AI allows companies to analyze data, create content, automate activities, and personalize communication with a speed previously difficult to imagine. For many companies, the most important change is not just about the tools used, but about how decisions are made.
Today, a digital campaign produces continuous information: online searches, clicks, views, contact requests, reviews, purchases, time spent on a page, and social media interactions. AI can help read these signals and transform them into operational insights. This is why Artificial intelligence in marketing has become a central topic for large and small companies, including those operating in local, tourist, or commercial markets.
Why AI has become so important for marketing
AI is important because it makes marketing more measurable and faster. According to Eurostat, in 2025, 20% of companies in the European Union with at least 10 employees used artificial intelligence technologies, compared to 13.5% in 2024. This figure confirms significant growth, but also indicates that many companies are still in an early stage of adoption.
In marketing, this technology can be used to analyze user behavior, identify audience segments, optimize advertising campaigns, generate content drafts, improve emails, and support customer service. The main value lies in the ability to reduce the time between analysis and action.
A McKinsey report has estimated that generative AI can increase the productivity of the marketing function with a value between 5% and 15% of total marketing spend. This means that companies can achieve concrete benefits when they integrate AI into clear, controlled processes linked to measurable objectives.
Data and personalization: the new foundation of digital strategies
Personalization is one of the most visible effects of AI in marketing. A company can show different messages based on the user's interests, geographic location, device used, or previous interactions. This applies to newsletters, advertisements, websites, e-commerce, and social media content.
However, technology only works if it is based on reliable data. Disorganized databases, incomplete tracking systems, or outdated information can lead to wrong decisions. For this reason, companies must take care of CRM, analytics, privacy, consent management, and the quality of the collected information.
In this scenario, the work of specialized agencies also comes into play. Across Srl, founded in 2011 as a performance marketing agency and today a digital solution company with offices in Turin, Lecce, and Madrid, supports national and international clients with measurable online advertising strategies and personalized digital solutions. Its positioning shows how the market is moving towards integrated models, where data, campaigns, technology, and consulting work together to improve results.
Content, SEO, and search engines: what really changes
Artificial intelligence is also modifying content production. Texts for blogs, ads, emails, product descriptions, and social media posts can be prepared more quickly, but editorial quality remains decisive. AI-generated or AI-assisted content must be verified, corrected, and adapted to the audience.
SEO can no longer be based solely on keyword inclusion. Search engines and AI-based systems tend to value clear, complete, well-structured, and credible content. An effective article must answer specific questions, explain concepts in an orderly manner, and offer verifiable information.
For local businesses, this means using the website as a real information tool. A tourism structure can explain services, location, and advantages for different types of travelers. A store can talk about its assortment, advice, and purchasing methods. A service company can clarify timelines, indicative costs, guarantees, and work processes. Online visibility increasingly stems from the ability to be useful.
Automation and customer service: faster responses, but human control is needed
AI can improve customer relationships because it allows for faster management of frequently asked questions. Chatbots, virtual assistants, and automatic classification systems can help answer questions about availability, appointments, quotes, shipments, services, and procedures.
A study published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics by Erik Brynjolfsson, Danielle Li, and Lindsey Raymond revealed that access to an AI-based conversational assistant increased customer service agents' productivity by an average of 15%, measured as the number of issues resolved per hour. This is a useful figure because it shows a concrete operational impact, not just a theoretical one.
Human control remains indispensable. Automatic responses must be up-to-date, consistent with company policies, and respect privacy. An error regarding prices, contractual terms, or personal data can damage customer trust. The most prudent rule is to use AI to speed up work, while maintaining qualified supervision over the most sensitive decisions.
What risks should companies consider
The main risks relate to data quality, transparency, security, and responsibility. AI can produce inaccurate information, suggest incorrect segmentations, or generate content not suitable for the company's tone. Therefore, clear internal procedures are needed: who reviews texts, what tools can be used, what data should not be uploaded, and what results must be verified before publication.
The European regulatory framework must also be taken into account. The European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act came into force on August 1, 2024, and will be fully applicable from August 2, 2026, with some early exceptions. For companies, this means paying attention to transparency, the classification of systems used, data protection, and the reliability of processes.
AI does not eliminate company responsibility. It makes it more evident. Powerful technology requires adequate skills, governance, and controls.