Where we use AI and where we aren’t
AI in marketing is at a strange point in the creative industry. There is a clear divide. Some believe it will take over and reduce creatives to prompt engineers, while others see it as a dying trend.
What pushed me to speak was a moment I had recently had on holiday. I was walking through Bath Spa in Somerset and passed a shop with a sign that read “NOW ACCEPTING BITCOIN AS PAYMENT”. The shop had clearly been closed for years.
This stuck with me. At the time, crypto felt unstoppable. People genuinely believed it would replace traditional currency. However, it now sits in a very different position. Because of this, the question becomes more relevant. Is AI in marketing following the same path, or is this something more permanent?
Our approach to AI
Rather than speaking broadly, it makes more sense to explain how we handle AI at Peak X Studio.
Our intentions with AI
Our position is simple. We keep AI out of creative work.
We apply this across websites, branding, social media management, and design. Every decision comes from a person, either our team or trusted collaborators.
However, we do use AI on the operational side. The goal is not to replace thinking. Instead, it removes friction. As a result, we focus more time on the work that actually matters.
How we use AI in Marketing day to day
We use AI in a controlled and specific way.
Primarily, we use it for troubleshooting, research support, and refining written content. As a result, we move faster when solving technical problems or reviewing work without affecting the integrity of what we produce.
For example, this blog is a good case study. I write the full content myself, usually between 800 and 1000 words each month. However, I may use ChatGPT to structure or refine sections because my spelling and grammar are not perfect.
We also use AI for GEO, Generative Engine Optimisation. For example, we analyse how AI platforms describe Peak X Studio and our clients. Because of this, we understand what information they pull through and how it is presented. As AI in marketing continues to grow, this matters more. At the same time, more people now rely on these tools to form opinions.
Where AI IS NOT used
We do not use AI in any creative output.
We do not generate website designs, branding, social posts, or visuals with it. These areas require taste, context, and judgement. AI does not match the standard we expect.
We also apply this standard to the contractors we hire. Before working with anyone, we personally vet their work to check for AI usage. We also explain our stance during the first call and confirm they align with it. However, we do not enforce this contractually, as it would be difficult to prove. As a result, this relies on trust, but it remains essential to maintaining our standard. This is becoming increasingly important as AI in marketing becomes more common across freelancers and agencies.
The future of AI in marketing: where do we honestly see it going
There is no doubt Ai in marketing is here to stay. However, the real question is to what degree.
Personally, I think many industries are already becoming tired of AI-generated work. The art community, cinema, and even architecture are pushing back. In many cases, they are not against AI itself, but they do not believe the quality is strong enough.
Because of this, AI-generated art may struggle long-term. For example, with Sora declining in relevance, we are already seeing signs of this shift. At the same time, many smaller AI tools are simply reskinned versions of larger platforms, which further limits originality.
