The Cost of Automating Authenticity: A.I.’s Limits in Social Media

As automation and artificial intelligence processes accelerate, many brands are convincing themselves that A.I. can replace the strategic and creative work of social media professionals. It’s a decision often driven by budget cuts and misconceptions on what social media managers actually do, the skills they have and what truly makes social media marketing effective. A recent survey revealed that 39 percent of CMOs and brand marketing executives plan to reduce labor costs as they adopt A.I. and other automation tools. With 94 percent of organizations using A.I. in marketing preparation or execution, 51 percent of content marketers now piloting or scaling A.I. and 85 percent of marketers employing it for writing and content creation, that influence is only growing.

But reducing the social media management role to content production ignores the very thing that makes social media effective: human connection. People log into social networks to hear from people. A.I. can generate content, but only humans can create connection. 

Before A.I., brands were already grappling with how to maintain control of their equity amid the rise of social media, user-generated content and influencers. Now, A.I. adds another layer of both challenge and opportunity. While the technology can be a powerful amplifier for efficiency and creativity, it also introduces heightened scrutiny. Disclosure failures, synthetic media missteps and a lack of transparency can quickly erode consumer trust and perceptions of authenticity. 

In late 2024, Spanish fast-fashion brand Mango faced backlash for using A.I.-generated avatars in its campaigns. While the garments were real, the move drew criticism for cutting out human models and for potentially misrepresenting how the clothing would actually fit. Coca-Cola, meanwhile, was criticized for an A.I.-generated Christmas ad—intended as an homage to its iconic 1995 commercial—that many said felt hollow and devoid of genuine creativity. These examples underscore the same point: technology can scale production and streamline workflows, but it can’t manufacture authenticity.  

According to the Pew Research Center, 50 percent of U.S. adults say they’re more concerned than excited about A.I.’s growing presence in everyday life, and 53 percent believe it will diminish people’s capacity for creativity. That skepticism can offer brands, and subsequently marketers, a warning. When brands lean too heavily on automation, they risk alienating audiences who are already uneasy about A.I.’s encroachment on human creativity. 

The human element

Social media managers are highly skilled strategists. They combine data-driven insight, cultural fluency and platform-specific expertise to move businesses forward. They listen. They interpret audiences. They shape brand identity in real time. A.I. can help time-strapped professionals generate ideas and speed up workflows, but it will always need the guiding hand of a human editor and strategist to bring authenticity and nuance. No matter how advanced, A.I. lacks two crucial ingredients: taste and human insight. 

A.I. can produce a post, but it can’t tell you if that post is good. It can’t predict how your audience will feel about an image or whether the tone will resonate or alienate. But a social media team can. They’ve developed that intuitive sense of taste through experience and through ongoing relationships with audiences. Their refinements can sharpen decent content into content that drives engagement, emotion and loyalty. 

Without that oversight, A.I. will churn out endless streams of generic, repetitive and uninspired content. And audiences will notice. They already do. There’s a reason why so many refer to A.I.-generated social media content as “slop.” As sameness spreads, the brands that still feel human will be the ones that win.

Standing out in the sea of sameness

With A.I.-generated content flooding social media, differentiation matters more than ever. The brands that take creative risks, experiment and are willing to lean into what makes them human are best poised to reap greater rewards. Social media needs to be more “artisanal” again—it needs to embrace personality, risk-taking and even imperfection. What does it mean to “be human” on social media? That’s going to look different for every brand, but it will always involve building a distinct voice, listening and responding authentically to your audience and allowing for moments of imperfection. While this approach may also battle against an algorithm that drives engagement, in a sea of A.I., even the bold and unconventional can break through precisely because it feels genuinely human.  

A.I. as a teammate, not a takeover

Despite the limitations of A.I., this isn’t a rejection of the technology. It’s an argument for using it wisely. A.I. can serve as a powerful brainstorming partner, help draft demo content and handle repetitive tasks that free social media teams to focus on creativity and strategy. As transformative as the technology is, it continues to evolve. The A.I. boom is still booming, but the technology—and its reaches and limitations—is often misunderstood. The best uses for A.I. in social media marketing have yet to be discovered. But one principle is already clear: the most effective A.I. strategies keep skilled social media professionals in control. 

A.I. should serve human expertise, not replace it. The strongest social media outcomes will come when trained professionals steer the process, with A.I. operating as a powerful co-pilot that extends capability, rather than an autopilot that replaces judgment. Human oversight is essential. Every A.I.-assisted output must still be reviewed, refined and approved by people who understand both brand voice and audience expectations. 

The risk of cutting corners

Social media teams are already among the most overextended functions inside many organizations. Slashing staff and outsourcing creativity to algorithms may reduce costs in the short term, but it will almost certainly erode brand impact and audience trust over time. As authenticity declines, audiences will disengage, sales will slip and, eventually, businesses will rebuild the teams they dismantled at greater expense. The brands that succeed will be those that recognize that A.I. isn’t a shortcut but an amplifier. Technology can scale production, but only people can scale trust. 

The future is hybrid

At the risk of sounding like a car company, the future of social media isn’t A.I.-powered or human-powered—it’s a hybrid of both. A.I. will handle the automation, and humans will handle the imagination. The most valuable connections are still made person-to-person, even if through a screen.

A.I. offers immense opportunities for marketers, but without skilled, knowledgeable and experienced human direction, it will only produce content that is generic, repetitive and ineffective—efficient but empty. Used thoughtfully, A.I. can make social media teams more creative and impactful. Used carelessly, it will strip brands of the very authenticity that makes audiences care. Social media has always been about connection. And connection is, and will always be, a profoundly human endeavor.