The Necessity of Storytelling in an AI-Driven World

Marketing is at a tipping point.

I hope that statement does not elicit any eye-rolls – but I recognize that we might all have a bit of intellectual whiplash from the near constant reporting around the proliferation of technology and what it means for various industries. At every turn we are inundated with buzzwords and lofty statements about new eras and new worlds, designed to nudge us towards action in place of comfortable observation. But as someone who has worked in marketing – more specifically, content marketing – for the better part of a decade, I am rather confident that our line of work is truly at an important inflection point.

On one hand, the rapid advancement of AI technology is, undeniably, setting off alarms in creative circles. While there are plenty of arguments to be made about “things always progressing this way” and society’s ability to adapt as new roles are revealed in the wake of old jobs becoming obsolete, the tools now at our disposal offer a different scope and scale of impact. Sure, in years past, tools like Canva might have posed a small threat to very junior designers, but the profession remained largely unscathed because, simply put, it was often easy to spot the difference between a generic Canva template and something professionally designed and curated. The same could be said for platforms like Wix and Squarespace, which allowed individuals with zero coding experience to create and publish websites using premade templates. Of course, the creation of those templates opened up a new opportunity for web designers, and much like the Canva example, the need for more dynamic and customized website builds never dissipated.

Today, however, the tools in question are far more robust and capable and can, with the right prompts and direction, perform the work of a skilled designer in the matter of seconds. Is it perfect? Perhaps not. But it’s certainly impressive and time efficient, and beyond anything we’ve seen before. By no means do I think these tools will completely replace the need for creative professionals. After all, the quality of the outcome derived from AI tools hinges almost entirely on the quality of the input and prompt, and these tools ultimately aren’t technically creating anything new or original (at least not yet). But even still, I have no doubt that these tools will change the way companies approach (and allocate budget for) their design needs in the years to come – especially as AI inevitably improves.

Copywriting, unsurprisingly, finds itself in a similar position. If you are a copywriter that specializes in churning out high volumes of rather basic ad/social copy or blog-style content, you might find yourself staring down a hypothetical barrel wielded by your AI-powered competitor. If the copy you produce is nothing new or noteworthy – but rather, just the artful repurposing of available information and ideas – there is technically no reason it can’t be produced by an AI agent in less time and for a lower cost. 2025 certainly isn’t a good time to major in the minor leagues.

Therein lies the anxiety many creative professionals are currently grappling with, especially those somewhat new to the field. If you thought the unpaid internship was hard, the AI era is sure to be even harder. Because in this landscape, the key to remaining safely outside the blast radius of AI displacement is to leverage your skills and ability as a director and master operator – not a mere implementor or grunt work specialist. In the realm of copywriting and content marketing, specifically, the “thinkers” will become the “haves”, while the “doers” will inevitably become the “have nots”.

In this sense, copywriters and content marketers must evolve (if they haven’t already) from repackaging information and strategies to execute on behalf of a client, to bringing forth the vision and the original ideas that AI tools can help execute at scale.

But, let me tell you something. The widespread implementation of AI also carves out a new opportunity – an opportunity which already existed, but will now become more of a mandate. In this new world, where AI tools are readily accessible and countless companies have the ability to create and publish content with relative ease (even with limited budgets), effective storytelling will become all that more important. Why? Because that’s where AI’s use case ends, and where brand differentiation begins.

To be frank, storytelling was always at the heart of great content marketing… or at least, it was meant to be. The most dominant brands in any industry go beyond a great product or service, a sleek website, clever slogans, keyword-rich copy, and well-oiled sales funnels. They separate from their competition and forge connections with their customers through effective storytelling across a variety of mediums – and they do this very, very well.

Take, for example, Midday Squares. I went to University with one of the Co-Founders, Jake, which meant I had a front row seat (at least via social media) to the initial launch and eventual evolution of the “functional chocolate squares” that are now beloved by the masses. The product itself is, if you ask me, delicious and certainly fulfils the promise it makes to customers as a healthy, macro-friendly “sweet treat” alternative. Their campaigns are also polished and edgy and their content is well-produced, much like their brand design. But more than that, the marketing behind the company has placed Midday Squares in a category of its own within an otherwise crowded marketplace. How? Through storytelling. The founders – Jake, his sister, Lezlie, and her husband, Nick – have been relentless in their efforts to rip back the curtain on their entrepreneurship journey. For years, they’ve shared the ins and the outs of running their company – the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s nitty and gritty in a way that feels real and authentic in a world that is increasingly hyper-curated. Customers are shown the mistakes and the “holy sh*t what have we done?” moments as well as the triumphs and celebrations. They are given a seat at the table usually reserved for company insiders, and are often granted a rather intimate glimpse into the personal lives of the founding trio. This allows customers who have never met them to feel connected to them and their company in a way they’ve likely never felt about other CEOs who remain tucked out of view.

In simple terms, they have mastered the art of giving customers a reason to care – whether it’s because they love the product, or they are simply interested in the people who brought that product to life and their experience navigating entrepreneurship. Their marketing is firmly rooted in the human experience, even if they surely use modern tools to streamline their operations and scale their efforts.

Of course, not every company would benefit from putting their CEO or founder center stage – the specifics of the formula can (and should) be adjusted based on the marketplace and the brand. But the core message remains the same: great marketing is accomplished through storytelling, especially in a landscape where hoards of (potentially generic) AI-derived content will become the norm. And to tell a story – especially one that is original or unique – you need to be a human, you need to understand the market and its customer, and you need to have a vision and strategy that modern tools can help you bring to life. You may not need to power the ship anymore – but you still need to know where to steer it.