How Much AI Is Too Much?

Author: Tracy McCoy

One of the things James and I talk about often is how quickly marketing changes and how important it is to adapt without losing what makes your business different. 

In Episode 17 of The Fish Slap Effect Podcast, “How Much AI Is Too Much?”, we talk about where AI can help your marketing and where it still needs you. At Get Fish Slapped, we use these tools every day, and I love how much time they can save. But faster content isn't automatically better marketing.

Just Because AI Can Create It Doesn't Mean You Should Post It

During the episode, James held up an AI-generated fish graphic that looked nothing like our brand. It had two heads, strange design choices, and none of the personality we'd want representing Get Fish Slapped. We've also seen AI generate hands with eight fingers for a nail client's content. 

Those mistakes are funny until they show up on a business's social media page. AI can create something in seconds, but that doesn't mean it's ready for your customers to see.

Start With Strategy, Not a Prompt

One of the biggest mistakes I see is asking AI to make content before deciding what that content needs to accomplish. Are you trying to build awareness, generate leads, answer a customer question, or strengthen a relationship? James mentioned a client who posts only once or twice a week and runs a modest Facebook ad campaign, yet stays incredibly busy. Her content works because it has a purpose. I'd rather see a business publish one thoughtful post than five generic ones just to fill a calendar.

Before I start prompting, I think about the audience, the goal, the action I want someone to take, and how the message should sound coming from that particular business. Giving AI that context makes the result much more useful. Without it, you're asking a tool to make marketing decisions that should start with your strategy.

Better Instructions Save Time

I've built reusable instructions for tasks I handle regularly, including organizing my weekly to-do list. Instead of explaining the process from scratch every time, I can add what's on my mind and have AI help turn it into a workable plan. We also give our tools brand guidance so they're more likely to create something that sounds like Get Fish Slapped rather than a generic company. It's not foolproof, and sometimes AI still goes rogue, but good instructions give us a much better starting point.

You don't have to become a technical expert to do this. Explain the task like you're briefing someone on your team: here's the goal, here's the audience, here's what matters, and here's what to avoid. Then review the result and keep refining it.

Use AI to Expand Your Thinking

I love using AI to brainstorm. I might ask for twenty campaign ideas, pick the few that have potential, explain why the others don't work, and keep developing the strongest direction. That back-and-forth helps me explore ideas faster, but I'm still deciding what fits the client, what we can execute, and what will resonate with the audience. 

An idea can sound clever and still be wrong for the business. That's where experience and judgment come in.

Make Communication More Thoughtful

AI can also help us be better communicators. When a negative review comes in, it's easy to take it personally and respond emotionally. Drafting a response with AI can help create some distance, so the final message is calm and constructive, as long as we edit it to sound sincere. 

I also use AI to review meeting transcripts against client plans and follow-up emails. It helps me check whether I've captured the details, commitments, and questions that matter. That kind of thoroughness makes people feel heard.

Sometimes the Real Photo Is the Better Choice

James told a story about seeing a real estate listing with beautiful photos, only to drive by and discover that the property looked very different. The images appeared to have been altered to hide clutter and needed repairs. The moment he saw the actual house, the listing lost credibility. There's a difference between showing what something could look like and presenting a made-up version as reality.

The same goes for a restaurant dish, a retail product, or a photo of your team. Beautiful presentation matters, but it should match what customers can expect. When you're celebrating employees, thanking your community, or showing the experience you actually provide, a real photograph often tells a stronger story than an overly polished AI image. 

Trust is hard to earn and surprisingly easy to lose.

Trust the Tool, but Verify the Work

I don't assume AI has everything right. 

If I'm using it for research, I ask for sources and check them. If it's summarizing a meeting or drafting an email, I read the result carefully. Even with detailed instructions, these tools can miss something important or confidently get a fact wrong. I've seen it happen, which is why I treat AI-generated work the way I'd treat a draft from someone on my team: helpful, but still needing review.

If something goes out under your business's name, you own it. You can't blame a chatbot for a misleading image, an inaccurate claim, or an email that doesn't sound like you. The tool may have produced the first draft, but your business is responsible for the final message.

The Real Competitive Advantage

So how much AI is too much? 

For me, it's too much when the technology starts replacing the thinking, care, and personality that make your business worth choosing. If AI helps you organize work, develop ideas, communicate more clearly, and spend more time with customers, that's a win. If it helps you produce endless content without a clear purpose, it's time to rethink the approach.

We don't have to choose between using new technology and being authentic. The best balance is letting AI handle some of the heavy lifting while we stay responsible for the strategy, accuracy, creativity, and relationships. Your voice is still one of the most valuable things your business has.

Watch the Full Episode & Join the Conversation

If you're experimenting with AI in your marketing or wondering whether you're leaning on it too much, watch Episode 17, “How Much AI Is Too Much?”, of The Fish Slap Effect Podcast. You'll hear my complete conversation with James, along with practical insights about better prompts, brand voice, checking accuracy, and deciding when the human touch matters most. And yes, we talk about the two-headed fish and those extra fingers.

Follow The Fish Slap Effect Podcast on your favorite platform or subscribe on YouTube. We release new conversations weekly about marketing, entrepreneurship, and business growth. If you enjoy the episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow business owner, entrepreneur, marketer, or leader who's figuring out how to use AI well.

Because AI can help you move faster, but it's your judgment, your relationships, and your authentic voice that give people a reason to trust you.