As the merger between reality and the meta draws closer, the line between human connection and algorithmic mimicry is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish.
Across industries and social platforms, people are splitting into two camps. Some are fully embracing the shift, welcoming AI agents, automated chats, and emotionally intelligent tools as the future of connection. In some cases, quite literally marrying the change.
Others are becoming increasingly skeptical. Their concern is threaded through the speed of the shift and the social and economic costs incurred. Emotional manipulation, curated relatability, and trust are the new gold standard rather than a genuine bond between a brand and a consumer.
Two questions are forming on either side of the debate.
- How do we scale this to the masses without losing the perception of humanity?
- And how do brands protect real human connection in the face of artificial humanity’s rapid growth?
For years, brands have been shifting away from rigid professionalism toward a more human approach. Behind-the-scenes footage, casual captions, meme-style engagement, and emotionally charged storytelling have become common strategies.
As CU Denver Business School Marketing Associate Professor, Summer Cao explains, “More and more brands adopt human tones to foster closer emotional bonds with customers. They want to appear approachable and trustworthy.”
The results speak for themselves. People respond more to brands that don’t necessarily sound like them, but mimic a candidly ideal dialogue that most people fantasize about achieving. A messaging that feels casual, witty, and emotionally aware enhances engagement and makes brands feel more relatable.
Cao adds, “A casual, personable tone encourages consumers to relate to brands as if they were individuals.” The brand becomes more than a logo. It becomes a character. A presence. Sometimes even a friend.
But this shift has also created a problem. When every brand tries to be human, it starts to feel artificial. Audiences can sense inauthenticity, even when the message is packaged with emojis and inside jokes.
One brand that understood the assignment early was Wendy’s. Their Twitter account boasted nuance and real-time connection with its audience. Known for roasting competitors and engaging with customers in real time, Wendy’s created a model of corporate voice that felt like a friend with a sharp tongue. It was one of the first times a mega-corporation genuinely felt relatable to online communities.
CU Denver Business School’s Marketing Assistant Professor, Mary Lee Stansifer, puts it bluntly: “Most companies think social media is the answer, without understanding how to make connections.” In some capacity, the public can see just how dejected some mega corporations can be when it comes to socializing with the masses.
Trust can erode, and the veil starts to fall.
That’s when the human tone starts to feel artificial: when a brand claims to be inclusive but its leadership tells a different story, when it promotes sustainability while actively polluting, or when brands use poorly placed Gen Z slang in hopes of going viral.
“It can be performative and manipulative,” says Stansifer, “especially with big companies because they don’t have an authentic brand.”
Authenticity can’t be simulated for long. If the message doesn’t match the reality, people catch on.
Should brands drop the human act entirely and return to formality? Probably not. But there is a middle ground. A model that blends authenticity with strategy. One that utilizes technology but remains grounded in its purpose.
“It is possible through mass customization and personalized marketing strategies,” Cao said. “AI may enable brands to customize communication at scale.”
Stansifer adds a reality check. “It is hard to keep a real connection over time as executives and culture change.”
The key is consistency. Knowing what you stand for and building everything around that. Not because it converts, but because it aligns with who you are – intuitively. Seeking alignment first often comes with profit.
Through a small branding project, CU Denver Business School students are testing whether a personality-driven brand can scale without losing its sense of self.
And while the research is in its infancy, one thing is clear: people want familiarity, not necessarily reality.
Artificial humanity is here. It’s already shaping how brands communicate, sell, and connect. But relatability isn’t the same as relationship.
“Branding has to be worked at,” Stansifer said. “It’s not something to casually decide and then change frequently.”
Cao put it: “Anchor your brand voice in strategic congruence. Ensure tone, messaging, and behaviour align across all touchpoints.”
The goal of AI utilization isn’t about pretending to be human. It’s about figuring out how much of your brand already is.
