Even digitally-savvy professionals who have already started integrating artificial intelligence into their workflows might need to pause every now and then to think about how AI could pose a threat to their brand. It’s a realistic concept worth contemplating (as a thinking exercise at the very least). It isn’t just an exercise in caution—it’s a way to proactively protect the work you’ve built and the voice that makes it yours.
First, Identify Perceived Threats
One of the most common fears is being made redundant. For example, experts might be concerned that they’ll lose out if potential clients instead choose to use entities like ChatGPT or Midjourney. If you’re a designer, writer, strategist, or consultant, this concern is valid—but it also presents an opportunity. Ask yourself: What value do I offer that a machine can’t replicate?
Plagiarism is another perceived threat. If your work is public, could AI absorb and recycle it into a competitor’s copy or pitch? Technically, yes. Large language models pull patterns from public data, which makes clear authorship and originality more important than ever.
To safeguard your work:
- Show your process. When possible, timestamp your ideas or display behind-the-scenes insights.
- Establish ownership. Share your work confidently. Talk about your inspirations, your goals, and your outcomes.
- Double down on originality. Use signature voice, tone, or visuals that AI would struggle to mimic without it being obvious.
Remember: Authenticity, lived experience, and emotional intelligence can’t be synthesized. Those are your competitive edges, lean into them.
Stay Informed
The biggest way to ensure that AI is not a threat to your company is by staying in-the-know about what it’s capable of—and what it’s not. This can help quell unrealistic concerns while informing your need-to-know threat assessments. For example, understanding how AI is being applied across industries can help you spot blind spots and seize opportunities. Because AI is just a tool. It is only as useful, productive, and worthwhile as the person writing the prompts—amplifying the intent, clarity, and creativity of the user. Therefore, at the end of the day, the real threat isn’t AI itself—it’s letting others use it more thoughtfully, more strategically, or more boldly than you do.
For a complete assessment of how artificial intelligence tools could help boost your business while considering any risks that generative AI could pose in the future, consider a targeted consultation with the talented and tech-savvy team at Mad 4 Marketing.