Recent commentary from Nothing chief brand officer Charlie Smith points to a more practical way to think about AI in marketing. The value is not in turning AI into a slogan. The value is in using it to remove repetitive work and free up time for judgment, planning and creative development.
That distinction matters because many teams still swing between hype and fear. Some talk about AI as if it is a positioning shortcut. Others treat it mainly as a threat to jobs and craft. The stronger operating model sits in the middle. Use AI where it improves the workflow. Keep humans responsible for ideas, taste and final decisions.
Utility beats theater
For marketing leaders, the immediate gains usually come from summarizing inputs, cleaning drafts, organizing notes and speeding up reporting loops. Those tasks do not make a brand distinctive by themselves, but they do absorb energy that should be spent on strategy and execution. When AI removes that friction, teams become faster without handing over the core of the function.
There is also a messaging lesson here. Customers rarely buy AI as an abstract concept. They respond to saved time, lower friction, clearer outcomes and better experiences. Brands that keep the promise anchored in utility can use the technology without inheriting all of its baggage.
Source:
Business Insider: The more AI this marketing chief exec uses, the less scared he gets
