As AI becomes more advanced and more prevalent in modern-day society, many businesses, small and large, are turning to AI for different aspects of their work. AI can generate images for advertisements, run customer service with no human-caused inconvenience, and will likely be able to do even more in the future due to rapid advancements. Because AI is cheaper, easier to manage and seems more efficient on the surface, many businesses have started choosing it over human workers. Whether it’s a large corporation or a local shop, AI has become very appealing. In 2025, many businesses decided to shift toward AI for a variety of reasons, especially to cut costs and improve efficiency.
However, many customers, especially younger ones who can easily recognize AI-generated media, strongly disapprove of this shift. AI images used in advertising often come across as cheap and unprofessional. Zoe Garcia (9) says, “Everybody knows how bad AI is, and I personally hate it on principle.” Garcia says, “When I see some random ad, and it’s very clearly AI, that doesn’t strike me as professional like you’d expect a business to be. It just shows me that business is tacky and probably not worth spending time on.” For many people, first impressions matter, and if a company’s advertising feels low-effort or artificial, it can turn potential customers away before they even consider the product.
As AI image generation improves, it is becoming harder to tell what is real and what is not. Still, many customers feel that using a machine to create marketing instead of real people reflects poorly on a business. It removes the human element that many consumers value, especially in creative industries. Despite this, companies continue to use AI because of its low cost and efficiency, and most consumers do not take action beyond mild frustration. Tristen Strecker (9) says, “I don’t like it, but what am I supposed to do about it? I’m not going to radically change my mind over something so small.” This shows that while people may not like AI usage, it often isn’t enough to stop them from supporting a business entirely.
The bigger concern comes when AI is used for core business services rather than just marketing. For example, some tax firms in Tampa have started incorporating AI into their accounting processes. This raises concerns because customers expect trained professionals to handle important financial matters. AI is known to make confident mistakes, which can lead to serious consequences if not caught. Chloe Jonas (9) says, “ChatGPT can’t do everything for you.” This highlights a common concern that AI, while helpful, is not reliable enough to fully replace human expertise in high-stakes situations.
When businesses rely on AI for tasks that require accuracy and accountability, it can put customers at risk. Filing taxes incorrectly can lead to major legal and financial issues, and many people are uncomfortable trusting that responsibility to automated systems. Customers expect real people to put in real effort, especially for services they are paying for. There is also the issue of accountability. If something goes wrong, it is unclear whether the blame falls on the business, the software, or the system itself.
Overall, AI usage in businesses ranges from slightly unprofessional to potentially harmful, depending on how it is used. If companies want to maintain strong relationships with their customers, they may need to rethink how much they depend on AI and where human involvement is still necessary.