A debate: What should AI’s role in marketing be?

Given the many different perspectives on this question, we thought it best addressed in a debate format. Assembly ran an AI-generated debate between two fictional CMOs, Tom and Nicole (edited by Pinwheel founder/ECD Todd Anthony ). The pair touched on the dangers of over-relying on AI, how AI can free up the talent for more important tasks, what is the essence of a human touch, the value of the lived experience, and the potential of AI serving as a safety net that actually enables more creative risk-taking.

MODERATOR: Welcome, Nicole and Tom, to this debate on the future of AI in creative development for marketing. Let’s start off by having you both briefly outline your viewpoints. Since you’re the AI-enthusiest, Nicole, why don’t you kick it off?

NICOLE: Thanks! Look, AI isn’t just some fancy new toy—it’s a transformative force in marketing. Already, it’s helping us analyze enormous amounts of data, personalize ads in real-time, and even generate unique copy and visuals. It allows us to understand our customers on an incredibly nuanced level, quickly identifying what works and what doesn’t. And this, to me, is just the beginning. As the technology continues to evolve, I think we’ll see AI playing a central role in not only optimizing but also creating marketing materials. Imagine a world where AI can suggest ideas, produce original content, and personalize campaigns at a level humans simply don’t have the time or capacity for. It’s exciting to consider how much more efficient and effective we could be!

MODERATOR: Thank you, Nicole. Tom, your opening statement?

TOM: Thanks, Nicole. I absolutely agree that AI has brought efficiencies to our industry. But I think some are jumping the gun on how deeply we let AI into the creative process. Sure, it can analyze data and help with personalization, but marketing is about more than just optimization. It’s about ideas, storytelling, emotional connection, and authenticity—things AI, no matter how advanced, cannot fully grasp because they can only be derived from a lived experience.?

There’s a danger in over-relying on AI, which could result in homogenized, predictable, boring content that lacks that spark of originality that only humans can bring to the table. By over-investing in AI, we risk undervaluing the human insights and creativity that make a brand truly resonate."

NICOLE: "I get your point, Tom. And I agree. Creativity and authenticity are crucial, but AI doesn’t have to replace the human touch; it can also just be used simply to enhance that human touch.?

AI can also help free up creatives from repetitive tasks and allow them to focus on higher-level ideas and storytelling. For instance, AI can generate ideas or designs as starting points, which humans can then refine. Think of it as a creative partner, not a competitor. We can maintain the 'human touch' by guiding and fine-tuning what AI produces. And with advancements in AI, it’s even becoming more nuanced and better at mimicking human-like creativity."

MODERATOR: Interesting. Tom, your thoughts on that?

TOM: "Uh, I don’t advise that. If you start with 30 crappy ideas, you’re going to wind up with 30 nicely polished, yet still crappy ideas. Because mimicking creativity thus far only leads to bad, one-dimensional, soulless ideas with no trace of human truth.?

If you’re just trying to get marketing work out the door, then maybe there’s an acceptable degree to which something AI-created is similar to something human-created. But marketers who are really trying to move the needle need powerful, original ideas that move people to act.??

Look, AI can only generate patterns based on existing data. It cannot feel empathy or understand the human condition. That’s the essential magic of human creativity. It’s unpredictable and draws on life experiences that AI just doesn’t have – the experience of living in the world. AI has never stood in a field and marveled at the way birds fly together. AI has never laughed until it almost peed its pants. AI has never fallen in love or had its heart crushed. If we put AI in the driver’s seat of creativity, our marketing risks becoming one-dimensional, formulaic, sterile and the opposite of what it needs to be - which is positively fascinating.

NICOLE: "I agree, of course AI can’t replace human intuition. And I’m not suggesting we put AI in the driver’s seat. But it CAN help creative thinkers navigate.?

AI is actually creating new ways for us to access those deeper insights you’re talking about. For example, AI-driven sentiment analysis can detect emotions in text, audio, and video to provide marketers with insight into an audience’s mood. Then you can craft messages that resonate. That’s just one example, but the amount of consumer data it can process is staggering. And all of that data leads to actionable insights that can genuinely inform creativity. Imagine using those insights to build campaigns that hit all the right notes, at the right time, for the right people. Isn’t that amplifying the role of human creativity rather than diminishing it? Isn’t that exciting?”

TOM: "But what happens when we rely too heavily on those AI-derived insights? We risk missing out on the spontaneous, experimental ideas that often come from human intuition, not data. Some of the most iconic campaigns didn’t come from data—they came from bold, sometimes unexpected ideas that struck a universal chord. We have to encourage and create space for that kind of creativity.?

If we allow AI to dominate every aspect of creative development, we risk losing that serendipity, that magic that isn’t driven by, or even informed by algorithmic patterns."

NICOLE: "That’s a fair point, but you might be overstating things a bit. AI doesn’t eliminate creativity. In fact, it can help us take more creative risks by quickly showing us what works and what doesn’t.?

A/B testing, for example, lets us try campaigns on small audiences before a full rollout. Imagine if AI could predict the outcomes of innovative ideas, giving us the green light to take more risks. Instead of limiting or circumventing human creativity, AI could be the safety net that encourages it!"

TOM: "One can dream. But it also might lead us straight into the “sea of sameness” where we’ve defaulted to 'safest' or 'most predictable,' based on past patterns. Great marketing isn’t always predictable—it’s daring. If we condition our teams to rely on AI to spark, hone, or approve every idea, we might stifle originality and produce more of the same. In other words, the greater risk is that we create marketing that is more cookie-cutter than cutting-edge."

NICOLE: "Valid. Valid. But what I’m trying to say is that the future of marketing is a balance—a blend of AI’s analytical power with human intuition and creativity. If we can lean into the strengths of both, we can craft experiences that are both innovative and human-centered. AI should enhance human creativity, not replace it. With a thoughtful approach, we can keep AI as an ally in this industry, not a threat."

TOM: "I certainly hope so. But that kind of balance requires a careful contemplation of the pitfalls on either side of that. We need to ensure that AI remains a “tool” in the hands of creatives, not the other way around. If we become too dependent on AI, we risk losing the unique, deeply human aspect that makes marketing truly connect. I’m all for using AI strategically, but we need to tread carefully to protect what makes our work resonate on a human level.?

Perhaps the danger isn’t AI itself, but the risk of becoming so enamored with automation that we forget the very thing that makes marketing work: genuine human insight.”

MODERATOR: Thank you both. It sounds like you agree on one thing at least—that AI’s role needs to be balanced with human creativity. How exactly that balance should look, though, will be a debate for years to come.

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What do you think? Comments welcomed.