By Vicky Sidler | Published 13 September 2025 at 12:00 GMT+2

It’s official. Marketing is now mostly machine work.

At least according to Scott Leatherman, CMO of Aviatrix, a $2 billion tech company. In a recent Business Insider piece, he shared that his team has managed to automate 80 percent of their marketing tasks using AI tools.

This isn’t a drill. Blogs, videos, social posts, analytics—all cranked out faster and cheaper than ever before. But before you go thinking your marketing can now run itself like a Roomba, let’s pause.

Because here’s the real question: if the machines are doing most of the work, what are you supposed to do?

TL;DR

• Aviatrix’s marketing team has automated 80% of its work using AI

• Tasks like blogs, videos, and social content are now faster and cheaper to produce

• But human judgment, empathy, and message clarity still matter

• Relying on AI without checks can lead to ego-driven or tone-deaf content

• Creative storytelling and strong messaging are now even more essential

Need help getting your message right? Download the 5-Minute Marketing Fix

Table of Contents:

The Robots Are Very Efficient (But a Little Full of Themselves):

According to Leatherman, his team now uses multiple large language models (LLMs) per person. One marketer might be running four or five AI tools at once.

This means a blog that used to take eight hours now takes two. A video that cost $50,000 and took six months to produce? Now done in six weeks for a fraction of the price using tools like Midjourney and Higgsfield.

Sounds dreamy. But as it turns out, the bots are people-pleasers.

Leatherman admits his AI tools kept “fueling his ego.” They churned out content that sounded great—because it told him exactly what he wanted to hear. So his team started writing stricter prompts and created internal review systems to make sure their AI-generated material was still clear, factual, and not just corporate fluff.

Lesson: If you’re using AI in your business, don’t assume it’s right just because it sounds confident. Check your tone. Check your facts. Check your ego.

Empathy Still Matters (Even If AI Doesn’t Get It):

One of the biggest problems? AI lacks emotional intelligence.

Leatherman points out that their audience includes Chief Information Security Officers—people under extreme pressure, managing constant threats. AI doesn’t grasp that nuance. It can write in a tone that sounds smug or condescending without meaning to.

This is where human oversight is critical. Whether your audience is parents, pet lovers, procurement officers, or plumbers, the emotional weight behind your message matters.

If you let AI set the tone unchecked, it might default to fearmongering or flattery. Both are bad for trust.

I’ll be honest—I’ve been tempted to follow this 80% path myself. With daily blogs, videos, and content to produce, I explored the “done-for-you” AI tools that promise to write scripts, design visuals, even generate an AI version of me on screen. The speed was alluring. But the result? Soulless. If I didn’t believe in the content as mine, how could I expect anyone else to trust it?

One of my company’s core values is authenticity, and no algorithm can replace that. I still use AI here and there in my workflow, but the bulk of it is handwritten, re‑written, and injected with good old elbow grease. Because the 20% that’s still human? That’s not leftover. That’s the differentiator.

What This Means for Small Businesses:

You probably don’t have five AI tools per employee. But the lesson here isn’t about scale. It’s about smart use.

Here’s how small businesses can take the same principles and apply them without burning out or sounding robotic:

1. Use AI for Output, Keep Humans for Quality:

Let AI speed things up. Let it help you brainstorm, repurpose content, or draft first versions. But always review it through a human lens. Make sure it makes sense for your brand and your audience.

If the tone is off, adjust. If the structure is bloated, fix it. If it sounds like it was written by a chatbot at 2am with access to a thesaurus, rewrite it.

2. Don’t Skip the Storytelling:

Leatherman calls the human 20 percent of the job “the passion part.” That’s the storytelling, the meaning, the message behind the noise.

This is where you stand out. Anyone can prompt ChatGPT. Not everyone can make people care.

Your story, your values, your brand voice—that’s your moat.

3. Scale Smarter, Not Louder:

Aviatrix now publishes six blogs a week and more than a dozen social posts. Not because more is better, but because they have to stay visible.

But more content only helps if it’s clear. If you haven’t nailed your message, scaling just makes the confusion louder.

Before you ramp up your output, pause and clarify your core message. This is what the 5-Minute Marketing Fix helps with.

AI Is the Tool. You’re Still the Strategist.

Leatherman’s team isn’t letting their “digital twins” run the show. They’re still driving. They’re just getting to the finish line faster.

As AI content becomes the default, the differentiator is no longer speed or price. It’s meaning.

And that’s the part AI can’t fake.

👉 Download the 5-Minute Marketing Fix to sharpen your message and keep your marketing human, no matter how much you automate.

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FAQs on AI Marketing Automation

What does it mean to automate 80 percent of marketing?

It means using AI tools to handle most of the repetitive tasks—like writing blogs, creating social media posts, analysing performance, or even generating video content—freeing up your team to focus on strategy, creativity, and customer connection.

Can small businesses really automate that much without a big budget?

Yes. Many AI tools are free or low-cost. You don’t need five models per employee like Aviatrix, but even one well-trained tool can help you draft emails, outline blogs, or repurpose existing content. It’s about using AI wisely, not expensively.

What parts of marketing still need a human touch?

Messaging, empathy, and judgment. AI can help produce content fast, but it doesn’t understand your customer’s emotional reality. People still need to guide tone, structure, clarity, and ensure your brand feels trustworthy.

How do I stop AI from writing things that sound fake or arrogant?

Start with better prompts and always review the output. Set tone guidelines. Watch for ego-stroking language or fear-based messaging—two things AI tends to default to. Make sure everything feels helpful, honest, and aligned with your audience.

Should I be publishing more content just because AI makes it faster?

Only if your message is clear. Scaling content before clarifying your core message will just multiply confusion. Use the 5-Minute Marketing Fix to sharpen your one-liner first—then scale with purpose.

What tools did Aviatrix use that small businesses could try?

They mentioned Midjourney and Higgsfield for video, and multiple LLMs for text. For smaller teams, tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Jasper, or Canva’s AI suite are great starting points. Just remember: tools are helpful, but clarity is what converts.