Why Are AI’s Wacky Ideas Frustrating for Digital Marketers?

We’re all looking for the next big thing. And right now, that next big thing is artificial intelligence. Every marketing platform wants you to believe their AI is magic. Automate tasks! Personalize everything! Optimize ROI! Sure, AI has some wins, but in real life, it’s more like having a slightly unhinged intern with a flair for the bizarre. You end up having to redo the work to bring it up to standard. Usually, the suggestions AI comes up with are so off track that they have us all laughing and then shaking our heads in disbelief. Let’s just say “strategic partner” isn’t the first phrase that comes to mind.

What Kind of Strange Stuff Does AI Suggest?

If you think AI’s suggestions are polished, think again. We’ve seen it crop right through people’s faces, stretch products like funhouse mirrors, and recommend rap music for million-dollar homes. And don’t get us started on copywriting; an overuse of emojis and exclamation marks isn’t exactly what financial services companies are asking for.

Why Do AI Images Sometimes Look Like Nightmares?

This question is difficult to answer, but a lot of the time, AI just doesn’t get images quite right for us. We’ll never forget the “happy” dog with human teeth and blacked-out eyes. Or the trivia night ad with a three-armed woman. Or the smiling guy with bonus teeth. These images are equal parts hilarious and horrifying, but also proof that AI isn’t ready to be your brand’s visual director.

Click on one of these AI-generated images to view the details.

While these examples seem funny at first glance, they underscore a critical point: AI, in its current state, is still a long way from being a hands-off solution for digital marketing. It’s a powerful tool for generating ideas, automating repetitive tasks, and analyzing vast amounts of data—but it lacks the human touch that’s essential for the kind of work we do for our clients. There is an evident lack of understanding of context, brand voice, and the customer journey. We just can’t trust it to handle implementing digital marketing strategies or even creating basic assets.

What’s the Deal with AI Settings in Ad Platforms?

Nearly every day, our team shares details about a “new hoop to jump through” to protect the integrity of what is being shown and to whom. Right now, AI in ad platforms feels sneaky. Settings are buried, menus are collapsed, and some “off” features quietly flip back on. Audience targeting? Treated like a vague suggestion. We spend way too much time digging for hidden switches just to keep campaigns from going off the rails. Transparency? Still MIA.

Some frustrations include:

• The label says 0/8 AI improvement settings are “on” but surprise!, two more are secretly activated in another area. Of course, one is cheesy music and one is gaudy text overlay. Ugh!
• Audiences expanded into the wrong demographics. Basically, no, Meta, our audience is not a suggestion!
• Features that sound “smart” for someone, but will just burn your budget.

Trusting the AI settings is something businesses have learned the hard way. There are plenty of well-documented cases of AI gone wrong, from chatbots developing their own languages to AI-powered ad campaigns that went viral for all the wrong reasons. These aren’t just technical glitches, like the guy who ordered 18,000 waters via AI at a Taco Bell drive-thru; they’re potential brand disasters.

The bottom line is that AI can be a collaborator, not a replacement. It can’t, and shouldn’t, replace human judgment, creativity, and strategic oversight. It is a big risk to a brand’s reputation and bottom line to just hand over the keys.

At Lodestar Marketing Group, we understand this. We’re committed to making sure your ads, your copy, and your campaign targeting are fine-tuned for you; for your brand, for your audience, and for your goals. Maybe someday the AI machine will get it right, but we will still have your back as clients, ensuring that every campaign is not a random, algorithm-fueled absurdity.