapid prototyping and creative exploration.

Pros:

• Produces unique and creative visuals quickly.
• Easy to use with simple text prompts.
• Can generate images that are difficult or impossible to photograph.
• Supports a wide variety of use cases, from marketing to design.

Cons:

• Quality of generated images can vary based on the complexity of the prompt.
• May require multiple iterations to achieve desired results.
• Advanced features may only be available in higher-tier plans.

Midjourney

Midjourney is another popular AI image generator that focuses on creating visually appealing and artistically styled images from textual descriptions. It is particularly known for its ability to produce striking and imaginative visuals.

Cost: Plans start at $10 per month, with higher-tier plans offering additional features and higher usage limits.

Top Features:

• Creates artistically styled images from text prompts.
• Offers a variety of customization options for different artistic styles.
• Supports collaboration and sharing of generated images.
• Integrates with various digital art and design tools.

Pros:

• Produces high-quality, artistically unique images.
• Wide range of customization options for different styles.
• User-friendly interface and easy to use.
• Suitable for various creative projects, from marketing to fine art.

Cons:

• Pricing can be high for frequent users.
• Requires a subscription for full access to features.
• Quality may vary depending on the complexity of the prompt.
• Midjourney works exclusively through the chat app Discord.

Synthesia

Synthesia is an AI-powered video creation platform that allows businesses to create professional videos using AI-generated avatars. This tool simplifies the video production process, making it accessible for marketers to produce high-quality content quickly and cost-effectively.

Cost: Custom pricing based on business needs and usage.

Top Features:

• AI-generated avatars for video creation.
• Supports multiple languages and voiceovers.
• Easy-to-use interface for quick video production.
• Integration with various content platforms.

Pros:

• Reduces the cost and time of video production.
• Allows for the creation of multilingual video content.
• User-friendly interface with minimal learning curve.
• High-quality, professional video output.

Cons:

• Custom pricing can be expensive for smaller businesses.
• Limited customization options for avatars.
• Requires a clear script for best results.

Grammarly

Grammarly is an AI-driven writing assistant that goes beyond simple grammar checking. It provides suggestions for tone, clarity, engagement, and delivery, making it a valuable tool for marketers, writers and anyone looking to improve their written communication.

Cost: Free for basic use, Premium is $12 per month, Business is $12.50 per member per month.

Top Features:

• Grammar, spelling and punctuation checks.
• Tone and clarity suggestions.
• Engagement and delivery improvements.
• Plagiarism detection.

Pros:

• Comprehensive writing assistance.
• Easy to use with integrations for browsers and word processors.
• Valuable insights for improving overall writing quality.
• Helps maintain a consistent tone and style.

Cons:

• Premium features require a subscription.
• May occasionally suggest unnecessary changes.
• Can be less effective for highly technical writing.

Lumen5

Lumen5 is an AI-powered video creation tool that turns blog posts and articles into engaging videos. It helps marketers repurpose content and reach audiences through different mediums.

Cost: Free for basic use, Premium plans start at $49 per month.

Top Features:

• Automatic video creation from text content.
• Customizable templates and styles.
• Integration with various content platforms.
• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface.

Pros:

• Simplifies the process of video content creation.
• Helps repurpose existing content for video.
• User-friendly with minimal learning curve.
• Offers a variety of customizable templates.

Cons:

• Free version has limited features and watermarked videos.
• Premium plans can be costly for smaller businesses.
• Limited advanced editing features.

Taboola

Taboola is an AI-driven content recommendation platform that helps marketers reach their target audiences by suggesting relevant content across the web. Its use of ML optimizes ad placements and improves click-through rates.

Cost: Custom pricing based on ad spend and campaign requirements.

Top Features:

• AI-powered content recommendations.
• Targeted audience engagement.
• Real-time performance analytics.
• Integration with various ad networks.

Pros:

• Effective for reaching targeted audiences.
• Improves engagement with personalized content recommendations.
• Provides detailed performance analytics.
• Scalable for campaigns of all sizes.

