The Role of AI in Marketing: Progress, Promise and the Risks We Can’t Ignore
There isn’t a function in business today that’s untouched by AI. Whether it’s embedded in the platforms we use, layered into workflows, or helping employees organise their working and personal lives- AI is everywhere.
And yet, in most companies, AI is still operating in the shadows. Quietly used. Not officially governed. If your organisation isn’t proactively adopting AI, chances are your teams are already using it—without guidance or policy in place.
Marketing is particularly ripe for AI. Why? Because the volume of creative work going through marketing teams today is unprecedented. In-house and agency creatives are constantly fielding requests: resizing social assets, translating materials, adapting for different markets, reformatting videos, applying logo updates. The list goes on.
This is where AI can shine. It can take away the heavy lift of repetitive, low-value production jobs, freeing up headspace for the real creative thinking that drives value. Used well, it gives time back to the humans at the heart of creativity. The ones who bring emotion, storytelling, and connection into the work.
But as with every new technology, there’s a tipping point. When businesses get too focused on what AI can automate, they risk undervaluing what only people can do. Projects that require depth, thinking time and genuine creativity may begin to be deprioritised in favour of what’s fast, scalable, or AI-generated.
I was reminded of this recently at the cinema. Four trailers in a row contained AI-generated content. It’s happening already: quietly, quickly, and in plain sight.
Over the last few months, I’ve been involved in bringing AI into a large-scale marketing environment. And what’s clear is this: AI implementation isn’t just a tech project. It requires careful planning, strong governance, and serious thought.
One of the challenges is the lack of real-world case studies. Few companies are publicly sharing how they’re using AI at scale in marketing, which makes learning from others difficult. There are some strong anecdotal wins: campaign production times halved, content creation scaled, but it’s still early days.
There are broader questions too. What’s the company’s position on AI? Do you have an internal AI team? What are the ethics you’re willing to embrace? Are you considering bias, likeness, brand protection? Most businesses haven’t formalised any of this yet.
Copyright is another big consideration. AI outputs can raise serious IP questions, especially when something is generated that resembles a known artist’s style, a celebrity, a branded product or a famous landmark. Even if it wasn’t prompted intentionally, the risk is real.
Which is why prompt creation, review processes, and robust training matter. Just like GDPR, AI adoption in marketing needs guardrails. It needs policy. It needs clarity on acceptable use, human review, and content risk.
We need to treat AI training with the same weight we gave to data privacy. Because the risks, while different, can be just as serious for brand trust, legal exposure, and creative integrity.
AI is exciting. But let’s not forget: marketing is a human discipline. Emotion matters. Nuance matters. Judgment matters. The future of AI in marketing isn’t about replacing people. It’s about enabling them.
And that future will only be successful if we build it with intention, not just enthusiasm.
Let’s Talk.
If you’re navigating change — a merger, transformation, or a moment where brand and marketing need to lead, I’d love to help.
👉 Email me directly: andrews_samantha@hotmail.com
👉 Or message me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-andrews/