The “AI stink” is real, and it’s costing brands

If you’ve ever reluctantly removed em dashes from your writing to avoid sounding like AI, you know firsthand how generative AI is reshaping our perceptions of content. It’s impacting the way we write, the way we speak, and the speed at which content is created and consumed. 

The ripple effect of rapid AI adoption is bound to touch ad performance. But how, and to what extent? Do audiences care who created the content they’re consuming? 

To find out, we commissioned a study of 3,000 nationally representative U.S. adults to understand how people respond to content depending on who—or what—they think created it. Participants reviewed similar pieces of content, some of which were human-written and some AI-generated. We then measured their reactions to the content and to the ads shown alongside it. 

The trust gap

At first glance, the findings may seem unremarkable: audiences don’t trust AI-generated content. But here’s the kicker—it doesn’t matter if the content was generated by AI or not. 

As Anna Blender, our SVP, Data Strategy & Insights, told Adweek, “when people thought something was AI-generated, they rated that content much worse across metrics like trust and authenticity, regardless of whether it was really AI-generated or not.”  

If people suspect something was written by AI, they automatically think less of it. 

And the “stink” of that possibly-generated-by-AI content permeates everything around it, including ads. 

Imagine dropping a perfectly good scoop of ice cream into a trash can. As soon as it’s in there, that formerly delicious ice cream becomes trash too. 

The same thing happens to ads appearing in context with AI-generated content.

Readers may not know for certain how something was created, but even the perception of artificiality can erode brand equity. In a crowded media environment, the “AI stink” is real, and it’s contagious. 

Avoid the AI stink

So what’s the takeaway from all of this for creators and publishers? Your content matters more than ever. In fact, people are craving it. Your personal stories, expert advice, and real-life experiences are a life raft for readers in a sea of AI slop. 

While this study was designed to provide advertisers with a better understanding of how audiences respond to AI-generated content, there are plenty of insights applicable to creator businesses too. 

As you continue creating, here are three things to keep in mind. 

Emotional connection drives success

Clicks and conversions are great, but trust and authenticity go even further. “Realness” is something people can feel—and it’s something smart brands look for.

Context = brand safety 

Brand safety goes beyond avoiding toxicity; positive reinforcement is important too. If your brand appears next to content that feels artificial, it can quietly erode its value, even if the content itself is innocuous. Perception matters. This is true for advertisers, and it’s true for you. 

Your credibility is an asset

You’ve put in the work and you’ve built a community of people who trust you. That trust is something AI can’t fake and brands can’t buy. More than ever, they’ll look to creators like you to bring those audience relationships to the table.

As we move into a reality where we can’t always tell which voices are human and which are robots, creators and publishers still have the edge. You bring an irreplaceable human factor to the table, and readers continue to look to you for content they can trust.