Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded in our lives. And while it brings immense possibilities, there are equally troubling challenges for brands. Since audiences and customers value authenticity, a lack of transparency around AI usage can jeopardize brand loyalty.
Even if brands aren't disclosing their AI usage or practices, customers are developing a sixth sense. Or at the very least, starting to question the origins of images or content when they can't quite put their finger on why it feels off. Kantar’s Media Reactions 2024 shows that while 62% of consumers feel positive about GenAI broadly, 41% say AI-generated ads “bother” them.
As I scroll through social apps or visit websites, I find myself asking the same question over and over: "What is real and what is AI?" How do we know what comes from genuine human emotion and not a predictive algorithm?
To be clear, I am all for using AI technology. It's been a great resource for competitive and market assessments, and visually it helps get what’s in my head onto my screen. But I also keep running into the same issue. Feed the machine a brief or craft a compelling prompt, and in seconds it generates something that can often feel superficial and repetitive.
We recently had an experience of needing to account for authentic human insight. We were working with a home improvement client, and they wanted to use AI to recommend exterior color schemes for customers. Sounds smart, right? AI could analyze millions of homes, consider architectural styles, factor in neighborhood trends – all the relevant data. But what the data can’t capture is the messy, emotional, uniquely human reasons why people select color – their visceral sense of what feels right that may not be technically “correct.”
That’s not to say AI doesn’t have a place. The answer isn't to abandon it, but to get smarter about how we use it.
I've successfully leveraged AI as a research assistant, idea generator and visual creator. With the right prompt, it's a powerful tool to identify market white space or understand the competitive landscape. But it struggles to create that unique concept untapped in the market or that spark of genuine connection between a brand and its audience.
My sense is the brands that will thrive are the ones that use AI to enhance human insight, not replace it. They'll leverage the technology in tasks like uncovering patterns and possibilities they might have missed, but they'll rely on human creativity to turn those insights into something uniquely meaningful.
Before we go further, we need to talk about “trust.” Specifically, the way too many brands throw that word around. Trust isn't something you can simply declare. It has to be something you earn, one interaction at a time over a sustained period.
In an AI world, this becomes even more critical. Ipsos’ global AI Monitor finds 62% of consumers want ad content on social platforms created by humans. The more consumers struggle to discern what's real, the more they'll be drawn to human connectivity and authenticity to build brand trust.
Lean into your brand DNA—that unique combination of values, experiences and perspectives that makes you who you are—to elevate your competitive advantage. AI can't replicate that because it's not in any dataset. It exists in the hearts and minds of the people who built your company, serve your customers and believe in your mission.
Just know as you strive for authenticity, AI parrots back what already exists. Its recommendations are based on information that has been published, which means every AI-generated strategy starts from the same basic playbook. You risk sounding like everyone else because you're drawing from the same well.
Separating from this “sea of sameness” requires a purposeful kind of digging. You have to go beyond the surface-level data and connect your brand's value to the human experience your customers expect. What are they feeling that they can't quite articulate? What might they want that doesn't exist yet? What would make them stop scrolling and actually pay attention?
This starts by being ruthlessly honest about who you are and what you stand for. And being comfortable with not being perfect. I've found the most authentic brands are the ones not afraid to be a little different. You know, more human.
I keep coming back to one fundamental truth: technology should amplify human creativity, not replace it. AI can help us work smarter, research faster and identify opportunities we might have missed. But it can't create (at least right now!) the emotional connections that drive real brand loyalty.
The future belongs to brands that can blend the efficiency of AI with the authenticity of human insight. They'll use data to inform their decisions but trust their instincts to make the final call. They'll leverage technology to scale their impact but never lose sight of the individual humans they're trying to reach.
At the end of the day, being authentic isn’t about humans vs. AI. It’s about being real. Being transparent. In a world where everything can be faked, being real might just be the most revolutionary act of all.
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