Marketers, You’re Not Competing With Humans Anymore

If you’re working in marketing right now, I have some news for you: things are changing—and fast. Forget the old days when you were just trying to outwit the brand down the street or craft a wittier campaign than your friendly neighborhood competitor. Today, the playing field is radically different. Now, you’re competing with highly creative individuals who also have AI as their secret weapon—and honestly, the possibilities are starting to look limitless.

The Rise and Rampage of AI-Generated Video

So, let’s get right to what’s taking over your social feeds. The explosion of AI-created video content has happened so quickly, I don’t think anyone really saw it coming—at least, not at this speed.

If you’ve scrolled through TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn, or even X (formerly Twitter), you’ve probably run into videos that make you stop for a second and go, “Wait, is this… real?” Some start as regular, human-looking recordings, and then the scenery or the people themselves start morphing in wild, sometimes unsettling ways—think “bad dream” or “uncanny valley” territory. Then, there’s the oddly satisfying kind of content: hyper-realistic food being sliced, objects made from glass, that perfect ASMR sound mixing with visuals that hit just right. It’s digital “mental floss.”

And let’s not forget about the AI influencers. Love them or cringe at them, their presence is increasing. We’ve all seen a near-perfect avatar hawking a product or acting as a spokesperson in a sponsored ad. Sometimes, it even tricks you for a second or two.

Why This Matters for Marketers

• The barrier to entry for high-quality visuals and video is almost non-existent. Anyone with a good idea (and some access to modern AI tools) can conjure up a video that would’ve cost Hollywood money just a few years ago.
• The algorithm loves novelty and speed. Creators are now free to test dozens of ideas a day—AI gives them “unlimited shots” to make something go viral. Marketers, meanwhile, are often held back by approval processes and bureaucracy.
• Your real competition is rapid-fire creativity mixed with machine power. Those who can move quickly will capture attention before you’ve even left the meeting room.

Trust Is Becoming a Premium Commodity

With AI-generated content getting so good, the authenticity of what we see online is becoming a serious question. We’ve already seen manufactured “breaking news” clips, viral deepfakes, and sensational stories that, on closer inspection, turn out to be nothing more than a few prompts and some digital wizardry.

Truth is about to become an extremely valuable differentiator. As everything from animated cats to fake press conferences populates our feeds, audiences will look for beacons of reliability and authority. People are going to gravitate toward accounts and brands that consistently deliver value, show up honestly, and build trust over time. And yes, don’t be surprised if blockchain-powered verification becomes the new blue checkmark—there’s a genuine need for proof of origin and authenticity.

How You Can Prepare for the “Truth Premium” Era

1. Double down on your personal or company brand: Show up consistently, be transparent about what’s real, and provide actual value, not just viral appeal.
2. Embrace live content when you can: It’s much harder to fake, easier to trust, and incredibly engaging.
3. Be ready to leverage new verification tools: Whether it’s blockchain-backed signatures, platform-based badges, or other means—expect that audiences will look for clear signs that you are who you say you are.

From “Can I Code?” to “Let’s Just Build It”

Here’s where things get really interesting for marketers: the rise of AI-powered coding assistants and tools. If you haven’t dabbled yet, picture this—creating interactive landing pages, mini-apps, and even basic AI-powered widgets could be as easy as giving instructions to a chatbot. No years of computer science required.

For example, new platforms are already letting marketers build and customize pages, applications, or even customer-facing utilities by describing what they want. The AI handles the heavy lifting, translating your vision into functioning code.

In fact, I’m convinced that more than half of marketers who use AI tools regularly will be “vibe coding” within a year. That means building and tweaking basic digital assets with AI help—often with zero traditional coding skills.

Some marketers argue that these skills won’t be universal. Maybe not everyone will jump in headfirst, but here’s the reality: with tools getting easier and automation powering more behind-the-scenes work, it’s going to be tougher to find reasons not to at least experiment. It’s the modern equivalent of what Squarespace did to web design—suddenly, everyone could do it.

So, What Can You Do Right Now?

• Play with the new tools. Try out AI page builders, code assistants, or integrated apps as they emerge. Learn what’s possible firsthand.
• Start small. Don’t feel you have to become a technologist overnight. Building a single landing page or automating a common process is a great first step.
• Always look for ways to eliminate bottlenecks. When you free yourself from technical delays, you make room for more creativity and faster response to trends.

The Age of AI Agents: 24/7 Digital Receptionists

One area where I’m seeing genuinely game-changing progress is in AI-driven conversational agents. These aren’t just glorified chatbots—modern agents can pick up the phone, answer real questions, send information, and even book meetings with prospects automatically. For less than the monthly cost of a human virtual assistant, you get rapid, professional service for your inbound leads and customer queries.

Just imagine: every lead gets a follow-up, every question gets an instant answer, and meeting scheduling happens right on the call without needing to send a link. For anyone who’s drowning in inbound requests (or just wants to scale their ability to follow up with every potential client), this is a huge deal.

The lesson? Embrace these digital assistants. Use the time and mental space they free up to focus on strategy, creative work, and everything else that actually moves your business forward.

Keep an Eye on the Future—But Act Today

If there’s one thing I hope you take away here, it’s this: the status quo is changing, and rapidly. Competition is no longer just about clever copy or polished product shots—it’s about how fast you can test, learn, and deploy ideas at internet speed, leveraging technology to do things that would have sounded impossible just a short time ago.

Don’t be intimidated. Instead, let your curiosity drive you. Experiment with AI-created videos, get comfortable with AI-powered creation tools, and lean into trust and authenticity as your north stars. The future belongs to those who can blend creativity, efficiency, and humanity—even as the lines between real and AI-generated content get blurrier by the day.