Episode Overview

Podcast: Simple Pin Podcast: Simple ways to boost your business using Pinterest
Host: Kate Ahl
Episode: Kate's Take: Quick thoughts on Pinterest marketing #2 - Human Connection
Date: January 28, 2026

In this quick, five-minute solo episode, Kate Ahl reflects on the ongoing conversation about the role of artificial intelligence in marketing and the irreplaceable value of human connection and nuance, particularly in Pinterest marketing. She builds on themes from the previous episode with guest Megan Williamson, discussing trust, authenticity, and how marketers can harness their unique human experiences for success on Pinterest.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of Trust in Digital Marketing

• Trust Recession: Kate notes a decline in trust within online spaces, fueled by AI proliferation and difficulty discerning genuine content from AI-generated "slop."
  • "We're having a hard time telling what's real and not real." (01:00)
• Preference for Authenticity: Over time, consumers can spot the "counterfeit" produced by AI and end up preferring authentic, real content and interactions.

2. The Limits of AI and the Value of Human Nuance

• AI is capable of handling data and generating content, but it cannot interpret the nuances of specific situations, markets, or creative decisions.
  • "What AI won't pick up on, which is nuance. Right? And nuance and human data are things or human experience are all things that can go into your Pinterest marketing strategy." (01:25)
• Real-Life Analogy: Kate compares a Pinterest marketer to a sports coach who reads the field and adapts strategies based on firsthand knowledge—something AI can't replicate.
  • "A coach understands in the moment how to look at the field and say, I want to use this player. No, I can't use this player. Maybe this one is injured... AI really can't do that part." (02:35)

3. Drawing from Personal Experience in Marketing

• Personal insights, history, and data enable marketers to make informed decisions—like choosing the right content, imagery, or tactics for Pinterest.
  • "You have a holistic view of your business. Leverage that as your greatest value going into 2026." (03:45)
• Marketers' unique perspectives are their best assets, which can’t be fully duplicated by others or by AI.

4. Focusing on Unique Value and Authentic Connection

• Call to Action: Kate encourages listeners to "quiet the noise" around AI fears and instead zero in on what they uniquely bring to their marketing.
  • "Quiet the noise, quiet the fears, and get really, really focused on what is my value add, what do I bring to the table?" (04:12)
• The goal is for audiences to recognize and trust the genuine human perspective and experience behind the content.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Preference for Authenticity:
  "You start to see the counterfeit alongside the real, and you end up preferring the real." — Kate Ahl (01:45)

• AI Versus Human Experience:
  "What AI won't pick up on, which is nuance. Right? And nuance and human data are things or human experience are all things that can go into your Pinterest marketing strategy." — Kate Ahl (01:25)

• Sports Analogy for Marketing Insight:
  "A coach understands in the moment how to look at the field and say, I want to use this player. No, I can't use this player... AI really can't do that part." — Kate Ahl (02:35)

• Encouragement to Trust Human Experience:
  "Trusting that confidence that I have in my human experience, in my story." — Kate Ahl (04:55)

• Final Takeaway:
  "How is it that you can bring your human connection in there, your particular vantage point, into your marketing so that people can see that and trust it?" — Kate Ahl (05:10)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:30 – Introduction; discussion of AI’s impact on the marketing landscape, “trust recession,” and counterfeit content
• 01:30–02:45 – The value of human nuance and authentic experience; sports coach analogy
• 02:45–03:50 – Encouragement to leverage one’s unique, holistic business understanding for Pinterest success
• 03:50–05:15 – Focusing on unique value, quieting AI fears, and calls to trust in and communicate human connection

Summary Flow

Kate Ahl’s short “Kate’s Take” episode focuses on the rising role of AI in digital marketing—especially Pinterest—and the even greater importance of human connection. By sharing reminders and analogies, Kate underscores that while AI excels in some tasks, it fails to grasp human nuance, lived experience, and moment-to-moment decision-making that make marketing truly effective. She encourages listeners to identify and highlight their distinct perspectives in all Pinterest marketing endeavors, as these are the assets that foster trust and stand out in an increasingly automated digital world.