AI Marketing Workflow: Experts Urge Responsible Adoption, Ethical Use

2 December 2025

The Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) convened its 2025 Annual Brands & Marketing Conference, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, marketing professionals, and students to explore the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on marketing workflows.

Under the theme, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Future of Marketing Workflow: Disruption or Opportunity,” the conference provided a platform for discussions on AI’s potential, ethical considerations, and the skills marketers need to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

In his welcome address, BJAN Chairman Daniel Obi emphasised that AI is reshaping how the industry creates, communicates, plans, measures, and engages. He described AI as both an “excitement” and a “responsibility,” urging professionals to integrate the technology ethically and strategically while keeping human creativity and trust at the core.

“AI is not a distant future; it is our present reality,” Obi said. “Our task is to master it responsibly and ensure human values remain central to communication.”

Conference Chairman, Udeme Ufot, Group Managing Director of SO&U, described AI as an enabler rather than a threat, highlighting the vital role of brand journalists in guiding ethical and effective use of technology.

From a regulatory perspective, Dr Lekan Fadolapo, Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), was represented by Suzzy Abbor, who stressed the importance of skill development and regulation. ARCON has launched a stock image bank to support content creators and mitigate risks from unregulated AI use.

The keynote by Bethel Obioma, Head of Corporate Communications at Sahara Group, underscored the necessity of human judgment and emotional nuance in AI-assisted workflows. He cautioned against plagiarism and stressed that marketers must maintain ownership of AI-generated content.

Dr. Cherry Eromosele, Group Executive Vice President of Interswitch Group, illustrated AI’s supportive role with the BBC “Newslabs” case study, showing how AI can analyze millions of documents for investigative reporting while humans retain editorial insight and ethical oversight.

The conference concluded with a call fordiscipline, ethical standards, and collaboration in adopting AI, ensuring the technology enhances creativity, strengthens insights, and preserves the integrity of marketing communications.