Since ChatGPT became a household name (even my four year old loves to chat with “Chat”) we’ve all been marvelling at how we can extract answers from this never-ending pool of information, and apply it to our lives.
As a writer, I’ve found this new technology equal parts thrilling and terrifying. It’s made research so much easier, sorted my notes into helpful summaries, and challenged my ideas; while also threatening to take my job.
But what’s feeding Large Language Models (LLMs), like ChatGPT and Claude? And where will human-centred, opinion-led content and creativity come from if we’re all just regurgitating the same information from the same sources by the same models?
The AI Problem: Why Everything Starts to Sound the Same
Did you know that if you ask ChatGPT to give you a number between 1 and 10 it will always come back with a 7?
It’s a simple demonstration of something we already instinctively know about AI systems: they tend to average information and generate similar responses to similar questions.
So, if all we ever do is take, recreate and regurgitate from the same pool of information our content will become homogenous, our ideas stale, and our brands indistinct.
The clear opportunity for writers, content creators, thinkers and ultimately brands is to not just use AI as a pool to extract copy from, but rather a platform to feed, mould and influence.
The question is, should we be feeding the beast? And, if so, what is it hungry for?
What Algorithms Want vs What People Need
When I started working at Fuller back in 2014, I interviewed US wine-merchant come entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuk, who was a leading voice in content marketing strategy at the time – his motto (and subsequent book) was “jab, jab, jab, right hook” – basically encouraging brands to give their audiences the content they want and need, before trying to sell them something.
Five years later, we’d reached “peak content”, then Facebook changed its algorithm to prioritise paid advertising, and marketers swiftly shifted back to digital (performance marketing) over thought-leadership.
Then came TikTok – with its powerful video-first content offer, and algorithm, that forced other social platforms to copy its approach, siloing users into “group think” perspectives based on who they were, what they liked, and (more damagingly) what made them the most angry, sad or depressed.
The problem with this approach is clear – in our rush to give the algorithms what they wanted, we forgot what people wanted, or more importantly what people actually needed.
Now, the old media model of unbiased, well researched content from credible sources delivered with intelligence, nuance and integrity – aka journalism – is hiding behind paywalls for the few who can afford it. Leaving the rest of the world scrambling for the truth through a cesspit of biased information designed to rile them up.
This raises an interesting question: could AI become a more equal way to access information?
In their pursuit of information, could the robots actually be responsible for providing a more egalitarian approach to knowledge-gathering, that relies on the quality and credibility of the sources it swallows up?
Unfortunately not. I asked Claude – the AI platform owned by Anthropic that proclaimed, in its recent multimillion dollar Superbowl slot, that it would not allow advertising to influence it – and this was its response:
“AI systems don’t provide an egalitarian approach – they largely reflect and amplify existing power structures in information access. Crawlers prioritize sites with better SEO, higher domain authority, and more inbound links, which systematically favors well-funded organisations, established institutions, and English-language content over smaller voices, marginalized communities, and less-resourced publishers.”
Surprisingly honest, Claude.
Feeding the AI Beast: What Brands Should Do Now
So, what does this mean for “smaller voices”, community organisations, or Australian brands and businesses who just want to be seen and heard?
How can we get ahead of these established (largely American) brands and institutions, get noticed, and influence the new influencers?
One thing is certain – getting noticed in the age of AI means that brands have to go back to basics. Focus on your messaging, embrace PR, and get cracking on creating your own human-centred, useful content – rather than relying on AI to do it for you.
Here are some simple ways you can get started:
Get clear about your brand
Clarify your story and your purpose, find your voice, and celebrate your unique perspective. AI models surface information that is clear, consistent and unique. If your positioning shifts every six months or your website says everything to everyone, you won’t stand out. Consider your unique selling proposition and how best to communicate that with strong messaging that tells your brand’s real, human story.
Give before you ask (and mean it)
The “jab, jab, jab, right hook” principle still holds. But in an AI world, the “jabs” need to be genuinely useful. A return to creating content that “gives” before it “asks” is a solid foundation for SEO and improves domain authority. Instead of content for content’s sake though, think about providing helpful answers to commonly searched queries relating to your industry in the form of articles, FAQs, guides, explainers, and checklists. The more useful your content the better.
Tell real stories, not synthetic ones
If AI averages everything into a “7”, your job is to be a 9 or a 2. The way to do that is through opinion, experience, perspective, and being authentic about who you are. Write about where you come from, your life experiences and lessons, your flaws, your wins and your authentic perspective on the world and your industry – share what you actually think, share what didn’t work, be human.
Earn your authority
AI models are more likely to trawl websites with high domain authority, which comes from having lots of useful and factual content on your website, and from the number of inbound links sending users from credible publications to your website. This means PR is making a come-back. With legacy media providing credible online content that sends users to your website, getting your story published in the paper or industry news will improve any chance of your brand getting ranked among competitors. So long as these publications can outlast AI.
Make your presence known
AI doesn’t just look at your homepage. It sees your digital footprint, so you need to sharpen your presence on multiple platforms. Consider LinkedIn thought leadership pieces from senior leaders, podcast guest spots, conference talks (with published abstracts), industry partnerships, and getting involved in community organisations and events. The more credible signals around your brand, the more likely AI tools will recognise and reference you.
The Future of Content in the Age of AI
Ultimately, if we prioritise telling real stories about our worlds, our communities, our people, our innovations, and the problems we’re trying to solve, we might just add something of value to the bin-fire that is the internet right now – and in doing so, we may give both humans and AI systems what they really want.
Frequently Asked Questions About AI and Content Marketing
How does AI affect content marketing?
AI is transforming content marketing by making research, ideation and content production faster and more scalable. Tools like AI writing assistants can help marketers generate outlines, summarise information and analyse trends. However, AI models tend to produce average or widely repeated information, which means brands still need human insight, creativity and expertise to create distinctive and engaging content.
The most effective strategy is to use AI as a support tool rather than a replacement, combining automation with human perspective and storytelling.
Can AI replace human writers?
AI can assist writers with tasks such as research, summarising information and drafting basic content, but it cannot fully replace human writers. Effective content often relies on personal experience, original thinking, emotion and authentic storytelling, which AI systems struggle to replicate.
Human writers also bring context, judgement and brand voice, which are essential for building trust with audiences. In most cases, the future of content creation will involve collaboration between AI tools and human creativity rather than complete replacement.
What kind of content does AI prioritise?
AI systems typically prioritise content from websites with strong authority, credibility and clear information structure. This often includes sites with:
- High domain authority
- Credible backlinks from trusted publications
- Well-structured content with clear headings
- Informational articles that answer common search questions
Because AI models learn from widely available online sources, brands that publish useful, well-organised and authoritative content are more likely to be referenced or surfaced by AI-powered search tools.