The importance of human authenticity: Marketers predict what’s in store for 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the marketing industry, offering both opportunities and challenges for professionals. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their impact on marketing strategies and operations becomes increasingly profound.

In fact, AI has become an advancement in technology that is unavoidable with 81% of marketers reporting that their organisation is currently using GPT models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s AI Gemini, formerly Bard.

More specifically, 55% of marketers say their organisation’s adoption of GenAI can best be described as partially integrated across selected marketing functions. 71.4% of respondents also said that AI capabilities are most extensively utilised by content teams, underscoring the pivotal role AI plays in content generation.

These were the results of engagement platform CleverTap’s AI customer engagement report this year which revealed that 64% of respondents have used AI to build real time personalised experiences for optimal engagement.

Ahead of the new year, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE sat down with some industry professionals to find out how AI is shaping the industry and what we can expect in the years to come.

Don't miss: Key insights shaping marketer strategies in 2025

Rudy Khaw, chief executive officer at AirAsia brand co. 

Authenticity is here to stay, and I really mean authenticity, not "pretend", "advertising" nor "buzzword" authenticity (fauxthentic). It's about how brands can do things that truly connect and relate to passions in a meaningful yet interesting way. It's not about being "raw" in content output. Authenticity doesn't have to mean lack of creativity nor flashiness.

Harnessing the power of creativity (not advertising) to capture attention will be the next thing marketers may want to look into. The power of creativity in all forms is on the rise - from visual stylings, out of this world motion work, quickfire storytelling and surprising collaborations. It's about truly understanding what moves culture.

Marcus Chew, chief managing officer for Lazada

By 2025, generative AI will be a cornerstone of creative marketing, transforming how brands conceptualise and produce content.

AI-driven tools will empower marketers to rapidly generate high-quality visuals, videos, and immersive experiences tailored to individual preferences, allowing brands to experiment boldly and refine creative concepts in real-time.

This shift will lead to an explosion of unique, hyper-relevant content that captures audience attention while cutting production costs and timelines.

With generative AI, the creative process will evolve into a seamless collaboration between human intuition and machine innovation, unlocking limitless potential for storytelling and brand expression.

Alex Goh Peng Hui, head of marketing of MR DIY Malaysia

I believe AI will remain a major trend in marketing in 2025, but in much smarter and more purposeful ways. It’s no longer just about experimenting, it’s about creating personalized, real-time experiences that genuinely connect with people. The real challenge? Keeping the human element alive. Brands that master the balance between intelligent automation and authentic creativity won't just stand out, they’ll win consumers' hearts.

Debra Soon, group head of brand, communications, marketing & experience for Singlife

I don’t think there is one big trend, but definitely the AI revolution will continue to impact marketing. I feel though, in a reverse way, as more of us find ways to use AI, whether in first drafts, enabling efficiency by helping us create multiple versions of ads cheaply, there will also be a reactive shift to more authentic, personal, customised and local.

We are all human after all and want to feel like we are individuals.

Madhav Nayak, chief managing officer of Yum! Brands

In 2025, a big theme for marketers to contend with will be managing pricing with agility. While input cost inflation over the last couple of years—at unprecedented levels in several countries—has created upward pressure on pricing, I believe the nature of the challenge is now evolving.

Raw material inflation has started cooling in some markets, but it's hard to say if trends have decisively reversed, especially with the uncertainty from geopolitical events.

For marketers, this means that walking the tightrope of volume/transaction led growth while delivering profitability will become more challenging — and necessitate a nimble and holistic approach to pricing.

Sharper understanding of consumers, specifically on price elasticity and drivers of "value for money" beyond sticker-price, will be paramount. Internally, we would need to be closer than ever to our colleagues in supply chain and finance to have a clear and current grasp of cost movements; while ensuring we remain invested in the areas that matter most to consumers and the long-term health of the business.

Related articles:
Brands in SG are falling behind in AI adoption
Why half of Malaysian CEOs have yet to adopt gen AI in their work