Why do brands lose their identity to AI content?
AI makes it easier than ever to generate content: website copy, social posts, visuals. That’s exactly the risk, according to Liselot. “When you think about it, you also realize how much impact it has. That’s why it’s important for brands and companies to stay true to who they are and how they want to position themselves. Because with all these AI opportunities to generate things, some brands are losing a bit of their authenticity.”
She notes that larger brands leaning heavily on AI for campaigns are already facing real backlash. Not because AI itself is the problem, but because without a clear framework, it quickly blurs a brand’s identity. However convenient it is to have content generated, a brand’s quality and identity need to hold up, especially when multiple people within an organization start using AI.
(Video in Dutch)
Why do brands lose their identity to AI content?
AI makes it easier than ever to generate content: website copy, social posts, visuals. That’s exactly the risk, according to Liselot. “When you think about it, you also realize how much impact it has. That’s why it’s important for brands and companies to stay true to who they are and how they want to position themselves. Because with all these AI opportunities to generate things, some brands are losing a bit of their authenticity.”
She notes that larger brands leaning heavily on AI for campaigns are already facing real backlash. Not because AI itself is the problem, but because without a clear framework, it quickly blurs a brand’s identity. However convenient it is to have content generated, a brand’s quality and identity need to hold up, especially when multiple people within an organization start using AI.
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How do you spot AI-written content?
Certain patterns become more noticeable over time. Liselot points to two she’s seen strikingly often in Dutch-language copy over the past few weeks: the use of the em dash in places where a simple comma or period would do, and an accent on the letter “e” in the word “echt” (Dutch for “real”) — something that doesn’t exist in correct Dutch.
On their own, these are small details. But they illustrate a bigger point: if you write without critically reviewing it yourself, you leave traces a trained eye will notice. And ultimately, readers notice those traces too, even if they can’t always put their finger on why.
Write first and refine with AI, or the other way around: what works better?
Liselot sees two meaningful ways to use AI in a writing process, and both can work. The first: you write a first draft yourself and have AI refine it, for example to iron out small language issues. The second: you have AI write a first draft and then go through it critically yourself, applying your own framework and expertise.
What matters in both cases is that a knowledgeable person has the final say. One concrete tip that helps: build a custom GPT or skill that knows your brand’s tone of voice, so AI learns to write from your own identity rather than a generic average. A tool like that can also be shared with colleagues, which helps keep that voice consistent across the organization.
What’s at risk if you get this wrong?
The stakes are higher than just “a boring post.” “I think everyone should take a bit of pride in the content they put out there, that it’s high quality,” says Liselot. “People will notice eventually, they’ll see it. And that comes with a real risk of reputational damage.”
That’s the crux of it. AI isn’t a threat to a brand, but a lack of framework is. If you first determine who you’re writing for, with what purpose, and from which voice, you can safely use AI as a tool afterward. Skip that step, and you risk your brand losing exactly what makes it distinctive.
(video in dutch)
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