Why AI is Making Content Feel Average
Grab your coffee, pint or tea. I’m pulling up a chair again because we need to have a real talk about something I’m seeing daily in on social media.
Lately, it feels like everyone is looking for a magic wand to make their branding brilliant. In 2026, that wand is called AI and while it’s powerful, it’s also making the internet feel incredibly... average.
The Rise of "AI Slop"
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a luddite. As a Digital Media professional, I use AI as a tool for certain "bits & bobs" speeding up drafts or cleaning up technical specs. But here is the problem: the easier it gets to produce "polished" content, the more everything starts sounding the same.
You’ve seen it. The generic headlines. The perfect-but-soulless visuals. That copy that feels written by a committee of robots rather than someone who actually cares about the story itself. Audiences are tired (I’m including myself on this). We can smell "AI slop" from a mile away, and they are starving for something real.
The "Human" Edge
In my own shoots, I’ve noticed a clear pattern. When I’m onsite capturing the steam from a pizza oven at The Revolution or the specific energy of a team at Box 55, it’s the imperfections that matter.
The slight steam on the lens, the genuine laugh of a staff member, the human decision to frame a shot this way instead of that way—those are the things that actually connect. An AI can generate a "flawless" burger, but it can’t capture the vibes that defines a brand.
What Actually Wins in 2026?
Standing out in an automated landscape requires a shift in how we use our tools. AI excels at the average, but it fails at the specific. To maintain a competitive edge this year, I focus on three pillars:
- Prioritize Context Over Prompts: High-performing content stems from your actual environment: the specific lighting in a Dublin pub or the unique texture of a client's product. A prompt can simulate a scene, but it cannot document a reality. I use AI to assist with the technical "bits and bobs," but the core story always comes from my own lens.
- A Polished Voice, Not a Replaced One: I treat AI like a high-end grammar editor. It’s perfect for cleaning up syntax or checking flow, but the vocabulary and perspective remain mine. If you let a machine choose your words, you surrender the very thing that makes your brand recognizable.
- The Power of the Human Signature: You’ll see my logo across my YouTube and X channels—it acts as my seal of professional quality. However, a logo is a symbol, not a personality. People connect with the creator behind the mark. By showing the "how" [the messy behind-the-scenes decisions and the raw process], I build a level of trust that a static graphic could never achieve alone.
- Strategic Imperfection: In 2026, "perfect" often looks fake. I’ve found that showing the genuine atmosphere of a project resonates far more than a sterilized, AI-generated alternative. Authenticity is found in the details only a human eye would think to capture.
The Verdict
Marketing was never a magic wand. The brands that stand out in an automated world are the ones that refuse to hide their humanity. My goal is always to keep the "soul" in the work.
What do you think? Are you feeling the AI fatigue lately? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear if you’re craving more "human" content too.
Stay in the Loop
Want more reflections on marketing, digital media, and the bits & bobs that actually matter? I run this blog 100% ad-free to keep the experience clean for you.
Subscribe to my newsletter to get full posts and extra thoughts sent straight to your inbox.
