Where Does AI-Generated Content Add Value?
A Digital Creator’s Perspective on the Future of Marketing
By Michelle Van Santen
When I first started as a designer, computer-aided graphic design was just beginning to take hold in marketing and branding agencies. In school, I learned both emerging design software and traditional paste-up production. At the time, many seasoned creatives worried that this new technology would erode the craft of graphic design—and creativity itself.
They weren’t entirely wrong. Creative work did change, and there were growing pains. Bad design and lazy execution did occur. But at the same time, a new generation of designers embraced the technology, pushing marketing and branding in bold, exciting directions.
Not long after, the World Wide Web emerged as a marketing tool, and suddenly every business needed a website. People declared, “Print is dead!” Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. Instead, the industry expanded. I built new skills in digital and user interface design, while copywriters adapted their work for screens and SEO. Once again, marketing and branding evolved in new and compelling ways.
Today, we’re in the midst of a major evolution: Artificial Intelligence. The way we work is changing—again. So, is AI-generated content good or bad?
The answer is: both.
AI is a new capability and a new opportunity. I’ve been spending time exploring its potential, understanding its limitations, and considering how it will shape marketing and branding. Here’s my perspective:
Where AI Adds Value in Marketing and Design:
- Brainstorming & Concepting – AI quickly generates a wide range of ideas, accelerating early-stage thinking, and helping to visualize and articulate high-level concepts for both internal teams and clients.
- Market Segmentation – AI supports data analysis and audience targeting efforts, allowing us to find insights faster.
- Copy & Headline Refinement – When messaging isn’t quite landing, AI offers alternative phrasing.
- Visual Efficiency – In the hands of a skilled designer, AI can produce compelling image generation and handle complex photo retouching, saving significant time and cost. That said, outputs should always be reviewed for accuracy.
Where AI Falls Short. The Human Element
- Emotional & Cultural Nuance – AI doesn’t experience emotion or culture. This can result in work that lacks brand authenticity or the subtle cultural touches that drive true engagement.
- Predictability – The most successful advertising and marketing campaigns often break rules, challenge norms, or present unexpected perspectives. AI still struggles to replicate that creative “spark.”
- Brand Specificity – AI struggles to consistently deliver highly tailored, premium brand executions. Without human oversight, outputs can feel generic or “mechanical,” making it harder for brands to stand out and differentiate from the competition.
- Copyright & IP Concerns – Because AI is trained on existing content, questions around ownership, usage rights, and trademarks remain—especially in logo and brand creation.
- Consistency & Control – Achieving a cohesive visual style across outputs can be difficult and time-consuming. AI is highly literal and doesn’t always interpret prompts as intended.
- Fabrication of Information – AI can “make things up.” This can be useful in ideation, but risky when accuracy matters. Human oversight and fact-checking are essential.
- Image Resolution Limitations – Many AI-generated images are optimized for digital use. Scaling them for print or large-format applications can lead to quality issues unless created at a higher resolution from the start.
Intention Over Dependence
AI isn’t replacing creativity—it’s reshaping how we practice it. Like every major shift before it, the tools will evolve, the noise will settle, and what will remain is the value of human insight, taste, and judgment. The challenge—and opportunity—is to use AI with intention, not dependence, so the work we create still remains distinctly human.
For the purposes of this article, I did not address concerns about the environment, energy consumption, or job displacement, as these are broader issues spanning across all of society.
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