Cons:

• Custom pricing can be high for small businesses.
• Requires ongoing management and optimization.
• Can be challenging to set up and integrate initially.

Murf.ai

Murf.ai is an AI voice generator that allows businesses to create realistic voiceovers for videos, podcasts and presentations. It enhances multimedia production and personalizes user experiences.

Cost: Plans start at $19 per month.

Top Features:

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• Realistic AI-generated voiceovers.
• Multiple voice options and languages.
• Easy integration with video and audio projects.
• Customizable voice styles and tones.

Pros:

• High-quality, natural-sounding voiceovers.
• Supports various languages and voice styles.
• Easy to use and integrate into projects.
• Cost-effective solution for voiceover needs.

Cons:

• Limited features in the basic plan.
• Some voices may sound less natural.
• Requires fine-tuning for the best results.

Descript

Descript is a versatile AI tool for video and audio editing. It offers transcription, screen recording, and a powerful editor that makes it easy to create and refine multimedia content.

Cost: Free for basic use, Pro is $24 per month.

Top Features:

• AI-powered transcription and editing.
• Screen recording and video editing tools.
• Overdub feature for voice synthesis.
• Integration with various content platforms.

Pros:

• Comprehensive set of tools for multimedia editing.
• High-quality transcription and editing capabilities.
• User-friendly interface with minimal learning curve.
• Innovative overdub feature for voice synthesis.

Cons:

• Pro features require a subscription.
• Some advanced features can be complex to use.
• Limited customization options for transcription.

Tidio Lyro

Tidio’s Lyro is an AI-powered live chat and chatbot solution for customer service. It combines live chat, chatbots, and marketing automation to improve customer engagement and support.

Cost: Free for basic use, Premium plans start at $18 per month.

Top Features:

• Live chat and AI chatbot integration.
• Automated marketing and lead generation.
• Customizable chat widgets and templates.
• Real-time visitor monitoring and analytics.

Pros:

• Enhances customer engagement and support.
• Combines live chat with AI-driven automation.
• Easy to set up and customize.
• Affordable pricing with a free tier available.

Cons:

• Limited features in the free version.
• Premium plans can be costly for extensive use.
• Some advanced features require technical expertise.

Copy.ai

Copy.ai simplifies the copywriting process by generating nearly publish-ready drafts based on provided topics and creative directions. This tool is particularly useful for creating outlines, articles, social posts, and sales emails quickly, allowing marketers to focus on fine-tuning rather than starting from scratch.

Cost: Free for basic use, Pro is $35 per month. Pro features include unlimited runs, priority email support, access to all writing tools and collaboration features.

Top Features: 

• AI-driven content generation for outlines, articles, social posts and sales emails.
• Quick draft creation based on provided topics and directions. 
• User-friendly interface that helps marketers save time and effort on copywriting tasks.

Pros:

• Speeds up the content creation process significantly.
• User-friendly interface and easy to use.
• Good for quick drafts and initial content ideas.

Cons:

• Content may require significant editing for quality and accuracy.
• Limited customization options compared to other tools.

Anyword

Anyword is an AI-powered copywriting platform designed to help businesses and marketers create effective and engaging content. By using advanced NLP and ML algorithms, Anyword generates tailored copy for various marketing channels, including ads, emails, landing pages and social media posts. The platform offers predictive performance scoring to ensure the content resonates with the target audience and achieves desired outcomes.

Cost: Free trial available. Pricing starts at $79 per month for the Basic plan, with higher-tier plans offering additional features and customization options.

Top Features:

• Automatically generates high-quality, targeted copy for various marketing channels.
• Provides performance predictions for generated content, helping users choose the most effective copy.
• Offers a range of templates for different types of content, including ads, emails and social media posts.
• Tailors content to specific audience segments to maximize engagement and conversion rates.
• Facilitates A/B testing of different copy variations to determine the best-performing content.

