'Partner and ecosystem marketers need urgent support and training in genAI' - Coterie

Partner and channel marketing specialist calls for urgent training in geAI

Partner marketers are embracing generative AI, but are yet to use it to significantly aid them in their day-to-day roles, citing legal and data security concerns and a skills gap as the main reasons for hesitancy.

This was a key message at Coterie's recent Connect event, where around 60 partner marketers gathered to discuss innovation, AI and partner platforms.

A survey conducted at the conference revealed that all attendees were familiar with genAI, such as ChatGPT, either for personal use or to complete rudimentary search or content tasks.

However, only around ten per cent were using it regularly as a more sophisticated tool in their day-to-day role as partner marketers.

Participants expressed that their organisations lacked any formal guidelines on appropriate uses for genAI, other than those with outright bans due to escalating concerns regarding data privacy.

Jo Dunkley, co-founder of Coterie Connect, said marketers are constantly innovating and are often early adopters of technology, but currently genAI has limitations.

"We are living in an ecosystem world, and what AI doesn't do is create a value message between two, three or four organisations. However, when it comes to helping to provide insight and research that humans can then blend and interpret, AI will become essential."

Attendees unanimously agreed that urgent training in geAI was essential – and none had yet received any formal support, other than self-taught and self-researched knowledge.

Barnaby Wood, director of product management – go-to-market, at Veritas, who attended the event and is a Coterie Connect founding member, said genAI offers a huge opportunity and elements of risk for channel marketers.

"To really leverage the opportunity, I believe we need to understand the capabilities and the limitations, and I think that's where part of the training adds its value. Not just in what to do and how to do it, but what not to do. To AI or not to AI?"

Wood added that in the longer term there are opportunities for ecosystem marketers to leverage genAI for scale and resource maximisation. "We consistently discuss being the forgotten child in the partner world, and with that comes less investment. The potential is there for generative AI to help redress that balance, if we use it well and understand the boundaries."