Editor's Note: Wray Ward’s Amanda Williams recently joined a 704Forward panel presented by AMA Charlotte. Also pictured above are moderator Ohavia Phillips-Reed and fellow panelists Matt Wilson, Sunni Gabrielle and Ausley Karner.

Artificial intelligence is changing marketing fast. The challenge for brands isn’t whether to embrace it, but how to integrate it effectively, including within influencer programs.

To help marketers navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, the Charlotte American Marketing Association recently hosted a marquee panel discussion, “704Forward Influencers & AI: The Future of Marketing Communications.” I was incredibly honored to participate as a panelist and dive into this conversation, exploring how authenticity remains key, especially when working with a technology that is often criticized for its inability to replicate emotion, ethical reasoning and critical judgment.

As a result, influencer marketing continues to provide brands with a direct line to consumer trust through real human relationships that AI cannot replicate. So how do marketers navigate the convergence of these two different marketing tools? Explore my top takeaways from our panel discussion to learn more.

The Efficiency of Data vs. the Premium of Humanity

Consumers are developing a keen eye for AI content. And when companies use AI to generate public-facing content without being open about it, they risk fracturing that hard-earned consumer trust.

When it comes to building relationships with brands, consumers want a defined personality, a distinct voice and real human faces. Which means that as AI content increases, connecting to the human experience becomes a premium commodity. The data proves it: 85% of consumers will pay more for brands they perceive as truly authentic.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a role for AI within an influencer marketing playbook. It does a phenomenal job at repetitive tasks and can also be used for data-driven models to identify the right partners and predict what resonates. We know it can analyze millions of data points to match a creator’s audience demographics with a brand’s target market in seconds.

But data only takes us to the starting line. True magic happens when human intuition steps in to spot the nuance. The fact remains, only humans can scale genuine connection.

Time and again, we’ve seen that great marketing doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from vulnerability and raw human emotion. AI is unlikely to replicate the humor of Betty White’s Snickers ad or the emotion of Dove’s Real Beauty campaign.

In-Person Connection and the True Cost of AI

Moving a consumer from discovery to purchase has never been a straight line, but in today’s economy, that journey is getting more complex. With inflation and high interest rates squeezing wallets, it takes a lot more convincing to get consumers to pull the trigger on major investments.

Influencer marketing plays a vital role at every stage of this elongated funnel, driving top-of-mind awareness, anchoring middle-funnel consideration and validating the actual purchase decision.

This is especially true as digital burnout peaks. Consumers are tired of endless screens, hyper-targeted ads following them from platform to platform and algorithmic noise.

Consequently, we’ve seen that consumers are less likely to trust what a brand says about itself. They do, however, trust what other humans say about a company’s products or services. Which is why we are seeing a resurgence of in-person experiences such as mobile marketing trucks, experiential pop-ups and immersive trade show booths.

The baseline power of a real peer recommendation has not changed, and it likely won’t change in the age of AI.

Furthermore, wholehearted adoption of AI raises existential questions for home and building brands that champion environmental sustainability. Is the technological convenience worth it in the face of the immense power and fresh water demands required by data centers to feed these AI models? It’s a trade-off conscious brands must carefully weigh.

The 10% Rule for Moving Forward

So, how do we navigate this evolving landscape?

Instead of rushing to master each shiny new AI tool that drops every few days, look for the actual human problem you are trying to solve. Then dedicate 10% of your time or campaign budget to testing an AI tool in small, controlled doses to see if it drives genuine efficiency.

You don’t have to chart this new territory alone. Balancing cutting-edge strategy with the undeniable power of human connection is a collaborative effort. Let’s talk about how to evaluate and elevate your brand’s trusted voice.