Who Wins the Social Media Marketing Battle: AI or Humans?

As AI tools get smarter and more accessible, business owners and marketers are asking the million-dollar question: “AI or humans—who should handle my social media marketing?”

The answer isn’t as black and white as you might think. In a recent video, Dorien Morin-van Dam—veteran social media strategist and founder of More In Media—dives into this exact debate.

👤 About Dorien Morin-van Dam: With over a decade of experience in digital marketing, Dorien helps brands craft authentic, effective marketing strategies. She’s known for blending smart tech with human-centered messaging to achieve real results.

Here’s a breakdown of her take on what AI can (and can’t) do—and why the human touch still matters more than ever.

A robot and a human battling out whether AI or humans are better in creating content, in front of a computer

What AI Does Well in Marketing

There’s no doubt that AI has leveled up the digital marketing game. Here's what it does best:

1. Automation at Scale

AI handles repetitive tasks like scheduling social media posts, sending out emails, and even customer segmentation. What once took hours can now run quietly in the background—saving time and money.

2. Data Analysis Like a Pro

AI tools can sift through mountains of data in seconds, spotting trends and patterns that inform your next big campaign. You get insights fast—what's working, what’s not, and where to pivot.

3. Content Generation at Speed

From blog drafts to social captions, AI can generate all kinds of content. It creates graphics, tables, scripts, and more—giving you a foundation to build from.

So far, AI sounds like a marketing dream. But hold up, there’s a flip side.

Why Humans Still Matter More Than Ever

When it comes to AI or humans, the human side of marketing still brings critical elements that AI just can't replicate.

1. Creativity That Breaks the Mold

AI is great at remixing the past—but it can’t innovate the future. Humans can pull ideas from various sources, remix them in fresh ways, and come up with bold, original campaigns.

“I might use a piece from one idea here, one idea there, and come up with a brand-new creative campaign. AI can’t really do that.” – Dorien

2. Strategic Thinking

Humans understand nuance. Marketers recognize long-term goals, emotional trends, and cultural shifts. They know when a meme will flop or when it’ll go viral—and why.

3. Ethics and Empathy

AI doesn’t understand context or human emotion—and that can backfire.

📉 Case in point: A Canadian airline used an AI chatbot to handle a bereavement ticket request. The AI gave the wrong information, which led to a PR nightmare. Had a human been involved, the company could’ve saved face—and a lot of hassle.

The Real Answer: AI and Humans Together

Here’s the truth: it’s not really a battle of AI or humans—it’s about how both can work together.

Here’s how to pair them effectively:

Use AI for automation and analysis – Free up time for your human team to strategize and innovate.
Let AI handle the data crunching – Then let your marketers turn insights into creative gold.
Combine human intuition with AI insights – Predict trends, craft personalized messaging, and stay ahead of the competition.
Train your team on AI prompting – The better the input, the better the output. A one-line prompt won’t cut it.

“AI is only as good as the human behind it. You need someone to guide it, refine it, and make sure the output aligns with your brand.”

Don’t Replace Your Marketers. Empower Them INSTEAD!

Business owners: if you're wondering whether to replace your marketing team with AI, don’t. Instead, equip your marketers with the right tools and training.

Let them experiment, iterate, and integrate AI into their workflow. But always remember: they’re the ones who understand your audience, your brand voice, and your values.

Want to dig deeper into this topic or create content like this? Here are 10 great prompts you can try with ChatGPT:

“List the pros and cons of using AI vs humans in social media marketing.”
“Write a blog post about how AI and human marketers can collaborate effectively.”
“Explain the ethical risks of replacing human customer service with AI.”
“Give examples of marketing tasks best handled by AI.”
“What are common mistakes businesses make when relying too much on AI for marketing?”
“How can a small business owner use AI for marketing without losing the human touch?”
“Create a social media strategy that combines AI analytics with human creativity.”
“Write a case study on a company that failed by replacing humans with AI in marketing.”
“What are the top AI tools for marketers in 2024?”
“Give me a list of prompts to use in ChatGPT for writing creative ad copy.”

Final Thought: AI is here to stay but it’s not here to take over. Treat it as a tool, not a replacement. When you blend the efficiency of AI with the emotional intelligence of humans, that’s where marketing magic really happens.

Want more content like this? Keep an eye on Dorien’s upcoming videos where she shares how she uses AI with real clients and how you can too. Don't forget to hit the bell and subscribe once you get to YouTube!