AI isn’t coming for the future. It’s already here. It’s rewriting how we search, how we work (Amazon annouced a 30k layoff the other day, directly related to AI), how we communicate, and yes, how we market, sell, and build brands. We’re not waiting for disruption anymore. We’re living inside it.

But in all the noise, all the shiny tools, the GPTs, the copilots, the endless parade of "content at scale," something essential is quietly slipping through our fingers.

Trust.

I have said similar things in previous posts but with more layoffs in the creative industry recently, it is worth reinforcing the fact that if we keep pretending that AI is “freeing creatives to be more creative,” we won’t have an ad industry in two years.

What we will have is an efficiency machine pumping out an endless scroll of generic, soulless content wallpaper that nobody wants to look at. Creativity, the messy, human, culture-making kind that built this industry, is being gutted under the polite fiction of “progress.”

And we’re letting it happen.

I decided to ride the wave of video and talk my way through this thought I had, but am going to transcribe it below as well for those who don't think I am very handsome.

Captions are auto generated

Play

In a world where Artificial Intelligence is becoming the go-to solution for everything from customer service to creative design, it’s easy to get swept up in the idea that data is the answer to all your marketing problems. Impressions, clicks, engagement rates, ROAs, these are all stats that get a lot of attention, and for good reason. In fact, by 2025, we’re expected to generate and consume a staggering 180 zettabytes of data, according to the IDC Global Datasphere.

But here’s the thing: AI doesn't buy anything. People do.

Here’s the thing: I absolutely, 100%, without hesitation, hate everything about what’s happening with AI clones of creatives. This isn’t innovation. It’s creative extinction dressed up as "progress."

When I first pitched the idea for the #IMAKEALIVING powered by FreshBooks event series, the goal was simple: bring business owners together to share what was really keeping them up at night. There were hundreds—if not thousands—of resources on starting a business, but very few places to turn when things got tough. What happens when your friends can’t refer you business anymore? When you feel like you’re all alone?

Creativity is being devalued, and it’s not just a problem—it’s a crisis. If we don’t wake up to what’s happening, we’re heading for a future where getting paid to be creative could disappear entirely. Let me explain.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a troubling trend in industries like advertising and marketing. Agencies are laying off some of the best creatives out there, replacing them with AI-driven tools that are unproven, uninspired, and—let’s be honest—incapable of matching human insight and nuance. Yet these agencies are still charging clients top dollar, pretending the magic is still there. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

In the fast-paced world of marketing, trends come and go like passing storms. But amidst the ever-changing landscape of buzzwords and metrics, there's one constant that successful companies prioritize: the human element. In an era where bounce rates, impressions, and data analytics reign supreme, it's essential to remember that behind every number and acronym, there's a human being with emotions, desires, and needs.