Getting the best from AI without killing trust

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a popular buzzword at the moment, with many companies making bold claims about its applications. Often, this is little more than standard automation rebranded to generate excitement. But in the marketing world, where creativity and authenticity matter, being transparent and strategic about AI use is essential.

Exploring how to strike the right balance between efficiency and expertise, our managing director, Andy McCaul, shares how we get the best from AI without compromising quality or credibility.

Where AI can help (and hurt) your work

AI can be brilliant, saving you time and helping you get through jobs more efficiently. But it can also create distrust and, in some cases, make you look foolish. In a marketing agency, where we’re paid to be an expert, you can’t afford to lose trust.

So, how do we get the best out of AI? At The Bigger Boat, we use it in various ways, constantly testing and learning what works well (and what doesn't) across every department. We primarily use tools like Gemini and ChatGPT, with two key conditions for every task:

1. The quality must be as good as a manual effort

2. The process must be more efficient

Crucially, we believe ‘quick and average’ is not good enough. To meet the exacting standards we’re so proud of today, work has to be both excellent and efficient. 

AI makes experts faster – but it doesn’t make you one

There’s one thing you can take from AI that applies to almost any job function and industry: it makes experts faster, but it doesn’t make you an expert. When a subject matter specialist briefs AI, checks the output, and makes changes based on their expertise, the output is usually good, and the process is typically quicker. When we use it this way within our agency, we can deliver more work for our clients at the same level of quality, and sometimes even cut down on the delivery time to make it live sooner.

If you can confidently ‘mark your own homework’, you’re in a good spot to save time using AI. We’re always transparent with our clients about all this, too. We’re spending their budget more wisely, while retaining the same expert input and quality standards, so why wouldn’t they be pleased? 

Equally, we know where to draw the line with AI. As I’ve covered, if it’s not making our work better or faster, it’s not effective – for us or our clients – to use it. For example, if it’s not getting the right brand tone, using up-to-date programming language, or understanding the intention, it’s simply not worth it. And when it comes to expressing an opinion or sharing expertise – like we do in PR and thought leadership content – that should always come from a person. AI tends to reflect the most common or conventional views, so if you have an original perspective, especially one that goes against the grain, it needs to be yours – not generated by a machine. Of course, AI can still play a valuable role in ideation and research, but it won’t (and shouldn’t) replace human insight or a writer’s craft.

Where things can go wrong

So, what happens when an expert isn’t involved, or you don’t really understand the topic you’re working on? This is where you can look foolish and lose trust quickly.

AI is not a substitute for learning. It’s a tool that enhances knowledge, not one that replaces it. If you don’t understand what you’re working on and use AI to fill the gaps, you lose all quality control over the output. And if that work goes to someone who does understand the topic – whether that’s an agency sharing work with a client for approval or a brand publishing content for its audience – they’ll spot the issues instantly, and you’ll lose their trust.

There’s a fine line between efficient and lazy, which is why quality control is so important. An expert can use technology to be efficient, but someone who’s using it to cut corners on tasks will eventually get found out. I’ve seen it happen – it’s an instant trust killer. 

Real intelligence powers the engine

My advice to anyone is to do the same things we did before all this: investigate, interrogate, speak to people… learn. You’ll be better at your job – and better at using AI. 

PS: This was written using actual intelligence, not AI. Why? Because it’s my personal view on this topic, based on things I’ve seen and experienced – not a broad or generic view that AI would have happily churned out. 

Ready to work smarter? If you’d like to explore how AI can enhance your marketing strategy without losing the human touch, talk to our crew.