In a recent LinkedIn post, Kieran Flanagan explores a concerning trend he observes in the marketing industry, particularly regarding the integration of Artificial Intelligence. Flanagan expresses apprehension that many AI startups are pushing marketing in a direction that fundamentally misunderstands and undermines its core principles.
Flanagan highlights the emergence of AI tools that promise to learn and mimic individual styles, even automating comment generation across the web. He argues that this approach is detrimental to the field.
“This is directionally bad for marketing; it paints marketing in such a negative light.”
He contrasts this trend with historical examples of impactful marketing, such as De Beers’ creation of the ‘A Diamond is Forever’ slogan and David Ogilvy’s transformative advertising for Rolls-Royce. Flanagan questions the essence of marketing when its practice devolves into automated commenting at scale.
The Misapplication of AI in Marketing
While acknowledging that marketing has evolved to become more technical, requiring a blend of creativity and algorithmic understanding, Flanagan contends that the current application of AI is misguided. He believes that AI should serve as an enhancer of human creativity, not a replacement for it.
According to Flanagan, the focus on automating tasks like commenting misses the true potential of AI. He posits that AI’s true value lies in freeing up marketers’ time for higher-level activities.
“To me, the beauty of AI is that it should give you more time to craft and create, with the AI as your assistant.”
Flanagan elaborates on how this time could be better utilized:
- Crafting and creating better content
- Developing more images, videos, and freemium tools
- Increasing participation in communities and fostering genuine connections
- Adding more value through personalized engagement
The Peril of Automated Interactions
Flanagan further warns about the potential consequences if these automated approaches become dominant. He fears a scenario where AI agents interact in open online communities, driving human users to retreat into private, closed networks.
He points to platforms like LinkedIn as examples where automated liking and commenting are becoming pervasive, potentially alienating users rather than fostering engagement.
“Look at LinkedIn, it’s awash with profiles automating their liking of your posts, automating comments on your posts. These things make people want to avoid your brand rather than engage with it.”
In Flanagan’s view, this leads to a lose-lose situation where both brands and users suffer from a decline in authentic interaction. He concludes with a hopeful plea for the marketing community to embrace AI as a tool for enhancing craftsmanship rather than as a means to produce low-quality, automated output.
“I hope the majority of us choose AI as a craft tool rather than a slop machine.”
Flanagan’s analysis serves as a critical examination of how AI is being implemented in marketing, urging a return to the fundamental principles of connection and value creation.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Kieran Flanagan on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on January 20, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →