By Ndumbe Bell Joseph Gaston in Douala
The uses of Artificial Intelligence in Marketing, especially corporate marketing was the theme that engaged marketing strategists, experts and their technologists in the 4th edition organized by Ets LA MARQUE in Douala last Friday, March 15, 2024.
Ets La Marque, in collaboration with Afriland First Bank, says it is essential to highlight the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence in marketing in particular, so that those in the sector can share their knowledge, skills, experiences and also their challenges from where they can map a road map of actions to advance A.I in their sector.
Some key speakers such as Nelson Metougue in his presentation said we started using A.I services through our smartphones. It started impacting the profession a long time ago in advanced countries, while in Cameroon some marketing decision depending on A.I started impacting in the year 2000 and grew bigger between 2010 to 2015.
One of the most important uses of A.I in the marketing sector is that it reduces risks by accurately informing investors whether this or that new product will be bought by the public in advance, therefore predicting sales and the marketing strategies to be used, Metougue underscored.
Through their programme of sensitisation and education, the organisers also introduced panelists such as Habib Iya who presented the different models of I.A through which your questions asked will provide you with suggestions or solutions that need to be developed for the realization of the projects. For example hugging chat.The rally woman Miss Mahop also spoke of the use of mitigating accidents through artificial intelligence but that much remains to be done.
While some key advantages of artificial intelligence were outlined as customs insight, time saving and to reduce some expenses among others, there were preponderant arguments on both sides that too much use of artificial intelligence that can be counterproductive to employment.
In a chat Mme Clarisse Andela claimed that those who subscribed had gained more than the fees paid.
Govt to develop necessary infrastructure
The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications has stated clearly that Cameroon does not want to miss the boat of Artificial Intelligence. In a statement she read during the brainstorming session on the impact of AI on media in Africa, held in Yaoundé earlier this month, Minette Libom Li Likeng (photo) indicated that the country plans to develop the necessary infrastructure for this technological innovation.
Yaounde intends to improve access to high-speed internet to ensure the functionality of AI applications. A project which involves better deployment of optical fiber, as Minpostel reports. It is also planned to set up incubators to increase the birth of start-ups in the field…
Alongside these planned infrastructures, the Cameroonian government also plans to promote the introduction of AI into higher education training programs. The idea is to encourage younger generations to be interested in this novelty. Even if it means calling on international institutions that are more advanced in this area.
However, the Cameroonian authorities are also keen to invest in educating the masses around the use of AI. The fear of seeing AI misused was already reflected in a statement by President Paul Biya, read by the Minister of External Relations (Minrex), Lejeune Mbella Mbella. It was on the occasion of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2023. “In this era of digital technology and artificial intelligence, we have prodigious tools in our hands. If used wisely, they can enable us to achieve the expected results to ensure the survival of humanity and guarantee it a better future”, writes Paul Biya.