AI Shouldn’t Replace Marketers, It Should Replace Bad Marketing

Now for a positive take on the implications of AI on marketing practice. This article, “Stop Worrying About AI Taking Your Marketing Job — and Start Doing This Instead,” Entrepreneur, October 14, 2025), challenges the fear that AI will replace marketers, arguing instead that AI will only replace bad marketing—defined as impersonal, generic, and mass-produced content. The real differentiators in today’s cluttered marketing landscape are authentic storytelling, strategic thinking, and empathy—capabilities AI cannot fully replicate. Rather than competing with AI, savvy marketers are using it as a force multiplier to increase productivity, scale insights, and automate routine tasks.

Good marketing still depends on deep human understanding, cultural nuance, and big-picture strategy. Examples like Duolingo’s viral mascot campaigns and Nike’s long-standing emotional storytelling illustrate the human creative touch that AI can’t emulate. The message to marketing students and professionals is clear: success now depends not on resisting AI but on learning to collaborate with it. This is consistent with how I view the role of AI in the future.

Relevant Textbook Chapters

• Chapter 7: Improving Decisions with Marketing Information – Ties directly to the article’s discussion of AI’s role in analyzing customer data and generating insights.
• Chapter 13: Promotion—Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications – Highlights the shift from mass-produced content to customized, strategic promotion .
• Chapter 16: Publicity: Promotion Using Earned Media, Owned Media, and Social Media – Connects to the rise of authenticity, creator-driven content, and the strategic use of AI to amplify earned and owned media.

Class Discussion Ideas

In-Class Activities

1. Marketing Role Audit: Ask students to break down a marketer’s weekly tasks into “AI-automatable” vs. “human-essential.”
2. Campaign Redesign: Use a generic, templated campaign (e.g., a bland email or ad) and challenge teams to rewrite it for emotional resonance and strategic storytelling.

Discussion Questions (and answer ideas)

1. How is AI transforming the skill set required for modern marketers? (Chapters 13 and 16, Appendix C)
   • Students should note the increasing importance of data literacy and strategic thinking over tactical execution.
2. What types of marketing content are most vulnerable to being replaced by AI? (Chapters 13 and 16)
   • Routine content like keyword-stuffed blogs, generic emails, or template-based visuals.
3. Why are authenticity and storytelling more important than ever in marketing? (Chapters 13 and 16)
   • Because consumers are adept at ignoring generic or irrelevant content; human-centered stories build emotional connections.
4. What does it mean to say AI is a “force multiplier” in marketing? (Chapters 13 and 16, Bonus Chapter 2)
   • It enhances human creativity and efficiency, allowing marketers to scale personalized experiences and campaigns.
5. How might AI shape marketing strategy development rather than just tactics? (Chapters 2 and 19)
   • AI can uncover patterns and customer insights that influence positioning, segmentation, and targeting.
6. What are the dangers of over-relying on AI in marketing? (Chapters 13 and 16)
   • Loss of authenticity, tone-deaf messaging, or content that lacks empathy and cultural nuance (Ch. 16).
7. How should marketing educators update their curriculum in response to the rise of AI?
   • This might be an interesting question to ask your students. When it comes to new and emerging topics, I’m interested in hearing students’ thoughts on them. This might provide an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how they see the future.
   • Include training on AI tools, prompt engineering, and ethical concerns, while also reinforcing the irreplaceable value of strategic thinking.

ChatGPT was used to generate an initial draft and the image used in this blog post.