A couple of weeks ago I attended London Tech Week and – perhaps inevitably – found an event where the discussion revolved heavily around AI. With my focus on B2B communications in the technology space, I gravitated to The Innovation Stage. Here the sessions didn’t just look at AI from a technical perspective, but explored how it’s reshaping brand communication, customer engagement and creative production.
Rather than futuristic showcases, many talks focused on very current, very practical questions:
- How do brands use AI tools without losing authenticity?
- What does creative work look like when part of the process is automated?
- How do we make content that feels personal, not just personalised?
What stuck with me and what it means for brands
From conversations and sessions, five big themes emerged that directly affect how B2B tech brands need to communicate:
- AI is a tool to enable, not replace
AI is helping professionals to work smarter, whether that’s vets spending more time with animals or marketers creating multilingual videos more efficiently. The key point is that AI is not replacing the thinking, strategy and emotion that humans bring, but is amplifying what makes us uniquely valued.
- Scaling content while respecting craft
Brands are using AI to repurpose content text into podcasts, video captions, and translations. This helps personalise at scale. Yet the work that leaves an impression – storyboarding, creative direction, emotional nuance, remains human-led. Several speakers pointed to the need to guide these tools, not just deploy them.
- Trust and authenticity are more essential than ever
As AI-generated content becomes widespread, audiences edge towards scepticism. Brands that maintain consistent, transparent messaging, and share the process, build rapport and credibility.
- Perception grows through small moments
Brand identity isn’t built only in big launches, logos or campaigns but in the tiny, daily touchpoints with customers and prospects. They’re shaped by every interaction, email, social post, demo. “Flexible, authentic storytelling” beats glossy campaigns again and again. Brands now need to “Show up 100x more than they used to.”
- B2B is still deeply human
B2B buyers crave engagement, not just information. Even in the most technical sectors, audiences want to feel something. Emotion, clarity, vulnerability. These were surprisingly recurring themes in a space that’s often seen as cold or rational. People buy into stories, not specs.
So what does this mean for brands and communications specialists like us?
AI is now a communication reality, and we’re actively exploring how best to leverage its capabilities to help clients achieve their objectives in lots of different ways.
But the real opportunity lies in how it’s used. Audiences expect more than AI novelty – they want trust, authenticity and meaningful connection. That’s where effective communications matter more than ever.
Brands need to tell stories that feel real and relevant – even in complex or tech-heavy industries. AI can provide powerful tools for production at scale, but the expertise to find the right message, communicate it in the right tone, and make it feel consistent at every stage is human.
If you’re a brand looking to communicate with B2B decision-makers clearly, consistently and with a human voice, get in touch.