Will AI Be the Downfall of Your Brand?
Artificial intelligence is revolutionising marketing, from automated emails and ad targeting to AI-powered campaigns that can design, write, and optimise themselves in seconds. For brands, it is a powerful tool. For consumers, it is becoming an ever-increasing source of mistrust.
As AI-generated content floods social feeds, inboxes, and news sites, many consumers are starting to question what is real and who they can trust.
This uncertainty is quietly eroding consumer confidence in even the most established brands.
Recent research paints a mixed picture. While 87% of people express moderate to high trust in AI overall, that trust drops sharply when they realise it’s being used to create or deliver the content they see¹.
For marketers, this presents a critical tension. The very technology helping brands work faster and smarter could also be eroding the authenticity that customers value most.
As AI quietly takes over more of the content we consume, audiences are growing uneasy — and the data backs it up.
A Nielsen study found that when audiences realise they are engaging with AI material, 55% feel uncomfortable, and nearly half (48%) stop trusting brands that advertise alongside it. Four out of five respondents said that transparency about AI use is now essential for maintaining credibility¹.
This is not limited to advertising. According to FT Adviser, 55% of consumers lose trust in brands using AI for emails, and 53% say they feel annoyed when they spot it². Many report that AI-driven messages make brands seem robotic and detached.
That sense of disconnection runs deep. Lippincott found that 46% of people trust a brand less when they discover a service they assumed was human was actually powered by AI³.
Thus, transparency and authenticity are no longer “nice to haves” for companies; they are the foundation of long-term credibility.
Key Insights: The Trust Gap Is Widening
AI is changing what businesses value and what consumers expect. While brands chase efficiency, customers look for authenticity and empathy.
A study in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management found that simply adding the term “AI-powered” to a product description decreased purchase intent⁴. Consumers reported lower emotional trust when they knew AI was involved, showing that transparency without humanity can still feel hollow.
This trust gap is driven by two key fears:
- Ethical and moral concerns: misinformation, bias, and privacy risks.
- Human connection: a sense that AI strips away the emotional tone that makes brands relatable.
However, not all audiences respond the same way. According to Forbes and the Ivey Business Journal, 77% of active AI users (often younger, tech-savvy consumers) say they trust AI-generated content⁵. For them, AI represents innovation rather than deception.
The challenge isn’t whether to use AI — it is how to use it in a way that strengthens, rather than weakens, consumer trust.
Case Studies: When AI Crosses, or Rebuilds, the Line
During the Paris 2024 Olympics, Google launched an ad showing a father using its AI tool, Gemini, to help his daughter write to Olympic hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Viewers were quick to criticise it, arguing that it replaced genuine emotion with automation. Google pulled the ad within days, acknowledging that “AI can enhance creativity, but can never replace it”⁶.
By contrast, Three Ships Beauty, an all-natural skincare brand, took a proactive stance. Concerned about the rise of AI-generated influencers and manipulated imagery, its co-founders published a Responsible AI Policy, clearly outlining how their business uses (and doesn’t use) AI. The transparency boosted consumer confidence and strengthened their ethical image⁷.
The message is clear: hiding AI invites backlash; owning it builds credibility.
What Does This Mean for Brands?
Trust is now the true measure of success. AI itself isn’t the issue; opacity is. Consumers don’t reject automation — they reject dishonesty.
Brands should:
- Be transparent about how AI is used in marketing and communications.
- Retain a human layer, especially in customer-facing interactions.
- Show the benefits, not the buzzwords. Focus on how AI enhances experience without replacing authenticity.
Transparency, consistency, and human tone will define which brands thrive in this new era.
At Bravada, we help brands embrace innovation without losing integrity.
Our data-led strategies combine the efficiency of AI with the human insight that builds emotional connection and loyalty.
From transparent communication frameworks to ethical AI-driven campaigns, we help businesses adapt responsibly and authentically.
Want to build real connections in the age of AI?
Email us at hello@bravada-uk.com
Footnotes / Sources
- Nielsen. Audience Perception of AI in Media.
- FT Adviser. Consumers Frustrated by Firms’ Use of AI in Communications.
- Lippincott. Consumer Trust in AI.
- Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management. AI Terminology and Consumer Purchasing Intention.
- Forbes. AI-Generated Content: The Future Consumers Love, Trust, and Demand.
- Customer Experience Dive. Customers Don’t Trust AI — and the Rift Might Be Hurting Business.
- Medium. Three Ships: How AI Is Disrupting Our Industry and What We Can Do About It.