Expert Mode: Why Your Brand is the Ultimate Human Edge in an AI-Saturated World
This article was based on the interview with Jessica Shapiro, Chief Marketing Officer at LiveRamp by Greg Kihlström, AI and MarTech keynote speaker for The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström podcast. Listen to the original episode here:
Let’s face it. The pressure to integrate AI into every facet of marketing is immense. Boards are asking about it, CEOs are mandating it, and our teams are navigating a veritable Cambrian explosion of tools, each promising to unlock unprecedented efficiency and personalization.
We are on the cusp of generating nearly infinite content, tailored to every micro-segment, delivered at the speed of light. Yet, in this relentless pursuit of automation, a powerful paradox is emerging. As the digital landscape becomes saturated with algorithmically generated content, the most potent differentiator isn’t a superior large language model or a more sophisticated tech stack. It’s the one thing that can’t be easily replicated by a machine: a deeply trusted, resonant brand.
As enterprise marketing leaders, our challenge is not to simply adopt AI, but to wield it with strategic precision. It’s about understanding that while AI can scale the what and the how of our communications, it cannot invent the why. That remains the province of human insight, strategy, and the enduring power of brand identity. The conversation is shifting from a defensive posture of “how do we keep up?” to an offensive one: “how do we leverage this technology to amplify our core truth and build deeper, more meaningful connections with our customers?” In my conversation with Jessica Shapiro, CMO of LiveRamp, we explored this very paradox, dissecting how to lead with brand in an era increasingly defined by artificial intelligence.
The Signal in the Noise
The first and most immediate effect of generative AI is a deluge of content. Blog posts, social media updates, ad copy, and even video scripts can now be produced at a scale previously unimaginable. While this opens up possibilities, it also creates an overwhelming amount of noise for consumers. When every company can flood the market with content, how does a customer choose? According to Shapiro, they default to the most reliable heuristic they have: trust. Brand becomes the essential signal that cuts through the static.
“When there is so much noise, the importance of brand goes up. The importance of trusting brands, that’s what stands out in this very crowded world of AI and the content created through AI.”
This isn’t a retreat to old-school, intangible brand marketing. It’s a strategic response to a new market reality. Shapiro uses the simple, effective example of buying running shoes. Faced with an AI-generated list of dozens of “best” options, the consumer is more likely to revert to the brand they already know and trust—in her case, Brooks. This behavior highlights a critical insight for leaders: investing in brand is no longer just about long-term equity; it’s about near-term decision velocity. In a world of infinite choice, a strong brand shortens the consideration cycle, increases customer lifetime value, and provides a durable competitive advantage that can’t be commoditized by an algorithm. The business case for brand is no longer a defense against commoditization, but the most potent offense for growth.
The Human-AI Symbiosis in Creative Execution
The temptation with AI is to see it as a replacement for human effort—a way to do more with less. While efficiency is a clear benefit, the more sophisticated application lies in using AI as a partner that elevates human strategy. Shapiro argues that the magic happens not when AI works alone, but in the combination of human insight and machine execution. This requires a fundamental shift in how we approach processes like creative development. Instead of offloading the work, we must invest more heavily in the strategic inputs.
“If you’re using AI to develop your creative, you have to spend more time upfront, making sure that you are really precise about the insights that you’re bringing to that brief… if you use more human power and strategy from the human brain at the upfront, and then you can let the AI go, you are gonna be more efficient.”
This is a crucial lesson for any marketing leader managing creative and strategic teams. The quality of AI output is a direct reflection of the quality of the human input. A vague or uninspired prompt will yield generic, off-brand results. A deeply insightful, strategically sound creative brief, however, can empower AI to explore thousands of creative variations that remain authentically on-brand. This forces our teams to become more rigorous thinkers, better strategists, and sharper communicators. The role of the human shifts from a manual creator to a strategic director, using AI to test hypotheses and scale a clear vision. This symbiosis doesn’t diminish the human role; it elevates it to its most valuable function.
Fostering Innovation Through Guarded Experimentation
Mandating the use of AI from the top down without creating the right environment is a recipe for either chaos or inaction. True innovation comes from empowering teams to experiment within a safe and structured framework. Shapiro’s approach at LiveRamp exemplifies this principle. By establishing clear guardrails—such as embedding brand guidelines into AI tools and partnering closely with the data ethics team—she has created a culture where experimentation is not just allowed but encouraged. The result is not random acts of AI, but purposeful, value-driving applications.
“We have all of our cases in this notebook LM and you can query it and say, ‘I need a quote about this’ or ‘I’m looking for three proof points about that’… all of a sudden we’re using all of these assets that were just sitting on the shelf. Not only is our marketing team utilizing this huge library of assets, but our sales team is using it as well.”
This example of a custom “notebook LM” for case studies is a masterclass in practical AI implementation. It solves a real business problem—underutilized assets—and creates immediate value across departments. It transforms a static library of content into a dynamic, queryable intelligence engine, empowering marketing and sales teams to find the perfect customer proof point in seconds. This is the kind of innovation that emerges when leaders provide both the freedom to explore and the strategic framework to guide that exploration. The lesson for us is clear: our role is to be architects of an environment where curiosity is rewarded, intelligent risks are encouraged, and successes are shared and scaled.
Navigating the Road Ahead
As we navigate the coming year, the landscape will undoubtedly remain, as Shapiro puts it, “messy and fun.” The initial explosion of AI tools will likely lead to a period of consolidation and rationalization. We will move from a phase of broad adoption to one of discerning application, focusing on the solutions that deliver tangible value and discarding those that simply add complexity. The winners will be the organizations that successfully integrate AI not as a series of disconnected point solutions, but as a capability woven into the fabric of a strong, coherent brand strategy.
Ultimately, the paradox of AI is a powerful reminder of our core mission as marketers. Technology is a formidable tool, but it is not the strategy itself. Our enduring value lies in our ability to understand human needs, to build authentic connections, and to steward a brand that people trust and believe in. As AI enables personalization at a scale we’ve only dreamed of, our most important job will be to ensure that every one of those million different experiences ladders back to a single, consistent, and resonant brand truth. The future of marketing isn’t a battle of humans versus machines; it’s a partnership where human-led brand strategy guides the immense power of technology to create something truly meaningful.
