AI in Marketing: Powerful, Fast… but Missing the Human Touch

AI is Everywhere

In the last five years, AI has taken the world by storm. We’ve gone from digital assistants you can play 20 Questions with—or debate whether the Springboks are the superior rugby team (which, of course, they are)—to fully automating our homes. Who knew you could get your dishwasher to turn off the Wi-Fi if the kids haven’t unloaded it within 30 minutes? Definitely not me.

Transforming Marketing and Design

One of the services I offer my clients is an analysis of their online platforms. Meta provides basic analytics, but my clients don’t always have access to the full business suite—and I’m definitely not just sending them screenshots and leaving them to interpret the data.

That’s where AI becomes my time-saving ally. It analyses and generates the initial report, I review it, and once I’m satisfied that it’s presented in plain language my clients can understand, I send it through. This frees up more time for me to focus on design and marketing strategy.

Fact: Harvard Professional & Executive Education notes that AI is transforming marketing by speeding up routine tasks like content creation, analytics, and design ideation, allowing professionals to focus on higher-level strategy and creative decision-making (Harvard Professional & Executive Education, 2025).

For small businesses, AI tools level the playing field, giving them capabilities that were previously reserved for larger teams.

AI in Design

Design assistants like Canva AI and Coolors are excellent for suggesting color palettes and analyzing contrast ratios. For instance, a client wanted deep red and jet black in her design, so we incorporated white and light stone for balance.

Fact: Top4Marketing highlights that AI tools like Midjourney, DALL‑E, and Adobe Sensei can generate multiple design concepts in minutes, accelerating the creative process—but still requiring human oversight and personalization to produce meaningful, brand-aligned work.

Margaux Cornelissen, a fellow marketer, echoes this practical perspective:“I love AI because it helps me get the ball rolling… if you’re smart enough or experienced, you would know how to add some body and spark to text or images.”

The Human Touch Matters

While AI is undeniably powerful and exciting, it has limitations. It can remix ideas, but it doesn’t dream up entirely new or deeply personal concepts. Its biggest shortcoming? Empathy.

Emily House, a designer I spoke with, notes:“You can almost feel the lack of soul in both the writing and art created. I struggle to connect with it.”

CMSWire (2025) reinforces this, arguing that 2025 will be a year defined by blending AI automation with human-led brand storytelling, proving that the human touch remains central to resonating with audiences.

Finding the Sweet Spot

The key is using AI as an unpaid business partner—not a replacement. Let it handle repetitive tasks, spark ideas, and analyze data. Leave revision, personalization, and creativity to the person who does it best: you.

Use ChatGPT or your preferred AI tool to draft outlines or generate inspiration when you’re stuck, but trust your gut. Only you can know what truly resonates with your clients and aligns with their brand identity.

AI isn’t the enemy. Will it replace the human element? Probably not. Marketing isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about building trust, telling stories, and creating emotional connections that only humans can deliver.

References & Credits

• Harvard Professional & Executive Education. (2025). AI Will Shape the Future of Marketing. Link

• CMSWire. (2025). Balancing Human Creativity and AI in Marketing in 2025. Link

• Top4Marketing. (2025). How AI Is Revolutionizing Graphic Design. Link

• Designer insights: Emily House & Margaux Cornelissen (quoted with permission)