The AI Paradox

By / Natalie Bruckner

There’s been a lot of talk about the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize communications and marketing within the sheet metal industry. Tools like ChatGPT, Canva, and Google Gemini are increasingly touted as invaluable aids for tasks ranging from crafting social media messages to refining proposals and aligning brand messaging. However, despite a growing enthusiasm for AI’s capabilities, there remains a notable reluctance among many industry professionals to fully embrace it, and—it seems—with valid reasons.

“AI is undoubtedly a valuable tool for the industry,” explained Lauren Wattie, senior vice president at Vault Communications, at the 2024 Partners in Progress Conference in Orlando. “Take ChatGPT and Gemini, for example. These chatbots are incredibly user-friendly and freely accessible, making them tremendous assets for alleviating stress and managing social media tasks. They can get you 80% of the way there, which is certainly better than nothing. However, despite their usefulness, they are not without their flaws and lack the human touch.”

Contrary to media portrayals, hesitancy toward AI is prevalent not only among seasoned professionals but also among the younger demographic—the very audience the sheet metal industry seeks to engage. Research indicates that approximately one in three Gen Z individuals and Millennials harbor skepticism towards AI, showing a preference for human touch over automated solutions. This raises a crucial question: Should you be using AI?

Wattie believes so. “AI will be useful for management and labor working together, giving them one voice, one tone,” she says. “Additionally, AI streamlines email communication, benefiting those with limited writing skills or tight marketing budgets. You can copy and paste your content into ChatGPT to enhance it, fix grammatical errors, and make it sound more friendly or serious. Essentially, AI is a time-saver, but not the end-all be-all for communications.”

Matt Sanchez from marketing agency Nehlsen Creative believes issues arise from a fundamental lack of understanding of AI’s functionalities. “I think the bigger problem is people don’t know how to use it,” says Sanchez. “We’ve had smaller chapters come to ask advice about AI because they can’t afford our service, and they successfully use apps like Canva. But even if you are a smaller chapter, you still need to know how AI and communications work when it comes to informing advertising campaigns, metrics, and successes.”

Sanchez highlights a common pitfall: the assumption that AI is a magic bullet. He recounts a cautionary tale: “We had a client one time create an AI-generated image for some banners; we looked at it and the lady in the image had three legs. Is AI perfect? No. It’s never going to be perfect.” To add to this complexity, he adds that “the sheet metal industry is so specific that AI doesn’t have the capacity to understand it.”

Furthermore, ethical considerations loom large. Sanchez says AI borrows from other sources and tends to amalgamate information and in the process ends up making mistakes, putting users at risk of plagiarism. “While it’s a great tool for admin tasks, you can’t rely on it. You still need someone in the office to oversee the nuances.”

Wattie agrees, saying the number of flaws and lack of human touch means AI will never replace a good marketing team, but it is a time-saver. “It’s another tool to help enhance what we do; not the end-all be-all.”

Wattie and Sanchez both agree, however, that AI can play a pivotal role when it comes to the matter of recruitment, particularly in swiftly identifying the desired audience. Sanchez elaborates, “From the labor perspective, AI is useful in crafting compelling recruitment campaigns tailored to specific jurisdictions. Moreover, it ignites creativity; we’ve experimented with AI-generated graphics, inspiring innovative approaches. It can be a springboard for creativity.”

By harnessing AI recruitment tools, organizations can streamline hiring processes while enhancing candidate experiences. The true magic of AI unfolds in its ability to accelerate initial screenings, swiftly analyzing resumes and applications against job criteria with precision beyond traditional keyword searches.

While it doesn’t seem AI will be taking on the marketing or communications of the industry just yet, it does have its place. “AI in communications is such an interesting topic. I know that many folks are starting to use AI for their writing of things such as proposals, case studies and job descriptions. However, we leave it to the professionals at Nehlsen Creative who did my website and all of Heavy Metal Summer Experience’s marketing and social media,” says Angie Simon, co-founder/ executive director of HMSE.

Ultimately, Sanchez reminds us that AI is “a supplemental tool.” And when asked how it can contribute to SMART and SMACNA’s communications and marketing goals, ChatGPT responded: “While I can assist in drafting and refining communications, making the process faster and more efficient, it’s essential to note that I do not replace the human touch, empathy, or the nuanced understanding that individuals within the union and management may have about their specific context. Effective communication often requires a balance between automation and human involvement to address the unique challenges and dynamics within an industry.” ▪

Natalie is an award-winning writer who has worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Canada. She has more than 23 years experience as a journalist, editor, and brand builder, specializing in construction and transportation. When she’s not writing, you will likely find her snowboarding, mountain biking, or climbing mountains with her rescue dog.