Uncovering the Enemy #1 of Personal Branding
Spoiler Alert — it is A.I.
I’m in my early 40s, and suddenly everyone in my age group is realizing they need to work on their personal branding (finally).
And I totally get it. I’ve always advocated for sharing content and ideas on the world wide web. Your unique perspective and point of view should be out there. I believe the more you put yourself out there, the luckier you get.
Now these 40-somethings are scrambling to build their personal brands. And they need to do it fast — before the next round of layoffs or their next big client meeting. Moreover, like most of us, they fear what others would think of them being on the internet in an age when their kids are successful YouTubers.
In their desperation, they discover AI tools. Over the last year, we’ve seen AI slapped onto everything. AI writers, AI image creators, even AI ‘brand identity designers.’ Just like that, they’ve found a cheat code for personal branding.
With a few clicks (and prompts), they can transform scribbles and random thoughts into polished content. It gets even better — AI can generate images and videos too. No need to actually show up on camera! Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s because it is.
What’s more, these AI-assisted personal branders are often trying to be universally likable. They don’t want to ruffle any feathers or risk offending anyone. But here’s the catch — in trying to appeal to everyone, they end up truly connecting with no one. Real personal brands have edges; they have opinions that not everyone will agree with. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s necessary for creating genuine connections
I’m writing this post because I keep seeing articles online and even books that reek of AI. Everywhere I look, there’s content that feels artificially generated to build an influential personal brand. Needless to say, I rarely finish those blogs or books. And I bet you don’t either.
This isn’t a ‘how-to’ post on personal branding, but let’s not forget — the goal of personal branding is connection. The content you create must reveal to the audience who you really are behind that professional head shot in your profile picture. If you’re sharing about your work, a casual selfie at your messy desk trumps any AI-generated ‘perfect’ image. It’s real, it’s you, and it connects.
Great personal brands, like great commercial brands, are built on authenticity and creativity. A quote from one of my favourite advertising books sums it nicely:
“If you know Walter Mills, and he’s five-foot-nine, and now two months later someone tells you that Walter Mills is going to be starting center for the Los Angeles Lakers, you’ll say, ‘No way! I know Walter Mills and there’s no way he can do that!’ That’s what I think this is like. It’s like you have to build — particularly for a product that’s been around, you have to build from who you are. It’s like a person; you grow and change, but you’re always that same individual. And that’s kind of what this is about.”
Though this quote is talking about building a brand for a product, the lesson applies equally to personal branding — we have to embrace integrity. There’s no shortcut. Just as a product brand must stay true to its core identity, your personal brand must authentically reflect who you are.
This is where storytelling comes in. Storytelling is the essence of branding, and in personal branding, it’s how you invite your audience in. You share personal stories that reveal your true self — your experiences, your challenges, your growth. It’s very human, and surprisingly, it requires you to show your face.
Through these stories, your audience feels your vulnerability and connects with your dreams. This connection, built on authenticity, is what makes a personal brand powerful and lasting.
Here’s the ultimate irony: personal branding must be ‘authentic’ and believe it or not, A.I. is ‘artificial’. Can you imagine anything more self-defeating?
