Robyn Hartley on Preserving the Authentic Human Voice in an AI-Driven Marketing World

With the dawning of powerful language models like GPT-3 and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, AI has exploded in popularity across virtually every industry. The marketing sector, in particular, has experienced a massive AI revolution within the past few years. 

• 96% of marketing professionals have integrated AI to some degree into their strategies. (Epsilon)
• 85.8% of marketers plan to use AI more over the next three years. (CoSchedule)
• 85% of marketers use AI writing or content creation tools. (CoSchedule)
• 75% of marketers not using AI plan to begin within the year. (Epsilon)

The statistics don’t lie: AI is taking marketing by storm. However, not everyone is convinced this is a positive trend.

According to Synthesia, 60% of marketers worry that AI content could damage brands via plagiarism, biases, and inconsistent brand values. Salesforce found that marketers’ main AI concerns include accuracy and quality (31%), trust (20%), skills (19%), and job safety (18%).

In light of AI’s ubiquity in marketing, one “old-fashioned” component remains essential: the authentic human voice. Although AI pumps out content at an unprecedented pace, it lacks nuanced understanding, empathy, and other exclusively human qualities. The real power lies in the combination of AI + the human voice, where technology supports creativity without replacing the nuance that only people bring.

Let’s examine the advantages of using AI in marketing, where AI misses the mark, and why the human voice still matters with perspectives from Robyn Hartley, founder of Paper Kite Media.

The Benefits of AI in Marketing

AI didn’t tiptoe into the marketing industry. It kicked open the door and immediately made itself comfortable. What used to take days or weeks can now happen in a fraction of that time. This has completely rewired how companies of all sizes approach content, advertising, branding, and strategy. Some of the most widely used AI-powered tools include:

• ChatGPT: Drafts copy, emails, and other content
• Grammarly: Edits with a grammar enthusiast’s precision
• Canva Magic Write: Combines visual design with generative AI
• Jasper: Builds blogs, landing pages, and marketing briefs, with brand voice options
• Surfer SEO: Optimizes content for SEO without human guesswork
• Midjourney and Dall-E: Creates stunning visuals and concepts on demand
• Zapier with AI integrations: Automates repetitive tasks with adaptable logic

Beyond simple convenience, these tools solve real marketing problems. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

1. Faster output without burnout: AI can knock out first drafts, outlines, copy, and concepts in record time, taking pressure off teams that are expected to do more with less. Some even deploy AI agents for routine tasks like scheduling campaigns, generating reports, or drafting emails, which gives human marketers more time to focus on creativity.
2. Lower costs for content-heavy campaigns: Freelancers, startups, and even large agencies use AI to stretchbudgets. Producing quality material no longer requires a full in-house marketing department.
3. Data-backed personalization at scale: AI can analyze behavior and segment audiences so marketing doesn’t rely on hunches and hope. It helps customize messaging to a granular level, something humans can’t always accomplish.
4. Improved consistency across platforms: With the right prompts and guidance, AI can maintain brand voice and tone across multiple formats, from emails to social captions to video scripts.
5. Built-in SEO optimization and iteration: Tools like A/B testing generators and SEO analyzers use live data to improve AI SEO content continually over time. 

Robyn Hartley, Founder of Paper Kite Media, says, “Most of our conversations focus on using AI productively to save time and improve processes. At the same time, we emphasize tools and strategies that preserve the human touch in content creation. Ultimately, that’s what builds connection, trust, and resonance with buyers.”

The tightrope between speed and soul is where AI and human marketers need each other. Technology moves fast, but winning brands benefit from AI without sacrificing authenticity.

The Human Voice: Why Does it Still Matter?

There’s a noticeable difference between AI-generated content and something written, drawn, or otherwise created by a living, breathing person. AI content lacks one critical element: the human voice. What is that, exactly?

In a marketing context, the “human voice” is the authentic person-to-person connection that, try as it might, AI just can’t mimic. A personable “feel” is the hub around which all successful marketing content orbits. Without it, you can’t build emotional connections with your audience. 

Storytelling and empathy, for example, are qualities that AI can parrot but never truly understand the way a flesh-and-blood person does. AI can mimic these qualities, sometimes quite convincingly; ask anyone who’s ever asked ChatGPT for advice. But sooner or later, the AI’s inherent lack of humanity becomes apparent, creating an uncanny valley-like feeling that can make your audience lose trust in your content.

Marketing professionals can’t afford to compromise humanity in favor of efficiency. Making genuine emotional connections with your audience benefits your brand with real, measurable results, such as:

• Higher engagement: When people feel seen and understood, they’re more likely to comment, share, and interact with your content.
• Stronger brand loyalty: Trust built through honest, relatable human messaging keeps your audience coming back and makes them more likely to spread the word.
• Better feedback and insights: People open up more when they feel connected, giving you valuable input that helps refine your product, messaging, or strategy.

In short, authenticity gives your branded content marketing a competitive advantage in a sea of copy-paste content.

Where AI Misses the Mark in Content Creation

The content that generative AI creates is nothing short of astounding. That said, it struggles to produce truly creative, nuanced, and emotionally resonant material, resulting in bland, factually incorrect, or unengaging content. 
Common drawbacks of leaning too heavily on AI to create marketing content include:

• Empty, formulaic content: Over-reliance on AI can produce bland, cookie-cutter material that lacks genuine creativity and emotional connection.
• Blurred brand identity: When AI takes over voice and tone, you risk sounding generic and losing the unique personality and authenticity your audience loves.
• Homogenization and noise: AI’s patterns can create repetitive, predictable messaging that drowns out meaningful, distinctive communication.
• Copyright and Intellectual Property (IP) hazards: AI-generated content may inadvertently copy protected material, which could expose your brand to legal woes.
• Unchecked errors and biases: Without human review, AI can spread inaccuracies or reflect biased data, potentially damaging your brand’s reputation.

Hartley adds, “AI seems like an easy solution for generating content quickly. However, it often prioritizes quantity over quality. If competitors produce authentic content while you rely too heavily on AI, you risk blending into the background or damaging your reputation.”

Think critically about AI use cases for your business. 

Maintaining Authenticity

You can retain the human voice in your content in several ways:

• Grounding content in real experiences and relatable storytelling
• Using a consistent, reliable tone that reflects true brand values
• Avoiding over-editing or polishing content to death, as imperfections make messaging feel more human
• Reviewing and editing AI-generated drafts to preserve genuine emotion and nuance
• Engaging directly with audience feedback and adjusting messaging honestly in response

Abstain from simply handing the reins over to AI — authentic content comes from transparency and honesty.

Preserving the Human Voice in an AI World

The digital age necessitates speed and scale, but authenticity is just as important to make lasting connections. The human voice adds depth that no algorithm can replicate. AI is a tool to amplify creativity, not a crutch to replace human judgment. True value lies in combining technology’s efficiency with unmistakable humanity. 

Building human teams with expertise and passion fuels original, relatable storytelling and earns audience trust. Lead with authenticity in this AI-heavy era to carve out your brand’s unique niche and cultivate a loyal audience. As AI gains ground, investing in people will keep authentic human voices front and center.

About Robyn Hartley, Founder of Paper Kite Media

Robyn Hartley works directly with B2B brands and agencies to build strong authentic relationships with buyers through effective thought-leadership strategies. Her agency specializes in helping B2B brands drive sustainable growth through thought-leadership strategies, helping to reduce sales cycles, improve win rates and reduce overall customer acquisition costs.