Odd Lots · Thursday, September 24, 2026
Rachel Carton, a social media consultant, noted that many marketers are being forced to use AI by their bosses, leading to a "demoralizing" experience. This trend is concerning because consumers expect brands to invest creative effort, and AI-generated content can be seen as a shortcut that might prompt questions about other shortcuts being taken in product development.
“And so the quote that sticks with me from that article is demoralizing as hell.”
“And I think that consumers feel that through it. And that has always been true about creative, you know, brands like Nike have, you know, built so much of their world around their, you know, investment into creative. And so it's seen as a shortcut and it might make you ask, you know, if, your favorite Chipotle, whatever, your favorite fast food chain is using AI generated imagery. What other shortcuts might they be taking in their process?”