Open LinkedIn right now and you’ll quickly spot the indisputable signs of AI-generated marketing content.
You know the type: those perfectly polished paragraphs peppered with “unwavering commitment” paired with terms like “resilience” and “support” that somehow say everything and nothing at once.
It’s everywhere.
Many marketing teams have already incorporated AI tools into their work processes. For example, marketers create blog posts, website copy, and social media copy and optimise campaigns using ChatGPT, Claude and Jasper, among many other tools.
What started as experimental dabbling in content generation has evolved into standard practice for some. AI’s efficiency in quickly creating content is undeniable, but something concerning is happening in the process: brand personalities are flattening out.
There is an unmistakable ‘AI tone’ creeping into everything.
Brand essence
The central question facing marketers and communicators today isn’t whether they should use AI tools; it’s whether they can do so without losing the essence of what makes a brand stand out.
As my Flow Communications colleague, Willem Steenkamp, who is also an editor, once said, “AI cannot ‘write’, at least not well. In fact, it does it rather badly: bland, unimaginative and frequently overwritten, and always the same … Texts are peppered with superlatives; the sentences will sound smart but mean zip.”
I couldn’t agree more. AI-generated content, while technically correct, often lacks something fundamental: authenticity.
The data on this is compelling. It shows that in a tech-driven world, consumers value authenticity more than ever.
According to Stackla’s recent consumer survey, a whopping 88% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor when deciding which brands to support. This is even more pronounced among younger generations, who prefer content that feels “real and organic” over “perfect and packaged”.
Heart of the backlash
The biggest risk in using AI for marketing? Losing your authentic voice. Brands that experiment with AI-generated content often find themselves in hot water. Take Coca-Cola, for example – its AI-generated ads faced backlash for their unnatural and distorted elements.
Similarly, Google had to pull its Dear Sydney ad, which depicted a father and daughter using AI to craft a letter to an Olympian. Consumers roundly rejected its inauthenticity.
At the heart of this backlash is a growing audience that craves genuine, relatable content.
A Bynder study compared consumer engagement with AI-generated and human content and found that 50% of consumers can correctly identify AI-generated copy. Participants aged 16 to 24 found the content created by a human more engaging than the AI-generated version.
Lasting impression
Of those in this age bracket who had a preference, 55% voted for the human-written article as the most engaging, the report states.
Similarly, the 2025 Sprout Social Index found that consumers rank authenticity and relatability as the most important traits in brand content. It warns brands against chasing trends or trying too hard to be different, advising instead to “carve out an identity that is true to them”.
AI-generated content may perform well on search engines, but it rarely makes a lasting impression. If you think about the content that truly resonates – the articles you share, the stories that move you – they’re rarely perfect. They have a human touch and a little imperfection that makes them real.
Striking the right balance
While we might kick against the blind embrace of bland, AI-generated copy, the winning approach doesn’t lie in resisting the march of technology. It lies in leveraging AI’s strengths while passionately protecting the humanity behind your brand.
How do we strike that balance?
Start by asking: what elements of our communications strategy could truly be elevated by AI and where does it fall short? And in which aspects is there no substitute for the depth, nuance and emotional intelligence only humans can provide? Then, design your work accordingly.
But first, here are some pointers for blending AI and humanity in your brand’s voice:
Define your brand voice and guard it fiercely
According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index™ report, all popular forms of content – from testimonials to video – are driven by brand voice. Therefore, the brands that will thrive are those that work towards defining their core values, their target audience and their voice early on, and then use human insights to remain faithful to that identity.
Your voice is more than just words – it’s your brand’s personality. Let AI assist, but ensure human creativity remains at the core to keep your brand memorable.
Use AI for structure and leave the rest to the humans
Let AI handle the heavy lifting – building content frameworks, researching background details and drafting the basics. But when it comes to the creative spark that turns good content into great storytelling, human brilliance should still be allowed to shine.
Quality-check all content before publishing
Develop an internal process for evaluating content, not just for accuracy and brand alignment but also for quality. Does it ooze creativity and originality? Is it “real” and relatable? If not, reconsider your approach.
Thriving in this new, tech-driven world as a marketer does not mean resisting change or surrendering to automation. It simply means leaning into the capabilities of AI while jealously guarding what makes your brand distinctive: a perspective that could only come from human beings with specific experiences serving a specific audience.
That’s something no algorithm can replicate – at least, not yet.
Thelma Ngoma-Mavhunga is a writer at Flow Communications, one of South Africa’s leading marketing and communications agencies. Founded in 2005 in a small spare bedroom, Flow is now a multi-award-winning agency.
