This topic isn't new; everyone has talked about it, and there are real-world cases globally. But with my skeptical nature and being a co-founder of Snapcut.ai, I couldn't resist trying to use AI to... replace myself.
Here is a summary of how I did it.
- Step 1: Used OpenAI's ChatGPT o3—the strongest model for advanced reasoning. I used my company's resources, naturally.
- Step 2: Wrote a prompt for ChatGPT to start role-playing as a planner (I'll share the prompt in the comments later). I had ChatGPT write it, and then I edited it.
- Step 3: Threw in a client brief I had previously worked on and asked AI to solve the problem its way. The result scored 4/10 (The whole process took about 5 minutes for the result).
- Step 4: Unsatisfied with the result, I provided AI with my own train of thought—the method I've been using and teaching in my course. I spent over an hour refining each part with the AI. The result was slightly better in each section, and I was quite happy, so I scored the result 5/10.
Why did I score both Step 3 and 4 at or below average?
The reason is that the whole plan looked logically sound, even quite sophisticated, with enough arguments and data. But if I took it to brief the Creative team, they would either think it was a student's class assignment or say, "You asked AI to do this, didn't you?" (which is true, haha).
AI is good at ANALYSIS but cannot replace a planner's INTUITION or gut feeling. AI still can't read between the lines or empathize with the underlying motivations, unspoken feelings, or hidden emotions of the target audience at a specific moment. This is the one thing AI is nowhere near replacing a Planner on.
The score above is too low to help the Creative team generate the right and great idea to persuade the client. But that said, it suggests that junior planners need to perform better than AI, and this is the entry-level pressure you must overcome compared to my time. I must admit, AI now performs better than I did during my first 1-2 years as a planner.
In summary, specifically for brand communication, I believe AI cannot replace a planner if you do a good job. However, it will be a significant pressure for those starting their careers at the intern or junior level.
So, Planners, you need to know how to use AI to help you with the 'manual labor' so you can save time and grow your brain muscle in the important areas.
