AI has taken the marketing world by storm. From generating social media posts to writing emails and even designing ad campaigns, it’s everywhere. And truthfully, it can be an amazing tool.
But here’s the thing: just because AI is available and you're using it, doesn’t mean your using it well.
As someone who's been in marketing long before these tools existed, I’ve seen both the right and wrong ways to use AI. When it’s done right, AI can elevate a campaign. Done wrong, and it can flatten a brand's voice, confuse customers, and hurt sales.
The best thing you can do with AI is get a better understanding of how to use it properly and recognizing when it’s being misused.
Let’s walk through some of the most common signs you're looking at AI-generated marketing content, and how to make sure your brand doesn't fall into the trap.
WHY AI BECAME SO POPULAR IN MARKETING?
Before we dive into the signs, let’s be fair to AI. It’s efficient. It can crank out blog posts in seconds, build out email sequences, and even provide data-driven insights for campaign optimization. Did AI write this blog? No. Did AI review this blog, give notes and check all grammar and flow? Sure did. AI helps businesses save time and money, especially when internal teams are small or stretched thin. But AI can’t do everything. It lacks experience, emotion, and strategic thinking that makes marketing truly effective. And if you rely on it too heavily, that starts to show.
Four Signs You're Looking at AI-Generated Marketing
1. The Language Feels… Empty
You've probably read content that sounds good on the surface but says absolutely nothing. Phrases like “empower your success,” “drive innovation,” or “unlock your full potential” sound polished but lack substance. AI often defaults to these vague, generic catchphrases because they’re safe but they don’t actually tell your audience anything meaningful. I don't know about you but I'm tired of reading any sales and marketing blog only to read "it's time to double down."
2. The Brand Voice Is All Over the Place
One minute the brand sounds formal, the next it’s overly casual. AI tools can mimic tone, but being consistent across platforms is a struggle. Without human oversight, this inconsistency can quickly make a brand feel disjointed and untrustworthy.
3. It’s Buzzword Soup
If every sentence includes terms like “next-gen,” “cutting-edge,” “synergy,” or “game-changer,” there’s a good chance AI had a hand in writing it. These words get thrown around a lot by AI tools because they’re seen as high-impact but when used without context or real value, they just become noise.
4. There’s a Lot of Fluff, but Not Much Insight
AI is good at filling space. You might end up with a 1,000-word blog post that reads like it’s going somewhere but never actually does. It might have a structure, it might hit keywords, but it doesn’t deliver insights, opinions, or stories. It’s just content for content's sake and most of the time, its bad content.
5. It just seems...weird?
Sometimes things just feel a bit off, especially in videos, photos, or graphics. In video, you might notice that the speech doesn’t match the movement of the person's mouth. In photos, there could be an extra finger or even a missing hand. The inconsistencies are subtle, but if you look closely, they’re there.
A great example is this video created for Liquid Death, a canned water brand. It was made entirely with AI and shows how powerful these tools are becoming. Yes, there are visual glitches and red flags, but imagine the cost of producing this same video without AI. The budget would be on a completely different level.
Using AI the Right Way
Let me be clear: I’m not anti-AI. In fact, our team uses it, strategically. I get the question a lot from clients. "Are you using AI on our account?" Absolutely. We use AI strategically. We use it to save time so we aren't stuck in mundane tasks but more so focused on the big picture. AI can be a great starting point, but the final product still needs a human touch.
We also lean on AI for data analysis, personalization, and campaign optimization. These are areas where machines truly shine and can help us move faster and smarter. When it comes to storytelling, emotional resonance, and long-term brand building? That’s human territory.
Why This Matters to Your Business
Your customers know when something feels off. They might not say it out loud, but they can sense when a message feels disconnected and that matters.
Great marketing builds trust. Trust builds loyalty. Loyalty drives sales.
If you’re putting out content that’s generic, inconsistent, or lacks personality, you’re not just missing an opportunity, you could be actively turning people away. On the flip side, when you combine AI efficiency with real strategy, creativity, and consistency, you get the best of both worlds. You scale smarter, stay on brand, and connect with your audience in ways that actually move the needle.
The takeaway
AI isn’t going away. And it shouldn’t. It’s a valuable tool when used with intention but it’s not a replacement for strategy, experience, or human insight. If your marketing feels like it’s missing something, or worse, like it’s blending in with everything else out there, it might be time for a new approach.