When AI Backfires: The Danger of Over-Automation in Marketing

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. From customer support chatbots to automated ad campaigns, businesses are leaning on AI tools to save time and scale faster. While the technology can be powerful, there’s a growing risk that overusing AI actually degrades the one thing that sets you apart in a crowded marketplace: your authenticity.

The Promise of AI

AI offers efficiency. It can send thousands of texts in seconds, analyze customer data, and even write blog posts (like this one). Done right, it helps businesses stay consistent and responsive. But there’s a line where convenience turns into carelessness. When AI replaces your voice instead of amplifying it, your brand begins to feel robotic and disconnected.

Example: Automated Text Marketing Gone Wrong

I recently responded to a message (not knowing it was AI generated) asking it to send the information to my email. Here was the response: 

“Sorry, I can only send information to <nameididntrecognize>@gmail.com. Should I send it there? 

Confused, I responded that would not be helpful since that's not my email address.

Then I got a follow-up message:

“Sorry Gabe, that was my AI. I'll take care of it.”

Two things were concerning here. First, the authenticity is lost. I won't use that channel to communicate with that person ever again. I don't want to talk to a bot. And second, it was as if this is the new thing we must get used to — AI screws up but that's not going to stop me from using it. 

I would be floored if that was me and I would immediately cut off that source of communication.

I once tried using AI for LinkedIn. That only ended up being a bad reflection on me.

The irony? These tools are designed to “scale relationships,” but when overused, they can damage relationships faster than they build them.

Finding the Balance

AI should support your authenticity, not replace it. That means:

• Using AI to handle the repetitive tasks (like formatting or scheduling) but keeping the human voice in key interactions.

• Reviewing and editing AI-generated content so it reflects your brand personality.

• Making sure that when people reach out, there’s always a real human on the other side ready to engage.

At its best, AI is like a great assistant — it handles the background work so you can focus on showing up as your most authentic self. At its worst, it becomes a megaphone blasting robotic noise into an already noisy marketplace.

My take is to use AI when it helps you but doesn't sacrifice your dignity or your authenticity. Full disclosure chock full of irony: I used AI to help me write this blog post. But I edited it to make sure it got the point across that I was trying to make. And if you are trying to figure out which part(s) I wrote, here's a hint: One of the "em" dashes is all mine.