Artificial intelligence can help humans leverage data and information at new levels, said Ana Hoyos, area director for Latin America at software company Meltwater. The company has been monitoring media from varied sources to develop insights and using artificial intelligence to sort through volumes of data that could be overwhelming otherwise, Hoyos told Velocitize Talks.
Latin America is experiencing a boom in social media and technology, said Hoyos. Companies are beginning to understand the value of the sector, she said. The main markets in the region have been Brazil and Mexico, with Colombia and Argentina also important, she said.
“A lot of these companies are starting to understand how important this information is for them,” said Hoyos. “It’s sort of an untapped territory.”
Brands in Latin America are beginning to embrace activism like U.S. brands, but they remain more cautious than their U.S. counterparts. They are taking on causes more often, and while choosing causes that are less controversial, they are taking first steps into cause marketing, said Hoyos: “I’m starting to see some of these companies get a bit more involved.”
The cause of women in technology is still moving forward, but Hoyos said she’s encouraged by the number of women executives she encounters in top positions, including in many companies throughout Latin America. “I feel there’s definitely room for improvement, but I’m excited for what’s coming,” she said. “Latin America is one of those places where they starting to catch up on this, too.”
Meltwater has been part of a progression of public relations into a more automated and analytical discipline, said Hoyos. “Now it’s becoming a more exact science,” she said. It’s still based on relationship-building, but with new tools available, practitioners can show how they’re contributing.
Meltwater has embraced an “outside insight” view of data, outlined by its founder, Jorn Lyssegen in his book Outside Insight: Navigating a World Drowning in Data. He argued that looking at data outside the organization can help develop insights better than looking at historical data and can help anticipate challenge, said Hoyos.
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