AI seems to be everywhere. It seems to be the solution to all our workload challenges. Yet, researchers and specialists are finding that AI is more harmful for society and our human capabilities than we think.
In January, I visited the Adformatie event “Koffiedik Kijken” in Amsterdam. During the event, market leaders shared their predictions for the marketing trends of 2026. Some of the trends that stuck with me most were: 1. We need to take the responsibility for ethical choices in marketing, 2. Focus on human creativity, and 3. Offline activations will play a bigger role.
Ethical choices in marketing
“AI doesn’t have a heart.” A statement made by one of the co-organizers. AI does not know right from wrong. “It does not know what it’s like to be heartbroken.” AI does not have emotions. As marketing agencies, we should tap into that uniqueness and show the added value of being human.
However, ethical choices in marketing aren’t just about AI and creativity. They are also about making the decisions that AI can’t, deciding to do the right things right.
Who do you work for and with?
Making ethical choices in marketing starts with choosing who you do or do not work with and being transparent about those choices. Do you work with companies that actually take social responsibility? Making ethical choices in marketing means that you must be ready to take moral responsibility and refuse work that isn’t in line with your values. You cannot practice ethical marketing for an unethical organization.
How do you do your work?
When creating a campaign, it’s essential to involve the target audience to make sure it resonates and is authentic. Involve diverse perspectives in your production team, focus groups, and in the materials you create. By involving those diverse perspectives, you will be less likely to – unconsciously – promote harmful stereotypes or behaviors. That helps ensure your work is credible, ethically aligned, and grounded in real experience and not assumptions.
Putting it into practice, a good example
An amazing example of an ethical organization that practices ethical marketing is Tiny Miracles. Founded by Laurien Meuter in 2010, its mission is to empower 1 million people to break out of poverty. All by making tote bags. They take responsibility that goes beyond just adding real value, but actually changing people’s lives. They are transparent about why, how, and what they are doing and what their impact is.
The power and importance of human creativity
The event also discussed how AI is putting more pressure on human creativity. I came across some research published in Nature that found that using ChatGPT results in less diversity of creative ideas. AI doesn’t come up with new ideas. It just combines information that already exists. When we rely too much on AI as a brainstorming partner, we risk producing more of the same. And because AI canbe biased and doesn’t have human judgment, it makes it harder to create campaigns that genuinely resonate, or that can promote harmful stereotypes.
Creativity should be preserved in the ‘intelligence age.” An article from the World Economic Forum touched on the importance of valuing the human intuition, emotion, and imagination to give meaning to the things we create. With all the innovations in AI, we should focus on preserving traditional craftsmanship and human creativity to maintain a connection to our cultural heritage. “Balancing technological advancements with the rich tapestry of human creativity will lead to a more diverse and resilient future.”
It makes me wonder: “Are we focusing on the right innovations?” It is alarming to notice that while advancements in gender equity are lagging, tech innovations are going so fast.
Offline versus or in addition to online
At Koffiedik Kijken was also discussed whether “offline” will play a bigger role in the marketing of 2026. I believe it will. Just look at the rise in sales of brick phones. People are becoming more conscious of the effects of screen time, and young people are leading the way. They are spending more time offline and enjoying real-life experiences.
This growing trend to disconnect from screens is a sign of something bigger. People are longing for more real human connections. They feel the need to be part of a community. Since organizations are nothing more than groups of people, they can play a big role in building, facilitating, and sustaining those human connections. This can be done simply just by supporting Employee Resource Groups, organizing a run club, or hosting small-scale, intimate events. By creating spaces for community around your organization, you can build a stronger brand presence and brand loyalty while contributing to solving challenges in the bigger picture: building strong human connections in an online-dominated world.