Pros:

• Speeds up the copywriting process, allowing marketers to generate content quickly and efficiently.
• Predictive scoring helps ensure that the content will perform well with the target audience.
• Suitable for various marketing channels, from ads to social media posts.
• Tailors content to specific audience segments, enhancing relevance and engagement.

Cons:

• Higher-tier plans can be expensive for smaller businesses or individual marketers.
• Users may need time to familiarize themselves with the platform and its features.
• Over-reliance on AI-generated content might result in a lack of human touch or creativity in some cases.

Jasper AI

Jasper AI is known for its capability to generate content that reflects a consistent brand voice. It excels in creating on-brand articles, social media posts, and scripts, making it ideal for marketers who need to maintain a specific tone across all their communications. Jasper AI also supports content translation into multiple languages, broadening its usability for global marketing campaigns.

Cost: Starts at $49 per month for the Starter plan, with advanced plans available. Pricing varies based on usage and feature access.

Top Features: 

• Consistent brand voice generation.
• Multilingual content support.
• Creation of articles, social media posts and scripts.
• Tools for maintaining a specific tone across all communications.

Pros:

• Excellent for maintaining a consistent brand voice.
• Supports multiple languages, useful for global campaigns.
• Generates a wide variety of content types.

Cons:

• Higher cost compared to some competitors.
• May require time to train for specific brand guidelines.

Surfer SEO

Surfer SEO is designed to enhance web page content to achieve higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). It analyzes top-ranking pages for relevant keywords and provides actionable insights to optimize content. Surfer SEO’s AI-driven recommendations help marketers create content that is both SEO-friendly and engaging.

Cost: Plans start at $59 per month. Higher-tier plans offer additional features like more content editor queries and advanced analytics.

Top Features: 

• Keyword analysis.
• Actionable content optimization insights.
• AI-driven recommendations.
• Tools to enhance web page content for better search engine rankings.

Pros:

• Effective for improving SEO and increasing web traffic.
• Provides actionable insights based on competitive analysis.
• User-friendly interface with clear recommendations.

Cons:

• Can be pricey for smaller businesses.
• Requires some SEO knowledge to use effectively.

Frase.io

Frase.io automates the creation of SEO-optimized content by generating outlines based on competitive analysis. By comparing and extracting data from top-ranking sites, Frase ensures that the content produced is more likely to rank well in search results, saving marketers time on research and boosting their SEO efforts.

Cost: Plans start at $14.99 per month, with higher-tier plans offering additional features and more AI-generated content credits.

Top Features: 

• Automated SEO-optimized content creation.
• Competitive analysis for outline generation.
• Data extraction from top-ranking sites. 
• Tools to enhance search engine visibility.

Pros:

• Affordable pricing for small to medium-sized businesses.
• Streamlines the process of creating SEO-optimized content.
• Saves time on competitive analysis and research.

Cons:

• Generated outlines may need further refinement.
• Limited advanced features in the basic plan.

Albert.ai

Albert.ai acts as a self-learning digital marketing ally that processes and analyzes audience information and tactical data at scale. It optimizes and generates ad budgets, strategizes, and structures campaigns to achieve maximum reach and efficiency, making it a valuable tool for digital marketers aiming to enhance their advertising performance.

Cost: Custom pricing based on business needs and usage.

Top Features: 

• Self-learning digital marketing.
• Audience information processing.
• Tactical data analysis.
• Ad budget optimization.
• Campaign structuring for maximum efficiency.

Pros:

• Highly effective for optimizing digital ad campaigns.
• Self-learning capabilities improve performance over time.
• Provides detailed insights and analysis.

Cons:

• Custom pricing can be high for small businesses.
• May require time to fully leverage its capabilities.

Chatfuel

Chatfuel is an AI-powered chatbot platform that helps businesses create and manage chatbots for Facebook Messenger and other messaging platforms. It’s designed to improve customer engagement, automate customer service and enhance marketing efforts.

