I fought AI for a looooooong time. 

Not because I’m anti-technology, or because I’m out of touch, or because I’m clinging to “the old ways.”

I fought it because I care about the work.

I care about craft. I care about voice. I care about meaning.

And I care about what gets lost when convenience becomes the default.

But then I did what most of us do.

I let AI proofread a few things.

And it was fine. Helpful, even.

Then today, AI built me a spreadsheet — complete with formulas that are way too advanced for me. Seriously … wizard-level spreadsheet work. I break spreadsheets like it’s my job. But if I can keep this one functioning, it’s going to save me hours of time on a client project with an extremely limited budget.

More importantly: it’s a template I can use for more than one client.

So yes. I get it.

I understand why people are using AI in small, practical ways — especially when budgets are tight, time is short, and you’re doing the best you can with what you have.

But here’s the part no one wants to talk about:

AI is making everyone look the same. And it’s already happening at scale.

Not someday. Not “in the future.” Now.

The Great Flattening

If you work in communications, you’ve probably seen it too:

• The same “clean” writing style
• The same friendly, polished tone
• The same stock phrasing
• The same Canva-adjacent layouts
• The same icons, gradients, fonts
• The same “professional” feel

It’s like we’re all being filtered through the exact same machine.

And if you’re thinking, “Is that really so bad?” — let me offer a real example.

The Snowstorm That Proved My Point

We just got clobbered by a massive snowstorm here in the Northeast.

And what did I see all over social media?

Multiple fire departments across the state …

Multiple meteorologists across the state …

Multiple state agencies across the state …

… all using AI to generate storm-related graphics for social media.

And guess what?

They all looked exactly the same.

Same format. Same vibe. Same “alert” style.

If you didn’t pause long enough to check for a logo, you wouldn’t even know who posted it.

That’s not just a branding problem. That’s a communication problem.

Because in an emergency — or any moment where people need to know what’s happening and who to trust — identity matters.

Local voice matters.

Familiarity matters.

Trust matters.

And AI is bulldozing all of it.

AI Is Killing Brand Identity (And Autonomy)

Here’s the thing:

Brand identity isn’t “a logo.” Brand identity is the feeling people get when they see your message.

It’s your voice. Your point of view. Your human fingerprint.

It’s the difference between: “Oh, this is a generic post” and “This is my fire department,” “This is my town,” “This is someone who actually knows us.”

AI is pushing everyone toward sameness — toward a polished, generic middle.

Think: Pluribus. Star Wars drone army. I’m not kidding.

It’s mass-produced communication. And it’s killing originality.

Even worse?

It’s killing autonomy.

Because once you get used to letting AI do the thinking, it’s hard to get your own voice back. You start second-guessing your instincts. You start defaulting to what the machine suggests.

And slowly, the tool becomes the author.

And Yes, It’s Also Failing Creatives

This is the part that genuinely makes me angry.

When organizations use AI to replace talented graphic designers (or photographers, writers, editors, illustrators, strategists, you name it), we’re not just saving time. We’re participating in the slow erosion of creative work as something that deserves investment.

And I need to be crystal clear here:

There are incredibly talented people out there who need the work. And there are also incredibly talented people who might volunteer their services for a good cause — if asked.

But instead, we’ve normalized: “Just generate something.”

And “something” is exactly what we’re getting. Not beautiful. Not distinct. Not memorable. Just … something.

“But We Don’t Have the Budget”

I hear you.

A lot of the people using AI aren’t lazy. They’re overwhelmed. They’re stretched thin. They’re doing the jobs of three people. They’re trying to keep up.

I’m one of them.

This isn’t a moral judgment.

It’s a professional warning.

Because there’s a cost to speed. There’s a cost to convenience. There’s a cost to outsourcing your voice.

And one day, a lot of organizations are going to look up and realize: They don’t actually have a brand anymore. They have output.

Here’s My Prediction

My guess is social media algorithms won’t reward all these same-looking posts forever. Engagement will go down.

Because when everything looks the same, nothing stands out.

Creativity will rule the day again — not because it’s trendy, but because it’s the only thing left that feels human.

The organizations that win won’t be the ones who posted the most.

They’ll be the ones who stayed recognizable.

They’ll be the ones who kept their voice.

They’ll be the ones who used AI as a tool … and refused to let it replace their identity.

The point of communication isn’t to produce content. It’s to be known. And AI is making far too many organizations unrecognizable.