Women In Marketing Africa Hosts First-Ever Real Talk Debate on AI In Ghana

• WiM Africa organized the inaugural Real Talk Debate on AI in Ghana at MullenLowe Accra
• The session was centered on whether AI poses a threat or an opportunity to Africa's creative industry

Women in Marketing Africa (WiM Africa) effectively organized the first-ever Real Talk Debate on AI in Ghana at the MullenLowe Accra offices. The event, which was "Is AI a Threat or Opportunity for Africa's Creative Sector?” brought together the crème de la crème of industry experts and delegates from diverse sectors to deliberate on how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the marketing landscape across Africa.

The discussion was attended by speakers Rashida Musa, rAIma.oi Founder and CEO, Sylvia Appiah, Information Governance Solutions CEO and Lead Consultant, and Mariam Agyeman-Buahin, brand marketing and fintech consultant. Topics ranged from the necessity of using AI responsibly and ethically to the necessity for Africa to narrate its own stories.

The presenters emphasized that although AI offers enormous benefits, like compressing month-long campaign conception to week-long turnarounds; it does raise concerns, especially about biased data and the possible threat to jobs. The discussion emphasized continuous learning in a changing employment landscape and discussed the emergence of the gig economy and the evolution of marketing teams in the future.

Major takeaways from the event were: The need to carefully review the fine print when working with AI tools. A demand for African organizations to develop GPTs of their own to disseminate true stories. Observations on how AI can improve efficiency, innovation, and diversity in marketing, even with fears of bias and disinformation.

During the session, a word cloud highlighted key concepts such as "opportunity," "innovation," "diversity," "efficiency," and "data," while also featuring watchwords such as "bias" and "fake."
The day's highlight came in the form of an incisive interview with Emma Wenani, the Chief Director at the Global Media Alliance, as she discussed how AI affects PR and the media industry.

She gave an example of how her company is using AI tools to enhance business processes and highlighted the need to polish AI-generated content to keep it real. In closing, Andrea Djan-Krofa, Head of WiM Africa, acknowledged AI’s potential to positively impact various industries and urged attendees to adopt AI in an ethical way. “We are at a crucial point where technology meets creativity,” said Ms. Djan-Krofa. “The debate highlighted AI’s vast potential but also reminded us of the responsibility to use it ethically, ensuring our stories remain authentic and inclusive,” she concluded.