AI can churn out blogs, captions, and even visuals in seconds, but let’s face it—a lot of it feels like reheated leftovers. The brands that will thrive are those creating original, research-driven, and deeply human content.

I hate DJs. Not because they’re untalented or uninspiring. I can appreciate the artistry of spinning a great set. But let’s face it: DJs don’t create; they curate. They’re masters of creating a vibe. They take someone else’s music, remix it, and layer in a beat drop that makes us forget it’s just a mash-up of existing work. It’s entertaining in the club, and it may be great to dance to—but they are just repackaging someone else’s work.

Artificial Intelligence, in today’s content landscape, is that DJ. It takes existing information, stitches it together, and delivers something that appears shiny and new. It’s impressive. it’s just not very original.

Content creation has become so accessible that anyone with a ChatGPT account can churn out an article or social post in minutes. The result? A crowded space where everyone sounds eerily similar. But here’s the hard truth: the lower the barrier to entry, the harder the climb to stand out. Brands and creators need to do more than remix. They need to compose.

I don’t want to sound like I’m fighting the machines—an old dog unwilling to learn new tricks. In fact, I continue to be an early adopter and have fully embraced AI as a tool to expedite my content creation. I’m in the game. I just don’t think that AI should be used as a crutch for creators in a sad race to sameness.

Beyond the Algorithm: Why Originality Still Matters

It’s right there on the package: “artificial”. AI is a remix artist. It processes what already exists—facts, figures, opinions, headlines—and spits out something that sounds insightful but lacks one crucial ingredient: originality. Sure, it can appear polished and professional, but if your brand leans on AI too heavily, you risk blending into the mass of generically “good” content floating around. And in a saturated market, “good” is a death sentence.

We all know that AI is only as smart as the data it’s trained on. It doesn’t innovate; it regurgitates. Brands relying entirely on AI will find themselves locked in a rehashing arms race, competing to see who can remix yesterday’s trends the fastest. But audiences? They want the cutting-edge. They want the first drop of a new song, not the fifteenth remix.

The fact is: many content creators today are rank amateurs. But because the bar has been set so low, they think they are geniuses. They often behave like students rushing to turn in a term paper. Instead of tapping their imagination, they tap in a prompt to AI. And if they haven’t already developed real writing skills, thanks to AI, it’s possible they never will.

The Competitive Edge of Original Research

Original data is your golden ticket to staying ahead in a world where AI commoditizes content. Why? Because it’s rare. Most people (and let’s be honest, many brands) are lazy. It’s easier to rehash what’s already out there than to invest in primary research. But that’s precisely why gathering and sharing fresh data gives you an edge.

Want to lead your industry conversation? Publish an in-depth survey that answers your audience’s burning questions. Conduct interviews with industry experts. Dig into your own customer data for insights no one else has. While everyone else is remixing yesterday’s headlines, you’re creating tomorrow’s talking points.

A simple survey or a few well-placed interviews can yield insights that AI, no matter how advanced, simply cannot produce. And it’s easier than ever to conduct, tabulate and generate reports based on original research. In fact, that’s one of the best use cases for AI in the content arena.

AI tools like Typeform and SurveyMonkey can streamline the process of creating and distributing surveys, allowing users to quickly gather data from large audiences. For more advanced functionality, platforms like Qualtrics can design sophisticated surveys tailored to specific research goals. AI-powered transcription tools like Otter.ai or Descript can record and transcribe interviews in real time, turning conversations into easily searchable text. Once data is collected, tools like MonkeyLearn or Tableau use AI to analyze and visualize data trends, making it simple to identify key insights. Finally, AI writing assistants like ChatGPT or Grammarly can craft polished, professional reports, summarizing findings and presenting them in a clear, concise format.

These tools can handle the heavy lifting, quickly and affordably, leaving the meaningful analysis and storytelling to humans.

Life Experience as a Differentiator

Let’s talk about something else AI can’t do: live. It can’t watch a sunrise, endure heartbreak or belly-laugh at a great joke. It doesn’t bring the messy, beautiful texture of human experience to its writing.

This is where human content creators still have the upper hand. Your life experience isn’t just a lens for understanding the world—it’s a storytelling weapon. A statistic about customer loyalty is fine, but when paired with an anecdote about the time you personally and painstakingly chose one brand over another, it becomes memorable. Relatable. Real.

