Happy New Year, and welcome to INKISH’s first interview of 2026. Morten Reitoft is joined by his good friend Gee Ranasinha for a wide-ranging conversation about AI, with a particular focus on generative AI and what it really means for marketing, creativity, branding, and trust. They unpack the difference between machine learning, generative AI, and agentic AI, discuss why tools alone don’t replace human judgment, and explore how brands risk becoming generic if technology is used without intent. The discussion moves from AI in marketing and design to bigger questions about authenticity, differentiation, security, and the future value of human creativity in an AI-driven world. I asked ChatGPT if it believes that Generative AI can be a threat to brands - and here is its answer: Yes — generative AI can be a threat to a brand, but only under certain conditions. Generative AI becomes a threat when it is used as a shortcut rather than a tool. If a brand relies on AI to produce content without clear direction, taste, or accountability, the result often drifts toward generic, formulaic output. Over time, this can erode distinctiveness, making the brand harder to recognize and easier to replace. When everything starts to look and sound “AI-made,” audiences subconsciously read it as inauthentic, low-effort, or interchangeable. The real risk is not the technology itself, but the loss of human judgment. Brands are built on consistency, intent, and emotional resonance — things that require someone to decide why something should exist, not just how it can be produced. If AI is allowed to define tone, visuals, or messaging without strong brand governance, the brand can slowly hollow out, becoming a polished shell that says nothing meaningful. Used correctly, however, generative AI is not a threat at all. It can accelerate ideation, lower production friction, and help teams explore more options in less time. When guided by clear brand principles, human taste, and strategic oversight, AI can strengthen a brand rather than weaken it. In that sense, AI raises the floor of execution — but it does not raise the ceiling. Brands that continue to stand out will be the ones that use AI to move faster, not the ones that let AI decide who they are. In short: generative AI threatens brands that surrender authorship to it. Brands that treat it as an assistant, not a substitute, will be just fine.