What keeps marketing human-centered as AI takes more tasks?

Most answers emphasize maintaining direct human involvement—through creativity, connection, interpretation, or feedback—while a few focus on balancing or scaling human input alongside AI.

10 answers

Answers

  • Gary Lombardo

    Adjunct Professor

    Small experiments

    Gary Lombardo says he builds a standing rhythm of small experiments with his team — testing a channel, checking results and adjusting — rather than waiting for a big annual plan to be right, which he describes as how he stays agile.

    The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX · The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX · Listen at 26:02

  • Rustom Dastoor

    Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing and Communications for the Americas · Mastercard

    In-person human connection

    Rustom Dastoor points to in-person human connection, saying AI does not compensate for humanity and in-person interaction has value and impact that virtual contact cannot replicate.

    Marketing Beyond with Alan B. Hart · Marketing Beyond with Alan B. Hart · Listen at 21:09

  • Melissa Ryan

    Senior Digital Marketing Manager · Federated Hermes

    Strategically balance human and agent capital

    Melissa Ryan says she strategically thinks about setting up agents and using human capital versus agent capital, evaluating each, because the regulated environment always involves a human element.

    The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX · The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX · Listen at 15:57

  • Paul Roehrig

    Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer · Ascendion

    Human interpretation

    Paul Roehrig says the practice is human interpretation: it comes down to the human interpretation of the story you're trying to tell, and while a robot can help, he doesn't think we're ready to abdicate that.

    FINITE B2B Marketing · Watch on YouTube

  • Marvin Chow

    VP of Consumer and AI Marketing · Google

    Feedback loop

    Marvin Chow says he relies on a feedback loop—putting things out and reviewing data, comments, feedback and sales to refine what good looks like—and says AI models can help collate that data.

    The Marketing Millennials · The Marketing Millennials · Listen at 23:52

  • George Bonaci

    VP of Growth & Demand Gen · Ramp

    High-trust personal interactions

    George Bonaci says high-trust personal interactions—events and field marketing—are immune to AI, a category his company invests more in, growing its events team from two to 25 people.

    Conquête · Conquête · Listen at 24:06

  • Dawn Dawson

    Chief Marketing Officer · Mortgage Solutions Financial

    One-to-one experiences

    Dawn Dawson says to create experiences and make them one-to-one as much as possible, because as AI increases efficiency it isolates people more, and she needs opportunities as a human to connect.

    Chrisman Commentary · Watch on YouTube

  • Lucinda Barlow

    Senior Director, Head of International Marketing (APAC, EMEA, Latin America) · Uber

    Human creativity

    Lucinda Barlow says she relies on human creativity, saying codified campaign learnings can't be put into an AI engine to turn into a brief — that would be a disaster and requires human creativity to bring together beautifully.

    WARC · Watch on YouTube

  • Rachel Thornton

    CMO, Enterprise · Adobe

    Define brand promise

    Rachel Thornton says brands should define their brand promise and scale it effectively using AI, because they must understand their brand and keep that promise consistent.

    The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX · The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX · Listen at 21:54

  • Jonathan Kerr (JK)

    Chief Growth Officer · Auto & General Australia

    Democratizing ideation

    Jonathan Kerr says he relies on democratizing ideation — opening his "idea factory" so all 140 people can pitch ideas rather than just a few, because a good idea can come from anywhere.

    Uncensored CMO · Uncensored CMO · Listen at 45:37

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