Certain things you just know to be true—you can feel it in your gut. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and tools like ChatGPT have made significant advancements in the business world, streamlining processes and providing valuable data-driven insights. The problem with AI is that it has no gut; no visceral, intuitive senses honed over thousands of years to interpret the 90% of communication that is non-verbal. When it comes to creating a uniquely differentiated and credible brand strategy, there are three important reasons why AI and tools like ChatGPT can’t provide the same level of human empathy and insight as a trained consultant:
#1. Lack of Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in understanding and relating to a brand’s intended audience. A trained consultant can understand and process emotions, which is crucial in creating an effective brand strategy that resonates with people. AI and tools like ChatGPT lack this ability and can only provide data-driven recommendations. This is why a recent study by Harvard Business Review found that human empathy is still an important factor in creating an effective brand strategy, despite advancements in AI. The study found that when creating a brand strategy, it’s important to consider not just the data, but also the emotional needs and wants of the target audience.
#2. Limited Cultural Understanding: A trained consultant has a deep understanding of different cultures and their norms, values, and beliefs. This knowledge is critical in creating brand strategies that are culturally sensitive and effective in the space. AI and tools like ChatGPT, on the other hand, lack the ability to fully understand cultural nuances and can potentially create strategies that are culturally insensitive or inappropriate.
#3. Inability to Adapt to Unpredictable Situations: A trained consultant has the ability to adapt to unpredictable situations and make decisions in real-time. This is an important factor when creating a brand strategy–especially in the B2B space–as markets and audience needs can change rapidly. AI and tools like ChatGPT lack the ability to think creatively and come up with unique solutions on the spot, making it difficult for them to adapt to changing circumstances.
I have a confession to make: Aside from the first paragraph and the one you’re reading now, everything you just read was written by ChatGPT. With a little coaching the AI was able to make a compelling case for why it will always be at a disadvantage compared to a human brand strategist. While ChatGPT, by its own admission, is lacking social skills and empathy—two crucial components of Emotional Intelligence—at least it’s trained well enough to know its limitations and simulate another of EI’s five key components: Self-awareness.
