Cutting Through the Noise: Why the Future of Content Calls For Strategy, Authenticity – and AI That Powers (Not Overpowers)
As brands battle to win out in the attention economy and grapple with the rise of GenAI, creating content that really resonates is a confounding challenge. FSC’s new white paper unpacks the seismic shifts in today’s content ecosystem, looks at what’s next – and offers a roadmap for businesses ready to lead with creativity, clarity and credibility.
Introduction
We are in an era of unprecedented content creation. AI tools can now produce articles, images and videos in seconds. But this surge has led to a trend of volume over value, a sort of “contentflation” where individual pieces of content are devalued as they become the over-printed currency in an ocean of similar material.
Amid this noise, consumers are craving genuine connections and narratives that resonate. Our research indicates that while AI is a powerful tool, it shouldn’t replace human ingenuity – it should be used to augment it. Brands need to focus on crafting stories that reflect their core values and engage their audiences on a deeper level.
Are we ready for the future?
Nearly three decades ago, at the dawn of the internet, Bill Gates coined the now-hackneyed phrase ‘content is king’ in an essay that, in fact, is still surprisingly on point. He predicted that the winners in this brave new world will be those who use digital media “as a marketplace of ideas, experiences, and products – a marketplace of content.” With high-quality content no longer a nice-to-have, a brand’s content strategy is now a true business imperative.
“With the explosion of AI-generated material – and rising consumer scepticism – it’s never been more difficult, or more critical, for brands to break through.”
But with the explosion of AI-generated material, shifting platform dynamics and rising consumer scepticism, it’s never been more difficult, or more critical, for brands to break through.
FSC’s latest white paper, The Future of Content: AI, Authenticity & Engagement in a Changing World, explores the strategic, technological and human challenges businesses now face. Drawing on in-depth interviews with leading experts – including Content Inc. author Joe Pulizzi, Salesforce’s Director of Content & Editorial Strategy Rob Lyons, and The Telegraph’s Director of AI & Emerging Technologies Tom Kelleher – we diagnose the dynamics shaping the current content landscape and offer a practical playbook for what brands must do next.
AI is everywhere – but trust isn’t
It’s easy to get swept up in the hype: 69% of marketing professionals say they’re excited about AI’s potential, and 51% already use it to optimise content. But our research reveals a clear tension: while AI brings scale and efficiency, it often undermines the very human qualities audiences are looking for.
In fact, 1 in 5 consumers say they would distrust a brand if its social media content appeared to be AI-generated. As Joe Pulizzi puts it, “The worst thing you can use AI for is content creation. The best things you can use it for are all the in-between things.”
Instead of relying on AI to replace creativity, leaders should leverage it as a strategic co-pilot: enriching personalisation, accelerating analysis and freeing up human teams to craft content that actually resonates.
Contentflation and the demand for value
The twin trends of content oversaturation and diminishing trust from consumers has led to a pressing challenge for all of us: how do we serve our customers, and our business goals, with content that truly has something of value to offer?
Our research dug into the parallels between financial economies and the currency of content: how content inflation, or ‘contentflation’ (where, as our paper puts is, “the sheer volume of content has diluted its quality, uniqueness and value”) can be countered by introducing a ‘gold standard’.
“In today’s inflationary content landscape, people will gravitate towards that which can meet a new ‘gold standard’ by offering them clear value – and that the future winners of the increasingly over-burdened ‘attention economy’ of consumers will be the brands that can create and maintain this standard.”
This starts with relevance and rigour. Whether through Red Bull’s media empire or Salesforce’s ‘State Of’ reports, the most impactful brands know that success doesn’t come from shouting louder: it comes from saying something meaningful to a clearly defined audience.
The experts we interviewed offered how to go about this. Joe Pulizzi refers to a ‘content tilt’: a distinct point of view aimed at a niche your brand is uniquely positioned to serve. Salesforce’s Rob Lyons adds that strong editorial guardrails, diverse voices and consistency are essential: “It has to meet the criteria of what good content is.”
Brand-as-publisher: the rise of editorial soft power
84% of millennials don’t trust traditional advertising. Over 35% of internet users now deploy ad-blockers. The implication is clear: brands can’t rely on paid media alone.
Instead, it’s important to take note of the growing shift of brands evolving into publishers. From Red Bull’s films and magazines to LEGO’s long-running storytelling formats, editorial content is becoming a crucial source of cultural capital, helping brands move from commodity providers to tastemakers.
But as much as brands must gain trust through utility – that is, offering solutions to the real problems of their customer base – content, particularly editorial content (that which has an opinion and useful advice for its target audience based on what is happening right now in their industries), is key to building a reputation as a thought leader – i.e. cementing ‘soft power’, the ability to influence others through the appeal of culture, values and ideas.
Above all, authenticity
Consumers today demand content that feels tailored, transparent and human. This is driving a new wave of influencer-led storytelling, where creators, employees and even customers become the faces and voices of brand narratives.
Influencer marketing reached a $21.1 billion valuation in 2023, tripling since 2019. But an often untapped opportunity lies not just in hiring creators, but empowering your internal teams to become content champions. As Duolingo’s TikTok success proves, audiences connect with brands that dare to have a voice – and a personality.
AI offers efficiency, but it’s the human touch that adds depth and meaning. The most effective content strategies combine the analytical capabilities of AI with the emotional intelligence of human creators. AI can analyse data to identify trending topics, but it’s up to human storytellers to craft the words that pull at heartstrings – that truly spark imagination and action.
Strategy first, platform second
Too many brands still treat content as a checklist. We believe that strategy – not surface-level optimisation – is the foundation for sustainable success. From choosing the right platform (“master one before expanding,” advises Joe Pulizzi) to mining audience data for insight, the brands that will win are those that think long-term.
And with platforms like Spotify Video emerging as new frontiers, we believe it’s time for brands to be bold – choosing distribution channels that align not only with their audience, but with their internal strengths, values and creative vision.
Where we go from here
Our white paper ends with a challenge: in a world reshaped by AI, human creativity must still lead the way. Brands that embrace data but stay true to their voice, that scale efficiently but communicate authentically, will build not just better campaigns, but better connections.
“The future of content won’t belong to those who create the most. It will belong to those who create with meaning.”
Discover all the insights and dive deeper into the future of content in FSC’s full white paper, available here.