Generative AI for Content Creation: Efficiency vs. Authenticity

In the fast-evolving digital landscape, content remains king, but the creator has changed. With the rise of Generative AI, brands are now able to produce content faster than ever before. From blog articles and social media posts to images, videos, and even jingles, AI-powered tools have revolutionized how we think about content creation. However, this rapid growth brings an important question to the surface: Are we sacrificing authenticity for efficiency?

This blog explores the opportunities and pitfalls of using AI in content creation, especially for Indian brands and consumers, and how businesses can strike the right balance.

The Rise of Generative AI in India

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, DALL·E, Gemini, Synthesia and Midjourney are becoming integral to digital content workflows. According to a 2024 Nasscom report, more than 57% of Indian companies in marketing and media have already experimented with Generative AI, citing speed, scalability, and reduced cost as primary drivers.

Indian startups and agencies are particularly drawn to AI for:

• Social media management

• Copywriting and translation

• Product descriptions

• Visual asset creation

• Scriptwriting for explainer videos

This democratisation of content production has levelled the playing field for small and mid-sized businesses competing with bigger brands.

Efficiency: The Undeniable Advantage

1. Speed and Scale

AI tools can generate a 1,000-word blog in under a minute or create multiple design variations in seconds. This is invaluable in the Indian digital economy, where content needs to be real-time, multilingual, and adaptable to diverse regional audiences.

2. Cost-Effectiveness

Hiring dedicated writers, designers, or video editors can be expensive for early-stage companies. Tools like Writesonic, Jasper AI, or Canva’s Magic Design are now being used by content teams across Tier 1 and Tier 2 Indian cities to scale operations without drastically increasing manpower.

3. Personalisation at Scale

Generative AI can segment audiences and produce hyper-personalised content variations across geographies and languages—something especially useful in India’s linguistically diverse landscape.

But What About Authenticity?

Despite its benefits, AI-generated content often lacks human nuance and emotional depth, which are critical for brand storytelling. For Indian consumers—who are culturally and emotionally driven—this disconnect can be a major drawback.

1. Brand Voice Dilution

While AI can mimic tones, it often struggles to capture a brand’s evolving voice or cultural subtleties. For example, AI may not fully understand the difference in humor between Mumbai and Kolkata or how festive content needs to feel in Tamil Nadu during Pongal versus Diwali in Delhi.

2. AI Fatigue is Real

A 2024 survey by LocalCircles across 18 Indian cities found that 41% of consumers could identify AI-generated content, and among them, 67% felt it lacked personality. Overexposure to templated, robotic content has made users crave real, human-centered storytelling again.

3. Plagiarism and Similarity

Generative AI tools are trained on existing data, increasing the risk of producing similar or even plagiarized content unknowingly. This puts brands at risk of losing credibility and SEO penalties.

What Consumers Actually Think

Research by Deloitte India in March 2025 revealed an interesting duality:

70% of Indian consumers are comfortable with AI-generated content, especially in product descriptions or FAQs.

However, 82% prefer human-generated content for thought leadership, storytelling, and social engagement.

This shows that while AI can efficiently handle informational and functional content, emotional and strategic storytelling still demands human input.

Striking the Balance: A Hybrid Approach

Rather than seeing AI as a threat to creativity, businesses—especially Indian brands—should view it as a creative co-pilot.

Best Practices:

• Human-in-the-Loop: Let AI generate the base, but always have a human editor for fact-checking, voice alignment, and cultural sensitivity.

• Use AI for Repetitive Tasks: Automate content repurposing, SEO tagging, or translations using AI, freeing your team for more strategic content.

• Build a Brand Style Guide: Codify your brand tone and train AI prompts based on it to maintain consistency.

• Test with Your Audience: Run A/B tests on AI vs. human content and analyze engagement metrics. Indian audiences are vocal; use that feedback loop.

Final Thoughts

Generative AI is here to stay. It brings speed, efficiency, and scalability to content creation, which is crucial in a fast-paced market like India. But with these advantages comes the responsibility to maintain brand authenticity and human connection.

At Mind and Matter, we believe the future of content creation lies in harmonising AI capabilities with human creativity. By leveraging AI for efficiency and human insight for authenticity, brands can craft compelling stories that don’t just perform, but also resonate.