AI is more than an efficiency tool.
As artificial intelligence becomes deeply embedded in business strategy, experts urge companies to look beyond simple productivity gains. For many brands, the real opportunity in AI isn’t just cutting costs – it’s about redefining relevance, emotional resonance and market presence.
“Efficiency alone isn’t a strategy. It’s not a value – it’s a means to an end,” said Whitney Wells, SVP at Hotwire Global, speaking at Ragan’s AI Horizons Conference. “If efficiency becomes your primary focus for AI, you risk missing an unprecedented opportunity for transformation.”
Wells shared findings from a report co-authored by Hotwire and the House of Beautiful Business, introducing a framework for using AI not only to streamline operations but to elevate brand purpose and human connection.
“It’s about leaning into what’s unique about your brand, grounding your approach in values-based communications and using AI to make a real, differentiated impact,” Wells said, “not just optimize productivity.”
The 4 quadrants of meaningful AI
The framework presents four pillars for applying AI in brand strategy, based on purpose rather than productivity:
- Agency: AI that empowers users. Wells cited Nike’s AI tools that customize athletic experiences based on how customers move. “It’s about control, choice and self-expression,” she said.
- Recognition: AI that helps people feel seen. Google’s Woolaroo supports endangered Indigenous languages, while healthcare companies use AI to elevate underserved communities.
- Impact: AI that drives positive social and environmental change. Patagonia and Unilever use AI to connect customers with sustainable purchasing decisions.
- Intimacy: AI that fosters emotional connection. Wells cited stories of people forming bonds with AI. AI also helps combat loneliness among the elderly and build authentic customer relationships.
“These aren’t hierarchical boxes to check off,” Wells said. “Each quadrant is equally valid and valuable depending on the organization and its values.”
OpenText: A case study in AI-driven storytelling
Erin McCabe, SVP of corporate communications at OpenText, illustrated how her company applies these principles.
“OpenText is a $5.5 billion software company with 120,000 customers, but hardly anyone knows us,” McCabe said. “We had a brand problem.”
Partnering with Hotwire, OpenText launched “Art Reimagined: Unveiling the Beauty of Innovation Through the Modern CIO,” an AI-generated digital art campaign portraying the emotional and intellectual duality of chief information officers. It highlighted the balance between the CIO’s practical side and the passion driving their work.
“We interviewed many CIOs and found this beautiful struggle between the head and the heart,” McCabe explained. “They’re tactical but deeply love the technology. That emotional connection hadn’t been explored before.”
Using anonymized data and AI tools like DALL·E, OpenText created eight large-scale digital artworks, each representing industries like healthcare, manufacturing and telecommunications. These 6-by-6-foot pieces became the centerpiece of the company’s annual user conference.
“Our sales team didn’t have to wait for visitors,” McCabe said. “People came to them, intrigued by the art, sparking many more conversations.”
The artworks now decorate OpenText’s offices and sparked engagement internally and externally. The company’s CIO requested one for her office.
At its core was the framework’s fourth pillar: Intimacy.
“AI is a tool. The human is the voice. AI is also the microphone,” McCabe said. “We made CIOs feel human, but AI allowed us to be more creative and unique with it.”
The session urged marketers to see AI not just as a path to faster results but as a chance to create meaningful impact.
“My hope is you’ll think about where your organization sits within this framework,” Wells said, “and how you can push forward in a way that reflects your values and creates something truly unique.”
Watch the full presentation below.
Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.
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