I'm probably going to reveal my age here but, oh well. Remember the days of dial-up, IMs (A/S/L?) and floppy disks? The time when digital tools felt like magic, even though they were clunky and slow. Fast forward to today and we’re living in a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is embedded into almost every digital platform we use. These tools (and there are thousands out there) promise efficiency and speed in content creation, but this begs the question: Are we leaning too heavily on AI, risking our brand’s authenticity for the sake of convenience?
The answer? YES, absolutely. Full Stop.
It seems like overnight, AI writing tools have become a staple in our digital marketing toolkits. LinkedIn, HubSpot and MailChimp are just a few platforms that have seized this trend, rushing to offer AI-powered solutions to their users.
But as we rush to adopt these tools, are we fully considering the potential fallout? The allure of quick and easy content generation is strong, but it's probably worth pausing and thinking about what you might be sacrificing in the process.
There’s a growing trend out there where marketers are providing nothing more than a skeletal prompt to an AI, expecting a fully fleshed-out article in return. You know how this goes:
To put things bluntly, content marketing has become incredibly lazy. But it doesn't have to be. Yes, sometimes it works out fine — but more often than not, the output lacks the depth and nuance that only a human touch can provide. This section reminds me of an earlier piece I wrote, "Why ChatGPT is Bad at Writing Blogs and How to Master It", where I show you how to enhance AI outputs to better meet everyone's expectations.
Relying heavily on AI tools without sufficient oversight can lead to a host of issues. Not only do we risk diluting our brand’s unique voice, but we also contribute to the "dead internet theory," where much of what we read online might as well have been generated by bots.
Here are a few other critical issues to consider:
If that's not enough, think about this: Audiences are becoming savvier and can increasingly spot AI-generated content. As someone who sees AI-generated content every day on social media platforms, this can be a real turnoff, damaging trust and credibility.
Here's a little story. A while back, I worked on a social media campaign that initially started as AI-generated. It was efficient, yes, but something was clearly off. Not only did it lack depth, it also lacked 'soul.' So, we took the AI drafts and reworked them — not just removing the obvious AI tells, but adding in personal anecdotes, refining its arguments, and infusing it with the brand’s voice. The result? A campaign that resonated deeply with our audience, proved out by high content engagement and reach.
So then, how do we balance the scales? It starts with the understanding that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity. We have to establish guidelines for AI-generated content and ensure regular human oversight. In another piece, "How to Set Up Your Custom ChatGPT for Effective Brand Content Creation", I discuss ways to tailor AI tools to better align with brand needs, enhancing relevance, effectiveness, and speed-to-market.
We are currently at the peak of the Hype Cycle. This position signals heightened expectations and considerable buzz around AI capabilities, but it also comes with the risk of disappointment if expectations are not managed properly.
Remember, it's easy to get carried away by the excitement around AI in content creation. However, it's important to maintain that balance. AI tools and their human overlords will undoubtedly evolve over time. For now, It’s about finding that sweet spot where automation complements creativity and doesn't override it. We are in a complex time where technology helps speed up processes, but let's all do our part to ensure it doesn't trample the garden of creativity in its path.