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In the Age of AI, the Human Touch Matters More Than Ever ①: The Seeds of Marketing 58

— When the Value of Being Human Is Being Redefined — 🤖🧠💡

🗣️ “If we don’t keep learning, we’ll be left behind.” These were the words of a young woman from the University of Hong Kong who interned with us three years ago. Though she was only in her early twenties at the time, the clarity and conviction in her voice left a lasting impression on us.
“From now on, if we don’t keep learning and taking in new information, we won’t be able to keep up with the world.”
Her words carried a kind of quiet strength—a survival instinct for living in today’s ever-shifting environment.

🔍 When Research Still Required Human Eyes and Hands

Back then, she conducted market research using tools like Google and X (formerly Twitter) for social listening. She also carried out field surveys and consumer interviews when needed. Despite limited time, the quality of her output was consistently impressive. What stood out most was her ability to determine “what to look for” and “where something feels off” based on her own intuition. Before generative AI became widespread, it was precisely this kind of human sensitivity—keen observation and judgment—that made marketing strategies effective.

⏱️ Now, That Same Work Takes Just Hours

Fast forward just three years, and the landscape has changed dramatically. Much of the research that once took her days to complete can now be done in mere hours using AI tools like ChatGPT—with the right prompt design. What’s more, these tools can auto-generate summaries and even draft coherent content. This technological leap has brought a clear “efficiency revolution” to the marketing world. Tasks that once required human effort—searching, reading, analyzing—can now be executed at lightning speed by machines. And in that shift, we’re being compelled to reconsider the meaning of our work and the value of human contribution.

🤔 What Can Only Humans Do in the Age of AI?

AI is undeniably powerful. Its speed, memory, and language capabilities are advancing daily. But even so, there remain many things that only humans can do—especially in the field of advertising and marketing. Things like sensing emotion, picking up on subtle social cues, or intuitively asking, “Could these words hurt someone?” These are not just skills—they’re expressions of empathy, ethics, and emotional intelligence. In other words, what we’re seeing now is a renewed focus on the human touch—on the value of human perspective, emotional sensitivity, and decision-making in a highly automated world.

🔜 Coming Next: The Human Touch ②

In the next part of this series, we’ll introduce real-world examples of marketing that leverage uniquely human strengths, even while coexisting with AI. What are the moments when human judgment must intervene? And what new skills will be essential for interns and younger team members in an AI-driven workplace? 💬 How is the division of labor between people and AI evolving in your workplace? We’d love to hear your insights and case studies! (To be continued)