By Vicky Sidler | Published 10 February 2026 at 12:00 GMT+2

There’s something oddly satisfying about asking ChatGPT to write your marketing strategy. It’s fast, articulate, and a lot cheaper than someone with a diploma and opinions.

But here’s a funny thing.

The same marketing strategist who knows AI can’t replace their expertise will often turn around and use it to write a legal contract, self-diagnose a rash, and plan a new pricing model before lunch.

The irony? They don’t trust AI to replace themselves—but they’re happy to let it replace everyone else.

This curious habit is called the expertise paradox. London Business School points out that we trust AI least where we’re most competent. Everywhere else? We assume it’s good enough.

Let’s talk about why that’s a problem. Especially if you run a small business where time, budget, and trust are constantly on the line.

TL;DR:

• You wouldn’t trust AI to replace your own expertise. Don’t expect it to replace others’.

• AI gives inconsistent answers that shift daily, even with the same input.

• Professionals in every field still have to add the “but” after reading AI output.

• The more you rely on AI, the worse your judgment can become over time.

• AI works best as a tool, not a decision-maker.

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Table of Contents:

If You Wouldn’t Use It to Replace Yourself…

Let’s start with marketing people. They’re not stupid. They’ll copy-paste an AI strategy and instantly spot what’s off. Too vague. No brand context. Contradicts itself. Feels like it was written by someone who once skimmed a headline about your industry.

That “but” they feel? That’s judgment. It’s years of experience kicking in. The part where they say, “This sounds clever, but here’s why it won’t work for our market, our team, or our customers.”

Every professional does the same in their field. Lawyers catch fake citations. Doctors notice non-existent body parts like Google’s infamous “basilar ganglia.” Engineers spot design flaws that would fail in real life. And yet, many of those same professionals keep trusting AI in other people’s fields.

You see the problem.

Why AI Fails at Strategy:

AI doesn’t make decisions. It predicts what a good answer might look like based on patterns. That means if you ask it the same thing twice, you often get different answers. And not just little changes. Big ones. Expand internationally today. Focus locally tomorrow. Rebrand completely next week.

According to Everworker and Averi, this kind of inconsistency is normal. In fact, 88% of marketers plan to consolidate tools because AI has made strategy messier, not easier. Teams are spending more time correcting AI content than creating it.

Why? Because strategy needs consistency. You can't lead a business when your source of truth keeps switching sides.

Every Expert Has a “But”:

Here’s the pattern. AI gives a polished answer. You read it. Then you say, “But…” That little hesitation is everything. It’s the moment your brain kicks in and says, “This looks good, but it’s missing something real.”

That “but” is what turns advice into wisdom. It’s not just what you know, it’s how you know when it doesn’t apply. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a therapist, financial planner, or HR manager. AI lacks the training, context, and nuance to spot when a rule should be broken.

According to Ayadata, AI hallucinations are still happening in one out of six legal queries. These aren’t typos. They’re complete fabrications. Fake case law. Made-up court rulings. And yes, lawyers have been fined for using them.

AI Makes You Feel Smarter Than You Are:

Here’s the sneaky part. The more you use AI, the more confident you feel. And the more confident you feel, the less you double-check.

Aalto University research shows a strange twist on the Dunning-Kruger effect. People with higher AI literacy tend to overestimate their performance even more than beginners. That’s because using AI makes your brain lazy. It offloads thinking the same way GPS offloads your sense of direction. Eventually, you stop asking if the answer is right—you just assume it is.

This overconfidence is dangerous. It leads to poor decisions and missed red flags. Even worse, AI tools don’t learn from your feedback. They’ll keep giving the same mistakes on repeat while you slowly lose your ability to spot them.

You’re Not Being Consistent:

So let’s bring it back to your business. You know AI can’t fully replace you. You’ve read its advice. You’ve thought, “Not bad, but it doesn’t get our customers.” So why would you let that same tool make legal, financial, or hiring decisions without expert input?

Would you trust an accountant who used AI for everything and never double-checked a number? Probably not. So why trust AI over your accountant?

This isn’t about protecting turf. It’s about acknowledging that every field has its version of “there’s some truth here, but…” and respecting that you’re not the only one who can tell the difference.

So What Should You Do Instead?

Use AI like a smart assistant, not a strategist. Let it help you brainstorm. Summarize. Format. Rewrite. Get the first 60% done. But never stop thinking. And never stop asking, “Does this actually make sense for us?”

Respect your own judgment. And respect other people’s too.

Because if you won’t trust AI to replace you, don’t trust it to replace anyone else.

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Related Articles:

1. Don't Do AI Research Before Answering This One Question

If the expertise paradox hit home, this article gives you a simple but powerful filter: ask what happens if the AI is wrong. It’s part one of the same conversation.

2. Why Most AI Agents Don't Work Like You Think

If you’ve ever read AI advice and thought “this sort of makes sense but not really,” this follow-up explains why. It unpacks why AI lacks the deeper understanding that real pros bring.

3. Why Replacing Copywriters With AI Will Destroy Your Brand

This one shows exactly what goes wrong when businesses try to replace real marketing expertise with AI: trust erodes, and customers tune out.

4. AI Is Making Big Decisions in South Africa Without You

Zooming out, this article shows what happens when inconsistent AI judgment gets applied at scale—especially to small businesses. The results aren’t just theoretical.

5. AI Disrupts Consulting—Even McKinsey Is Struggling to Adapt

If McKinsey—with all their money and people—still needs humans for strategic decisions, that says a lot. This case study proves AI has limits, even in expert hands.

Frequently Asked Questions About Using AI Instead of Experts

1. Can AI create a full marketing strategy for my business?

It can give you a draft, but it won’t factor in your real-world budget, competitors, team capacity, or customer insights. Strategy needs context. AI doesn’t have yours.

2. Why does ChatGPT give different answers to the same question?

AI responses change based on randomness built into how it works. Even small changes in your prompt or timing can shift the output. That’s why it can’t be your strategy anchor.

3. What are the risks of using AI for legal or medical advice?

AI often invents things that sound real. From fake court cases to made-up body parts, these hallucinations can lead to expensive or dangerous mistakes if no expert checks them.

4. How can I tell if AI output is reliable or just sounds smart?

If you’re not an expert in the topic, you probably can’t. AI mimics confidence well. That’s why expert review is still essential—especially for high-stakes decisions.

5. Does using AI too much make me worse at critical thinking?

Yes. Research shows that when you rely on AI for answers, you stop thinking as deeply. Over time, that can weaken your ability to question and assess information.

6. Is AI more useful for beginners or experts?

Ironically, it’s more useful for experts. They know what to keep, what to toss, and how to adapt the suggestions. Beginners tend to accept flawed answers without realizing it.

7. When is it safe to use AI without expert help?

For low-stakes tasks like brainstorming, summarizing, or formatting. If a wrong answer won’t cost you money, time, or credibility, AI can save time. Just don’t let it decide anything important.

8. Can I replace copywriters, consultants, or designers with AI?

You can try, but you’ll likely spend more time fixing the results than doing it right the first time. And if your audience senses something’s off, your brand pays the price.

9. Why do people trust AI in fields they don’t understand?

Because AI sounds confident, and people assume they’d know if something was wrong. In reality, without the background to fact-check, it’s easy to get misled.

10. What’s the best way to use AI in a small business?

Use it to boost your productivity, not replace professional judgment. Let it help with drafts, summaries, and repetitive tasks—but keep humans in charge of strategy, nuance, and quality control.