When I stopped taking handwritten notes on client calls, everything changed. I could finally be fully present, knowing my AI assistant captured every detail, including the emotional tone, nuances in language, and important action items.
This wasn’t just a small efficiency gain. It transformed how I connect with clients.
As someone who’s led a marketing agency since 2009, I’ve witnessed the entire evolution of digital tools. We used to duct-tape everything together—email marketing, landing pages, payment processing—all separate systems needing complex integration.
Only enterprise companies had unified tools because they built them in-house.
Now systems are affordable and integrated—like Salesflows CRM for example—which has leveled the playing field for small businesses. The same democratization is happening with AI, just exponentially faster.
The 10X Effect
AI has at least 10x’d my personal output. This aligns with Microsoft’s research showing “AI power users” save more than 30 minutes daily —equivalent to an entire workday saved per month. (https://www.geekwire.com/2024/microsoft-study-finds-75-of-knowledge-workers-using-ai-at-work-nearly-doubling-in-six-months/). And I personally think 30 minutes is on the very low end.
Tasks that once took weeks now take hours. Projects that took months now take days.
As a single mom running a marketing agency, I used to feel perpetually time-deficient with my shortened workdays. Now I feel accomplished after just 4-5 hours because I’m getting so much done.
A lot less falls through the cracks. We can deliver quality results faster, so clients are happy. Our systems keep improving.
The Human-AI Partnership
I was recently asked whether I still feel the same “pride” in my work. The answer is yes, absolutely. We don’t ship anything without a human eye reviewing it. Writing is incredibly nuanced, and good copywriters instantly recognize the subtle artifacts in AI-generated text.
The person prompting the AI must be talented to get quality output. My sense of creative authorship hasn’t fundamentally changed—I just have a partner that helps me execute 10 times faster.
This partnership model challenges the worker alienation that Karl Marx warned about. When work becomes repetitive with little creative control, employees disconnect from their labor. But thoughtfully applied AI reduces alienation by handling mundane tasks while freeing humans for more creative, strategic work. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/disconnection-dynamics/202505/ai-and-alienation-of-work-parallels-to-karl-marxs-vision). It might not always be that way – AI is changing faster than I can get this article written – but that’s how it feels right now.
The Evolution of Marketing Skills
We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in what makes someone a “good marketer” today.
Copywriting provides the perfect example. You still need to be a skilled copywriter to catch AI artifacts and make meaningful edits. The difference is that copywriters now must become proficient in prompting and guiding AI to stay competitive.
The skill is evolving, not disappearing.
Right now, all our work remains human-led. We provide the content and context, and AI does what we ask. We might request creative direction, but humans always make the final determination about language, visuals, and strategy.
I suspect this will change as AI improves and as we incorporate more data into our decision-making. If AI-generated ads or email copy consistently outperforms human work, we’ll naturally lean more toward AI-driven approaches.
Deeper Client Connections
Surprisingly, AI has made our client relationships more human, not less.
Clients feel truly seen and heard because we don’t miss anything. The nuances in their language get pulled into everything we create, making our client profiles much more complete.
We nail branding and voice faster by using their own language, so clients feel we’ve genuinely listened to them.
This reflects a broader trend where AI is increasingly seen as a partner rather than a replacement. Salesforce emphasizes that “combining such tools with human knowledge is where your business can unlock a real superpower.” (https://www.salesforce.com/eu/blog/6-top-ai-marketing-tools-for-2024/)
The Double-Edged Sword
Everyone I’ve discussed this with acknowledges that AI has transformed marketing in powerful ways, but it’s potentially a double-edged sword.
The biggest downside? Some very creative, artistic people who aren’t adaptable will struggle to pivot and may lose their jobs.
We’ve already seen that algorithms and AI have biases. If AI doesn’t “like” an industry or brand, it might not perform optimally or could even sabotage a company if given too much autonomy without human oversight.
But the train has left the station. Not adopting AI puts you at an extreme disadvantage. It’s simply not a level playing field anymore for those unwilling to work with these tools.
Preparing for What’s Next
Understanding what AI can do and keeping up with changes will be crucial for marketers. Learning to prompt AI effectively and manage increasingly agentic systems will become essential skills.
Above all, adaptability will determine who thrives. We’re documenting processes knowing they’ll need frequent updates. You must be open to pivoting hard and often, recognizing that things are changing so rapidly we may not see a new “normal” for several years.
The marketers who will thrive won’t just be the most creative or analytical, but those who can effectively partner with AI while maintaining their uniquely human perspective.
As Bill Gates predicts, we’re entering an era of “free intelligence” where AI makes specialized knowledge widely accessible, potentially enabling reduced work hours—even suggesting a future with 2-3 day workweeks. (https://people.com/bill-gates-ai-will-replace-doctors-teachers-in-next-10-years-11705615)
For now, I’m embracing this partnership, setting appropriate boundaries, and enjoying the freedom it provides—like actually being present during client calls rather than frantically scribbling notes.
That presence, that connection, is something no AI can replace.
