The Big AI-Washing Dilemma: When Everyone’s Special, No One Is

Let’s be honest: if we all had a dollar for every company that suddenly became an “AI-first company” in the past year, we’d all be on our extended dream holidays. And with my luck, I’d land at the “AImagination Resort” or “AIccelerate Your Dream Hotel” – because apparently, the world’s marketers are seizing the moment to jam “AI” into every possible word as evidence of innovation and leadership!

Déjà Vu All Over Again

Having spent a few decades helping companies tell their stories, I’m experiencing an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu. We’ve seen this movie before, and it was called “greenwashing.” Remember when every company suddenly discovered its deep, abiding commitment to sustainability? That time when plastic bottled water brands became “eco-warriors” overnight?

Today’s AI-washing follows the same playbook, just with different buzzwords. Instead of “carbon neutral” and “sustainable,” we’re drowning in a sea of “machine learning-powered” and “AI-driven” claims. The packaging may be different, but the pattern of companies rushing to align themselves with the trend du jour remains quite familiar.

Defining Moments

The pressure to be AI-native can be intense. When you’re an early-stage startup fighting for attention, funding, and customers, and it feels like you’re being left behind, these are the moments that define a company’s character – and keep founders staring at the ceiling at 3 AM.

These sleepless nights often center on a fundamental choice: chase the AI trend or stay true to your mission. The rush to appear AI-native directly conflicts with what truly builds great companies – authenticity. Customers can sense when your AI claims are more marketing than substance, and nothing erodes trust faster. In these defining moments, it takes courage to say, “We’re an excellent software company solving real problems.” No AI-washing needed.

Take a Stand!

So here are my thoughts to founders and marketers wrestling with this dilemma: Take a deep breath and ask yourself a few questions: “Who are we?” “What do we stand for?” “What problem are we solving?” If AI is genuinely central to your solution, shout it from the rooftops. But if it’s just one tool in your toolkit, that’s okay, too. There’s no shame in being a brilliant software company that uses AI strategically.

Remember, Apple didn’t start as a “design-first company”—it began by making computers accessible to everyday people. Tesla didn’t start as an “energy-first company”—it began by proving electric vehicles could be high-performing and desirable. Nike didn’t start as a “shoe-technology-first company”—it began by providing high-quality athletic footwear for runners. They led with their value proposition and let their innovations speak for themselves.

Focus on Customers and Deliver Value

Through decades of tech evolution, we’ve seen our share of transformative “-first” moments – from the dot-com boom to “mobile-first” to “cloud-first” – each touting a new era of how technology would reshape business. As we navigate this “-first,” perhaps it’s time to retire the “AI-first” label altogether. Instead, let’s be “customer-first,” “problem-first,” or even just “honest-first.” Because when the AI bubble recalibrates (“Hello, DeepSeek!”), the companies left standing won’t be the ones with the most AI mentions in their press releases. They’ll be the ones that actually deliver value. (For a thoughtful exploration of what value creation means in today’s landscape, check out “Value Creation: Explained” by my colleagues Ben and Rav.)

Meanwhile, I’ll keep updating my AI buzzword bingo card. “AIrtisanal” and “AIdentity” are still unchecked, but in this climate, it’s only a matter of time. When everyone claims to be special, the truly special ones are those who dare to be honest about who they are, what they stand for, and what problems they’re delighted to solve.