Branding proves that the future is human.
Calling Artificial Intelligence one of the great revolutions of the century won’t surprise anyone. Its impact—past, present, and future—is undeniable. The creative and consulting industries seem seriously threatened. At least, at first glance.
AI can, among other things, automate creative processes: write texts, generate images, compose music, and even design strategies. This ability has led many outsiders to believe that a single prompt is enough to have an agency in their pocket. At Knom, we’re here to refute that idea.
As obvious as it may sound, a tool is not the same as a discipline. A tool executes, automates, accelerates, and facilitates. A discipline like branding connects values, culture, emotions, and narratives with the business of companies and the people they engage with. Just as owning brushes doesn’t make one a painter, having access to AI doesn’t make one a brand strategist.
Branding deals with identity, culture, purpose, collective imagination, values, and expectations—concepts that demand deeply human interpretation. One where reason alone isn’t enough, because emotion, symbolism, and intuition come into play. It’s precisely in that space—the subjective—where the true value of humanity lies, and where AI cannot reach.
How many brands have failed because they misread the social context? It’s impossible to connect with users without feeling. And that might be the key: feeling the same reality as our clients’ audiences—knowing firsthand the frustration of a call center, the pleasure of drinking your favorite coffee, or the attachment to an app that has become essential.
After all, can any AI truly understand what it feels like to drive a high-end car? BMW just lost its slogan.
AI will undoubtedly impact the industry, but at Knom we choose to focus on the opportunity it brings. From process acceleration and testing to moodboards and inspiration searches, AI speeds things up—but still needs human direction. It’s a tool, not a substitute. The winners of this race will be those who know how to harness it without falling for its siren song of shortcuts that save time but drain meaning and feeling.
AI amplifies the capabilities of those who already have expertise; it doesn’t create new ones out of ignorance. We’re already beginning to see the diminishing returns that follow every revolutionary innovation—and one of AI’s boundaries lies precisely here.
In a world where brands are becoming increasingly homogenized, branding gains critical importance—as both a compass and a differentiator. In a landscape flooded with infinite AI-generated outputs, the brands made by people will be the ones that stand out.
We’re facing a unique moment—one where being human becomes the ultimate differentiator and the reason worth celebrating together.