Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s here, and it’s already reshaping the way brands approach social media. From generating copy and images to scheduling posts and analysing performance, AI tools promise speed, efficiency and scale. For busy marketing teams and business owners, this sounds like the perfect solution.

But while the benefits are undeniable, there’s another side to the story. AI is still developing, and when it comes to social media, there are risks that can affect not only your content quality but also your brand’s reputation and trust with your audience.

At our agency, we see AI as an incredible tool, but one that should be used with caution and a clear strategy. Below, we explore three of the biggest challenges of using AI in social media and the steps you can take to overcome them.

1. Copyright Concerns

One of the most overlooked risks associated with AI is copyright infringement. Most AI platforms are trained on enormous datasets scraped from the internet. This often includes creative works, text, images, designs, and even music, without the original creator’s consent.

That means the “new” content an AI generates could unintentionally borrow elements from copyrighted material. Imagine an AI tool creating a product photo that closely resembles a stock image you don’t own the rights to, or drafting text that mirrors a competitor’s blog post. If your brand publishes that content, you could face legal disputes, takedown notices, or even reputational damage.

The bottom line: AI doesn’t absolve you of responsibility. As the publisher, the accountability sits with your brand.

How to overcome it:

• Choose reputable tools. Look for AI providers that are transparent about their training data and offer copyright protection policies.
• Always review content. Treat AI outputs as a starting point. Edit, fact-check, and make sure it’s original before publishing.
• Use AI for ideation. Let AI spark ideas, generate outlines, or offer inspiration, but keep the final polish in human hands.

2. Losing Your Brand Voice

Your brand voice is what makes you you. It’s the personality behind your content, whether it’s witty, warm, professional, or bold. AI-generated copy, on the other hand, often leans towards being safe, formulaic and a little bland.

If you rely on AI too heavily, your social feeds could start to sound generic. Instead of strengthening your brand identity, it risks making you blend into the noise. For example, two coffee shops using the same AI tool could end up posting nearly identical captions. That’s not a great look when your goal is to stand out.

How to overcome it:

• Position AI as an assistant. Use it to draft posts, brainstorm hooks, or speed up repetitive tasks, but let your team refine the final message.
• Build a tone of voice guide. Document your brand personality, preferred phrases, and style guidelines. This ensures consistency when editing AI drafts.
• Inject human touches. Share anecdotes, behind-the-scenes stories, or team perspectives that AI could never replicate.
• Feed the AI your brand. Upload or input as much information as possible about your tone of voice, branding, website copy, and style. The more detailed your prompts and context, the better the AI output will align with your brand consistently across posts.

Remember: people follow your brand because they connect with its personality. Don’t let AI smooth that away.

Tip: When prompting AI, ensure the content it generates provides genuine value to your audience. Detailed prompts help maintain brand consistency, but your posts should always inform, entertain, or inspire – otherwise, even the most polished AI output won’t engage people.

3. Risking Authenticity

More than ever, audiences crave authenticity on social media. They want real voices, real experiences, and genuine connection. Over-automation risks stripping that away.

If your audience feels like every post is written by a machine, it can quickly erode trust. Social media thrives on interaction, personality and community – things AI simply can’t replicate on its own. Think about it: would you be more likely to engage with a heartfelt post from a founder about their journey, or a generic “inspirational” quote generated by a bot?

How to overcome it:

• Mix automation with human input. Utilise AI for scheduling and efficiency, but ensure that every post still feels authentic and personal.
• Focus on storytelling. Share the human side of your brand – customer stories, team culture, lessons learned.
• Engage in real time. AI can draft responses, but it can’t replace genuine interaction in the comments or DMs. That’s where trust is built.

Authenticity is your competitive edge. Protect it.

Final Thoughts

AI can be a powerful addition to your social media toolkit. It helps you move faster, scale content production, and uncover insights you might otherwise miss. But it’s not a replacement for creativity, judgment or the human touch.

The smartest brands aren’t asking “Should we use AI?” – they’re asking “How can we use it responsibly?” By being mindful of copyright, protecting your brand voice, and keeping content authentic, you can enjoy the benefits of AI without falling into its traps.

Ultimately, social media is still about people connecting with one another. Let AI handle the heavy lifting, but keep the heart of your brand human.

Alongside our social media services, we also offer AI training for businesses – helping your team understand how to use these tools safely, creatively, and effectively. Contact us today to learn more.