A recent statistic revealed that 80% of marketers are already using some version of artificial intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day jobs. You likely guessed right that most marketers use AI to work smarter and faster. Strategic applications—such as how to target and message to prospects effectively—also exist and are leveraged by leading brands.

AI delivers similar, and more, benefits to place branding and marketing. One key challenge transcends industry: preserving human intelligence as you implement artificial intelligence.

Place leaders and marketers must find the value and applications of AI that are right for them without removing the original thought, intellect, and insight that ultimately leads to effective community differentiation and storytelling.

That being said, AI is useful as a tool in place branding and marketing. Like any tool, it can either be used well or poorly, depending on intent. We are still at the relative infancy of AI, but its use and value are becoming clear in a variety of ways, including the following.

Data Insights & Strategy to Improve Decision Making

AI can process massive amounts of data across a litany of channels. Traditionally, place marketers rely on constituent surveys, anecdotal evidence, and historical data from small subsets to shape tourism and economic development strategies. Now, AI can help expand that purview by layering in real-time social media conversations, online reviews, economic indicators, and even visitor movement patterns to provide actionable insights. Not only will this provide a broader perspective, but it will also improve data recency and mitigate bias.

Personas & Personalization to Resonate with Multiple Segments

AI leverages a place marketer’s available data to build personas of target segments, helping identify their key drivers and motivators. This will allow for specific messaging and delivery in a dynamic and customized way to residential, tourism, or economic development prospecting . It also provides the ability to test narratives to determine what best resonates with those segments. As the tools become more sophisticated, these personas can drive integrated experiences across websites, social media, devices, and more.

Infrastructure & Experiences to Lower Barriers to Action

Chatbots and agents are becoming the voice of AI. In the context of tourism, what better way to put them to use than by helping residents, tourists, and visitors navigate their way through your place more efficiently and insightfully? AI-driven wayfinding apps help tourists navigate cities seamlessly, while AI-powered event recommendations fine-tune a visitor’s experience. Some destinations are even using AI to develop virtual and augmented reality experiences, allowing potential visitors to explore a place before they book a trip.

While AI presents numerous opportunities, it cannot replace the authenticity that place marketers have to layer into their mission. Place branding and marketing is ultimately about human connections, and AI should serve as a tool to enhance those connections rather than replace them. By integrating AI strategically, communities and destinations can craft more compelling, data-driven, and engaging brand identities that attract visitors, businesses, and investors alike.

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a futuristic concept—it’s here, reshaping the way places tell their stories to the world. The destinations that embrace AI-driven marketing will be the ones that use budgets efficiently and stand out in an increasingly competitive global landscape.