AI chatbots are everywhere. They’re like that one coworker who never takes lunch and always finishes tasks before you’ve even found your charger.
They can bang out eBooks, rewrite emails, crank out outlines, and summarize reports like a caffeinated intern on a deadline. In fact, a recent HubSpot report cited that 55% of marketers prefer text-based content creation.¹ So yeah, if you’re a swamped B2B marketer, it’s fair to ask: Do I even need an agency anymore?
We get it. On the surface, it seems like AI can replace many of the tasks we perform. But here’s the thing: content isn’t just about generating large quantities of assets. Especially in B2B, the value of content lies in providing the right quality of content based on audience insights, differentiated positioning and compelling storytelling. And those are still very human skills.
Short answer? Yes. And not just because we like our jobs.
The content game isn’t about cranking out words; it’s about making buyers care. It’s about moving people across complex journeys. That takes authenticity, insights and empathy. A real strategy. And that’s where AI still falls short.
AI doesn’t know your buyer like you do (or like we can)
AI is great at regurgitating the internet. What isn’t it great at? Understanding the nuances of your audience’s needs, challenges, or how they actually buy.
B2B buying journeys are messy. They involve committees, competing priorities, budget shifts, and a ton of internal politics. A good brand and content strategist knows how to distill all that information to find the insight nuggets and create compelling, on-brand messaging that resonates with multiple stakeholders at various stages of the customer journey. AI? It might hit the right keywords, but it rarely hits the right pain points.
Our take? Content that converts doesn’t just check boxes; it connects. And that connection starts with authenticity (insights) and empathy (Understanding)—an approach we’ve been using for years at BrandAction.
The kind that comes from a forensic understanding of everything that’s important to your prospective customers. What’s keeping them up at night and translating that into a messaging strategy of how your solution can help solve their challenge as they determine who they’re going to consider and whittle down their options. That kind of empathy isn’t something AI can fake, because it’s earned, not scraped.
AI can’t craft a POV that cuts through
If your content sounds like everyone else’s, it likely came from the same AI training set. AI blends. It mashes. It sands off edges. You don’t win in B2B by sounding generic and average. You win by taking a stand, offering sharp insight, or telling a story that makes the CMO stop scrolling. And that comes from talking to real experts. Mining real differentiators. Working with content strategists who know how to take that spark of a good idea and turn it into something memorable and connects with them wherever they are in their buying journey.
