"AI is the future of marketing!!" But why would we want it to be?

From my LinkedIn:

"AI is the future of marketing!!" But why would we want it to be?

AI has been making leaps and bounds in its abilities and what it can be used for (anyone who remembers the horrifying video of “Will Smith” eating spaghetti can attest to this). Of course, it was only a matter of time before it weaseled into the professional field.

Recently, I have seen some LinkedIn posts from business owners, recruiters, and career influencers who are thrilled about incorporating more AI into their work routines and project outcomes. However, I want to offer a perspective I have yet to see on this platform.

Successful and established Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations have one largely overarching trait. Building a relationship with new and/or current consumers and continuing to foster that relationship. Without that concrete relationship, you have a base built effectively on sand. People come and go, but no one stays. No one knows YOU.

AI has not mastered the ability to authentically maintain a relationship, nor do I wish it ever will, honestly. Yes, conversationally… but also into all the work it puts out and creates. AI reads “create social caption for a post about pickleball”, takes pictures and information from the internet, and then puts it together. AI doesn’t think about how demographics respond to colors, interact with social media, or what preconceived notions interested customers have about your business.

You are not trying to communicate with computers; you are trying to bond with humans.

In an internal sense:
Smart and creative marketing individuals/teams are something that should get much more hype. Communicators who can think on their feet- and think smart- are one of the best things you could sustain for your organization. And now that it has been scientifically proven that AI makes your brain stupider, I think it’s time to address that the encouragement of AI, whether because it’s trendy or simply faster, is going to drain your team's creativity and smarts, fast.

Yes, AI can copywrite or edit photos or put an entire social media campaign together. But in the event you need a group to brainstorm a crisis response, whatever is written by a computer will feel shallow and insincere, and trust, people can tell, which will only cause more crisis.

Let your creative team be creative.
Remember what makes your company special and important (hint: it’s not that you get the most likes or get the blog written fastest).
Be confident, firm, and strong in your authenticity.

(P.S. Looking for some cool communicators? Thousands of new graduates are desperately looking for entry-level jobs with exciting portfolios, skills, and eagerness to get started 😉)