Artificial Intelligence has been everywhere this year, hasn’t. From marketing and copywriting to design, data, fake photos and the rest. It seems that every conversation comes back to AI in some form. There is no doubt that it has changed how we work and communicate, but it has also left many of us feeling a little weary.
We can all spot copy that has clearly been written by ChatGPT (especially when people don’t change it to UK English so the article is dotted with American spellings). It often sounds a bit too tidy, a bit too perfect, and somehow not quite real. We have seen photos and videos online that look convincing until you notice that something feels off. Even my children have tried to persuade me that a story they saw on the internet was true, only for it to turn out to be completely made up.
It is not surprising that many people are beginning to feel fatigued with it, what / who can we trust? Ironically, the more AI becomes part of our daily lives, the more we seem to crave something human again.
Why AI fatigue is setting in
One reason is that much of what we see now feels repetitive. AI-generated content might be fast and efficient, but it often lacks personality. It is technically correct but emotionally flat. The spark that makes a message memorable or meaningful can be hard to find when everything is built from the same template.
People do not connect with perfect sentences or flawless grammar. They connect with emotion, honesty and character. When everything begins to sound the same, we stop listening.
Rediscovering authenticity
At its best, marketing has never been about automation. It has always been about people. Understanding what matters to your audience, what they value and how they feel is at the heart of good communication.
Real, successful and considered marketing takes time and skill. It involves listening, observing and responding. It is about crafting something that sounds like it came from a person who cares, not from a machine that has been trained on millions of examples.
AI can help with the mechanics of marketing, but it cannot create genuine connections. That still belongs to people.
The risk of losing your voice
Many organisations have rushed to embrace AI because it promises to save time or cut costs. The problem is that in doing so, they often lose what makes them distinctive. When every post and every piece of content starts to sound the same, the brand’s voice fades into the background.
Audiences can tell the difference. They know when something feels hollow or impersonal. What they respond to are brands that sound human and speak with clarity, warmth and confidence.
Why human-led marketing matters
At The Marketing Associates, we believe the best marketing still comes from people. It comes from curiosity, insight and experience. We do not rely on AI to tell your story, because we know that no software can capture the detail, emotion and originality that make your business unique.
Our approach is thoughtful and personal. We take the time to understand your brand and what makes it resonate. That is what allows us to create marketing that feels real and builds genuine trust.
Where does AI have a role in Marketing?
Obviously, AI is not going to disappear, and it does and has added value to marketing teams far and wide, therefore we need to find suitable ways to use the resource. But how should you use it properly and safely for marketing? Well, start with research.
Using AI for ideas generation is a suitable research tool that quickly searches the web for relevant and high authority content. AI can help fill in gaps to an opinion piece, it can add valuable context and sources to copy that may otherwise take weeks of research.
AI can also help to formulate copy as long as the brand’s Tone of Voice is entered and the final copy checked. But again, less is more, you do not want to produce copy that sounds like it’s written by AI.
Looking ahead
AI will continue to develop and play a role in the world of marketing. But the brands that will stand out in 2025 and beyond will be the ones that remember the importance of being human.
People want to engage with businesses that sound authentic, that care about what they do, and that communicate with honesty and warmth.
At The Marketing Associates, we help our clients achieve exactly that. We believe in marketing that speaks to people, not algorithms.
If you would like to make your marketing feel more genuine, more thoughtful and more connected, visit www.themarketingassociates.co.uk.
Get in touch with us.
tabitha@themarketingassociates.co.uk or call 01233 720379
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At The Marketing Associates, we specialise in strategic freelance marketing support for professional service practices, providing excellent quality advice on your marketing strategy to develop and grow your business on a retained basis.