Cost: Chatfuel offers a free plan with basic features. The Pro plan starts at $15 per month, with pricing scaling based on the number of active users and additional features required.

Top Features:

• AI-driven chatbot creation and management.
• Integration with Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram and websites.
• Automated responses and conversation flows.
• Customizable templates for different business needs.
• Integration with CRM and marketing tools.
• Analytics and performance tracking.

Pros:

• Easy to use with a drag-and-drop interface.
• Enhances customer engagement and service automation.
• Scalable pricing to suit different business sizes.
• Strong integration with popular messaging platforms.
• Provides actionable insights through analytics.

Cons:

• Limited features in the free plan.
• Advanced customization may require technical knowledge.
• Primarily focused on Facebook Messenger, which may not suit all businesses.

Talkwalker

Talkwalker, a Hootsuite tool, offers advanced social listening capabilities, analyzing data from over 150 million sources to provide insights into brand engagement, sentiment and trends. Its AI-powered analytics help marketers understand audience behavior and optimize their campaigns based on real-time data.

Cost: Custom pricing based on business needs and usage.

Top Features: 

• Advanced social listening.
• Analysis of data from 150 million sources.
• Insights into brand engagement, sentiment and trends.
• AI-powered analytics for real-time audience behavior understanding.

Pros:

• Comprehensive social listening capabilities.
• Provides deep insights into brand sentiment and trends.
• Useful for optimizing marketing strategies in real-time.

Cons:

• Custom pricing can be expensive.
• Requires some expertise to interpret data effectively.

Brand24

Brand24’s AI-driven social media monitoring tool provides real-time feedback on brand reputation. It helps businesses manage their online presence by analyzing conversations across the web, assessing marketing campaigns and promptly addressing emerging issues.

Cost: Custom pricing based on business needs and usage.

Top Features: 

• Advanced social listening.
• Analysis of data from 150 million sources.
• Insights into brand engagement, sentiment and trends.
• AI-powered analytics for real-time audience behavior understanding.

Pros:

• Comprehensive social listening capabilities.
• Provides deep insights into brand sentiment and trends.
• Useful for optimizing marketing strategies in real-time.

Cons:

• Custom pricing can be expensive.
• Requires some expertise to interpret data effectively.

TechSee

TechSee is an AI-driven visual assistance platform that leverages augmented reality (AR) and computer vision technology to enhance customer service and technical support. It enables users to visually communicate with agents or automated systems to diagnose and resolve issues efficiently. TechSee is used across various industries, including telecommunications, consumer electronics, and home appliances, to provide remote support and improve customer experience.

Cost: Custom pricing based on business needs and usage.

Top Features:

• Uses AR and computer vision to provide real-time visual guidance for troubleshooting and technical support.
• Automated workflows and AI-driven solutions for common issues.
• Enables remote visual assistance.
• Captures visual data and builds a knowledge base for future reference and training.
• Seamlessly integrates with existing customer service platforms and CRM systems.

Pros:

• Provides visual guidance that is easy for customers to follow.
• Reduces the need for physical technician visits.
• Can be scaled to handle a large volume of support requests with automated AI-driven workflows.
• Builds a rich visual knowledge base that can be used for training and improving service quality.

Cons:

• Pricing may vary significantly depending on the scale and specific requirements of the business.
• May require training for both agents and customers to effectively use the visual assistance features.
• Integrating with existing systems might require technical expertise and time.

Final Thoughts

The rapid evolution of AI since the introduction of ChatGPT has revolutionized marketing, advertising, and customer service, offering unprecedented opportunities for personalization, efficiency and data-driven decision-making. From AI-powered content creation and SEO optimization to advanced social listening and visual assistance platforms, businesses now have access to a diverse array of tools that can significantly enhance their marketing strategies and customer experiences. As AI technology continues to advance, its integration into various aspects of business operations will likely deepen, further transforming how companies interact with their customers and optimize their marketing efforts.