Discussion: Is Artificial Intelligence on the Brink of a Breakthrough in South East Asia?
The global AI race is heating up, and Singapore, a cornerstone in Southeast Asia (ASEAN), is vying to lead the pack. America's AI market size is expected to hit US$50.16bn by 2024, while China is hands-down trying to become the world's AI superpower by 2030. But ASEAN countries aren't just spectators; they're positioning themselves to reap significant economic benefits from AI adoption.
Meet Shalu Wasu, CEO and co-founder of Singapore-based gimmefy.ai, one of the region's leading gen AI marketing platforms. In this illuminating chat with Editor-at-large Natasha Randhawa, Wasu sheds light on ASEAN's role in the global AI race, the ways AI empowers businesses to conquer new markets, and expanding influence beyond the region.
Q: Welcome, Shalu! Let's start with a product pitch. What is gimmefy.ai, and what sets it apart from other AI businesses?
Thanks, Natasha! Having spent over two decades in marketing, I've seen the industry evolve. When Generative AI took off in late '22 and early '23, I envisioned it revolutionizing marketing, streamlining everything. But reality had other plans. Juggling generic solutions, battling customization issues, and dealing with privacy concerns became the norm. To tackle these headaches, I thought, "What if we combined the genius of David Ogilvy with Sam Altman's tech prowess?" Meet gimmefy.ai – our platform offers a customized AI marketing solution tailored to the unique needs of brands and campaigns. Different from mainstream solutions, gimmefy offers personalization, an easy-to-navigate user experience, complete privacy, a curated list of features, and comprehensive user controls. Our top priority is security and scalability, with a user-friendly platform that elevates AI as an efficient marketing aid.
Q: You mentioned Singapore's initiatives and local research aiding gimmefy.ai's growth. How have Singapore's investments and academic programs allowed gimmefy.ai to grow? Is ASEAN innovation set to become a major player in the global AI landscape?
Singapore's dedication to AI and tech advancement has served as a robust foundation for gimmefy.ai's growth. The government's commitment to academics, research, and development initiatives allows us access to cutting-edge technology and top talent. This support empowers us to expand into new markets, bringing our AI-infused marketing solutions to a wider audience.
ASEAN innovation, indeed, will likely become a significant player in the global AI landscape. By prioritizing technological innovations, ASEAN’s goal is to foster a dynamic environment for AI development through cross-border collaborations.
Q: As a homegrown ASEAN company, how does gimmefy.ai leverage the pool of local talent? Does AI-powered marketing offer a chance to highlight ASEAN ingenuity and creativity globally?
The impact of Singapore's educational initiatives on the talent pool will take time to manifest. However, the rise of the post-work-from-home culture in 2024 means our team can operate from anywhere in the world. Our marketing crew, for instance, is dispersed across Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India.
Considering that consumer-facing AI is still in its infancy, we've had to adapt our talent sourcing strategies. For example, our AI prompt team comprises former agency copywriters, making them perfect for communicating with AI. Looking ahead, we're planning for a surge in hiring within the ASEAN region as we grow our team and expand our reach across these diverse markets.
Q: Despite AI automating various tasks, the human touch remains vital in marketing. How does gimmefy.ai blend human expertise and multiple leading large language models to outwit the limitations of GPT?
One of the smart features we've developed is Vaults. These knowledge banks store key information such as brand voice, audience profiles, customer insights, and competitor landscapes. This data fuels AI responses to deliver personalized output. Multiple Vaults can be created for different markets, brands, or campaigns. Unlike standard GPT, our Vault feature enhances consistency across marketing tasks and makes outputs a lot more on-brand.
We're also working on gimmefy Bespoke, an up-and-coming, customizable AI marketing solution. Bespoke will offer extra options like enhanced vaults, AI chatbots specific to user's organizations, and custom-trained marketing tasks.
Q: Navigating cultural nuances can be tricky when localizing marketing. How does gimmefy.ai's AI leverage cultural understanding to create effective marketing campaigns across diverse regions, and how has the agency adapted its own platform for its new North American audience?
Traditionally, AI development has often focused on the Western-Sino axis. But as an ASEAN company, we include languages like Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia, and Thai among our 30+ options. Our trans-creation feature goes beyond translation to ensure authenticity and cultural nuances work harmoniously. We've collaborated with ASEAN organizations like the Philippines' ActivAsia group to develop a portal for the Filipino market, integrating region-specific cultural nuances.
Expanding into North America brings its own set of challenges, like handling Spanish dialects in different regions. Our bespoke solution can help brands stay nimble in these diverse markets by integrating AI into their workflows.
Q: To wrap up, what are your predictions for how AI will transform marketing in ASEAN and North America in the coming years, and what advice would you give to businesses looking to break into the opposite market?
Speed will be key in the years ahead. Whether it's GTM or audience attention, speed is the new battleground for marketers. As the AI revolution unfolds, businesses will increasingly incorporate AI into their workflows.
Advice for ASEAN Companies Expanding into North America:
- Consumer sophistication: Invest in high-quality content tailored to the market. Make your messaging resonant with the culture.
- Data privacy compliance: Follow GDPR and CCPA laws to win consumer trust with transparent data strategies.
- Partnerships: Collaborate with influential North American voices that align with your brand values. Authenticity is crucial.
Advice for North American Companies Expanding into ASEAN:
- Localization: Adapt content, languages, and products to cater to each market.
- Cultural Sensitivity: Understand local customs and business etiquettes to avoid missteps.
- Local Partnerships: Forge alliances with local businesses and influencers to gain insights and establish credibility.
- Shalu Wasu, CEO and co-founder of gimmefy.ai, emphasizes the importance of personalization, security, and scalability in their customized AI marketing solution, differentiating it from mainstream AI businesses.
- Singapore's investments and academic programs have laid a strong foundation for gimmefy.ai's growth, providing access to cutting-edge technology and top talent, allowing the company to expand into new markets.
- Leveraging the pool of local talent in ASEAN, gimmefy.ai fosters a dispersed team across various countries, utilizing the unique skills of former agency copywriters to communicate effectively with AI.
- gimmefy.ai utilizes Vaults, which are knowledge banks storing key information, to deliver consistent, on-brand marketing outputs and adapt to different markets, cultures, and campaigns.
- With a focus on cultural understanding, gimmefy.ai leverages trans-creation to maintain authenticity and incorporates region-specific cultural nuances, ensuring effective marketing campaigns across diverse regions.