Brands that win will be the ones that infuse data with human stories. It’s the difference between a spreadsheet and a great novel. One gives you information. The other gives you meaning.

Avoiding the AI Dependency Trap

I know, I know. AI tools are seductive. They’re fast, efficient, and pretty good at basic, and not so basic, tasks like summarizing reports or generating drafts. But if your brand leans on AI for everything, you’ll quickly fall into the homogenization trap. AI can only remix what’s already out there, so the more you depend on it, the less distinctive your voice becomes.

Avoiding this dependency doesn’t mean ignoring AI—it means using it wisely. AI is an incredible assistant, but it’s a terrible boss. (Though that may be in our future. See “Who’s the Boss? AI Agents: Will They Work for Us, or Will We Work for Them?”) Use it to handle the grunt work (drafting outlines, compiling data), but let human insight, creativity, and originality steer the final product.

Practical Tips for Standing Out in an AI-Driven World

1. Invest in Original Research
   Don’t just talk about industry trends—create them. Poll your audience, interview experts, or analyze your customer data to generate insights no one else has.
2. Infuse Content with Personal Insight
   Your experience is your edge. Use it. Whether it’s an anecdote, a hard-learned lesson, or a fresh perspective, inject yourself into the narrative.
3. Leverage AI Strategically
   Let AI handle repetitive tasks like research or summarizing, but don’t let it define your content. Use it as a tool, not a crutch.
4. Focus on Depth Over Volume
   In the race to produce more, don’t sacrifice quality. One deeply-researched, original piece will do more for your brand than ten generic blog posts.
5. Build Emotional Resonance
   Data is important, but connection is everything. Craft stories that speak to your audience’s aspirations, fears, and challenges.

Winning with Originality

Take a look at brands like Patagonia and Oatly. I have no idea if they use AI tools in their content creation nor if its exclusively driven by human creativity. But I do know that both brands are known for their unique, authentic storytelling and often emphasize direct involvement in their content creation, which suggests that there is a firm human hand at the wheel.

Patagonia doesn’t just recycle environmental statistics; it tells compelling, deeply human stories about sustainability and activism. For example, their documentary series, like Public Trust, explores the fight to protect public lands through in-depth storytelling and firsthand interviews. Their website features long-form narratives from adventurers and activists who are on the ground fighting environmental battles. These aren’t just facts stitched together—they’re authentic stories shaped by years of field research, human connection, and direct involvement in the causes they support. This isn’t work that AI could pull from a database—it requires lived experiences, genuine relationships, and an intimate understanding of the issues.

Or consider a smaller player like Oatly, whose quirky, irreverent campaigns stand out in a sea of bland health-food messaging. Their “Wow No Cow!” slogan and offbeat content don’t rely on algorithmically generated trends—they’re deeply rooted in the brand’s identity as disruptors in the dairy industry. Oatly’s CEO even purportedly wrote the copy for some of the campaigns himself, and the brand famously created an entire department of disobedience to ensure their messaging always challenges norms. Whether it’s their straightforward ingredient transparency or their bold packaging copy, Oatly’s approach reflects intentional, human-driven creativity that pushes boundaries rather than playing it safe with preexisting formulas.

The common thread between these brands is clear: they rely on human insight, creativity, and lived values. Their work goes far beyond AI’s ability to remix; it’s grounded in authenticity and a commitment to original storytelling that machines can’t replicate.

The Business Case for Human-Driven Content

Now that everyone is in the content business, the easiest way to stand out is to stop doing what everyone else is doing. Original research and human insight make your brand not just another DJ but the songwriter everyone wants to hear.

Audiences value trust, credibility, and authenticity. And while AI can fake these qualities in the short term, true connection comes from something only humans can provide: a spark of originality and the courage to take creative risks.

In the end, DJs have their place. AI has its place. But if you want to lead, innovate, and make your audiences excited about your brand, you can’t just take the lazy route.

AI is a tool. Use it to streamline, enhance, and amplify your work—but don’t let it take over. The future of content belongs to those who combine research, insight, and humanity to create something truly original. And that’s a song worth listening to.