Can clients trust content made by machines?

Emily: Ross, there’s huge interest in using AI across content, marketing, even client service. But where do you see the line between smart automation and going too far?

Ross: It comes down to intent and execution. Clients are fine with AI behind the scenes: say, powering a chatbot that helps them get quick answers. But they’re not okay when it’s obvious that content’s been churned out by a bot with no oversight. That erodes trust, fast.

Emily: So, they’re not anti-AI, they’re anti-bad content?

Ross: Exactly. In finance, trust is the product. If something feels overly generic or oddly worded, people tune out. Or worse, they figure out it’s AI generated and start questioning your credibility. They don’t mind that AI plays a role, but they want to know a human made the final call.

Emily: What about personalization? Clients say they want more relevant content, but also that too much personalization can feel invasive.

Ross: Totally. There’s a difference between being helpful and being creepy. If you’re tailoring content based on preferences or past behaviors, great. But if it feels like you’ve been reading their emails or listening to their conversations at the dinner table, that crosses a line. So, personalization has to be done sensitively.

Emily: It’s a tension we feel in marketing. Clients want relevance, firms want efficiency, and we’re stuck in the middle trying to deliver both.

Ross: And that’s where smart martech comes in. Automate the repetitive stuff. Use AI to scale production. But leave the judgment, tone and nuance to humans. It all has to be authentic to the brand and feel human to the reader. That’s the bit that builds relationships.

Emily: So, what do clients expect from their financial services providers when it comes to AI?

Ross: They expect efficiency, yes, but also honesty. Don’t pretend everything is handmade. And I think you do have to make it clear where the value comes from. Some firms might go as far as to state when AI has been involved in their content creation. In the end, AI might get you seen, but human insight is what makes you trusted.

Emily: Well said. Maybe the future is less about man versus machine, and more about smart collaboration between the two.

Ross: That’s for sure. We’re going to be hearing ‘human in the loop’ for a long time to come when it comes to the use of AI in financial services.