The Dirty Secret Behind AI Content: Your Audience Hates It

ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Perplexity, MidJourney - you’ve all heard of them. And are likely sick of them, too. 

AI is overwhelming our feeds with generated ASMR videos, overly perfect captions, and a major overusage of em-dashes (—). It’s everywhere, and a not-so-subtle sign that our online perception is changing.

So, what does this mean for the social media management world?  

As a social media marketer and manager, it is KEY for to keep a close eye on a clients’ audience to ensure it remains strategic and relevant for maximum efficiency. And right now, almost all businesses’ audiences are saying no to AI content.

A recent article published by David De Cremer and Garry Kasparov at Harvard Business Review said, “AI-based machines are fast, more accurate, and consistently rational, but they aren’t intuitive, emotional, or culturally sensitive.” And audiences are picking up on this. 

AI can make tasks more efficient, but it removes emotion and depth from our work. It feels inauthentic. It feels grey.

And emotion is the basis of anything marketing - it is the “why” behind why anyone makes a decision: to scroll, like, share, comment, or buy. It’s what makes your marketing or content memorable for years to come. 

And I want to preface, AI is awesome - Its a great way to help streamline tasks. But, it should become a replacement for your efforts or core, especially in the marketing world, where emotion is all. 

The Impacts

Now, consumers are becoming aware of AI-generated content and rejecting it. Which long-term puts a dent into a brand's identity and overall humanity.

AI isn’t going anywhere, but neither is our human desire for connection, storytelling, and emotion.

While AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or MidJourney can help streamline workflows, relying on them too heavily risks stripping away the very thing that makes marketing memorable - its humanity. In the long run, brands that lean too far into AI-generated content risk alienating audiences and eroding trust.

So, here's how you can still use AI, without it compromising your marketing strategies:

Actionable Steps

1. Audit Your Content Mix - Review your current posts and pinpoint where AI might be overused. Balance efficiency with authenticity by weaving in more human-driven storytelling.

   
   

2. Prioritize Emotion - Build your campaigns around emotions your audience resonates with: joy, nostalgia, curiosity, or belonging. Anchor every caption, visual, or video in that feeling.

   
   

3. Use AI as an Assistant, Not the Author - Let AI help with ideation, outlines, or scheduling, but make sure final copy and visuals reflect human insight, voice, and context.

   
   

4. Track Audience Sentiment - Monitor comments, shares, and engagement. If your audience feels disconnected or skeptical, it’s a signal to lean back into more organic and raw content, like behind-the-scenes.

   
   

5. Double Down on Authentic Formats - Behind-the-scenes footage, team spotlights, messy moments, and imperfect stories will outperform polished AI scripts in the long term.

   
   

By keeping emotion and human creativity at the forefront - and using AI as a supportive tool rather than the driver - you ensure your brand’s identity stays strong, real, and unforgettable.