# Should Marketers Label AI-Generated Content on Social Media? | Capterra > Marketers face a confusing policy landscape, competitive pressures, and consumer perception when deciding whether to label AI-generated content on social media. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/labeling-ai-generated-content-social-media --- Social Media MarketingMarketing # Labeling AI-Generated Content on Social Media: What Marketers Need To Know Written by: Molly Burke Molly BurkeAuthor Senior Specialist Analyst Experience I have been writing content for Capterra since April 2022. I cover technology trends in retail, hospitality, and custome... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/mburke/) and edited by: Carolyn Santa Maria Carolyn Santa MariaEditor Carolyn Santa Maria is a senior editor at Capterra. Carolyn has been working in content for more than five years as an editor. With her keen eye for detail, ... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/carolyn-santa-maria/) Published July 31, 2024 7 min read Table of Contents - [AI-generated content labeling is an imperfect solution](#ai-generated-content-labeling-is-an-imperfect-solution) - [Businesses fear AI labels could induce customer backlash](#businesses-fear-ai-labels-could-induce-customer-backlash) - [Businesses should be transparent about their GenAI use](#businesses-should-make-transparent-decisions-around-genai-use) ## Brands are stumbling through the confusing landscape of AI content labels. As governments weigh regulations for generative AI, social media platforms are tagging AI-generated content with informative labels. While these labels are primarily intended to prevent the spread of political misinformation, consumer reactions have already impacted the way marketing organizations approach GenAI for content creation.  For now, few companies are in full compliance with social media labeling policies. According to Capterra’s survey of over 1,600 marketers, while the average company uses GenAI to produce 39% of its social media content, fewer than a third consistently label the AI-generated content they post to social platforms.[\*](#methodology) While companies wait for social media platforms and governments to solidify policies for AI-generated content, they can implement GenAI best practices into their marketing workflows to capture the efficiency of this new technology without stumbling into problems with platforms and their users. Key insights - Only 30% of marketers using GenAI for social media content creation say their company _always_ labels AI-generated content on social media. - 62% of marketers say required labels for AI-generated content on social media would have a positive effect on their company’s social media performance.  - 67% of global marketers are moderately to highly concerned about the risk that their company’s AI-generated marketing content could spread harmful misinformation.  - 73% of marketers say the use of AI-generated content has enhanced their company’s performance on social media. ## AI-generated content labeling is an imperfect solution There’s no better time than the world’s biggest election year to take on the challenge posed by AI-generated misinformation on the internet.[\[1\]](#sources) As billions of people around the world head to the polls, governments, including the Biden Administration, are calling on artificial intelligence (AI) companies to develop strategies to keep the creation and consumption of AI-generated content responsible and safe.[\[2\]](#sources) It’s not just political disinformation that has regulators worried. GenAI has the potential to create a whole new species of incredibly convincing false advertising, because people are not very good at telling AI-generated and real images apart—and as the tech improves, it’ll only get harder to do so.[\[3\]](#sources) The viral Glasgow Willy Wonka event of early 2024 is a perfect example of how a business could use GenAI to scam customers with misleading imagery.[\[4\]](#sources)  Mandatory transparency around GenAI use might help fight the negative influence of AI-generated marketing content. Recent research by MIT suggests that consumers are less trusting of political content bearing an AI label.[\[5\]](#sources) Following that logic, some experts believe AI labels could help prevent wildly inflated customer expectations about a product’s appearance or performance based on an exaggerated image, similarly to how cosmetics companies add fine-print disclaimers to ads featuring retouched models. _Buyer beware: in the age of GenAI, what you see is not necessarily what you get._ Top social media platforms have already rolled out AI labeling policies to counteract an influx of AI-generated disinformation. Meta’s Instagram and Facebook apply a label automatically if an AI footprint is detected in metadata, while other platforms like TikTok and YouTube require creators to self-disclose the use of GenAI in their content. There’s one big problem, of course: anyone using GenAI to intentionally mislead people is unlikely to self-disclose that they used the technology. And since we don’t yet have a fool-proof method of detecting AI-generated content, AI label policies are currently unenforceable. There is also no universally accepted AI-generated content label, which muddies the very definition of “AI-generated content.” What should an AI label look like? What level of involvement of GenAI in a given piece of content warrants a label? How do we deal with noncompliance? Experts can’t decide.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, fewer than a third (30%) of marketers label their AI-generated content on social media. Even companies that don’t create their own marketing content are at risk. Without effective detection tools, the 31% of surveyed marketers that hire creative agencies or freelancers to produce content can’t be sure whether those third parties are using GenAI. In fact, the majority (68%) of marketers who outsource are moderately to very concerned that they might be unwitting recipients of AI output. The inevitable failure of any self-reporting policy is one of the many reasons experts diverge on the extent to which AI labeling may protect the public: if not everyone participates in AI labeling, the labels lose meaning.[\[5\]](#sources) Current limitations around the enforcement of labeling policies leave businesses in a tricky position and with little incentive to use AI labels. And though many marketers say AI labels are a good thing, their actions indicate otherwise. ## Businesses fear AI labels could induce customer backlash  Nearly two-thirds (62%) of marketers say AI labels would improve their social media performance, yet so few actually apply them. So what gives? In addition to the confusing regulatory landscape outlined above, consumer perception of GenAI and competitive pressures give businesses plenty of reasons not to label their AI-generated content: - **“AI slop” could lead to social media abstention.** Businesses don’t want to be seen as contributing to an influx of “AI slop”--mediocre and unwanted GenAI content on the internet.[\[6\]](#sources) If consumers are statistically less likely to engage with AI-generated content, then why would you label it as such? Analysts predict that by 2025, a perceived decline in social media content quality related to GenAI will prompt half of consumers to significantly decrease their use of social media platforms.[\[7\]](#sources) Such a change would tank the return on investment (ROI) of GenAI tools, not to mention a whole host of social media marketing software investments. Businesses are hoping that their AI-generated content will be interesting enough that audiences won’t know or care that it wasn’t made by humans. - **GenAI is perceived as environmentally destructive and anti-worker.** Social media users widely condemned Toys ‘R Us’s AI-generated video ad, criticizing the brand for confidently promoting a “ghoulish” and “hollow” piece of content made with an energy-expensive technology instead of hired human artists.[\[8\]](#sources) Maybe the reaction wouldn’t have been as negative if the content quality had been better. But some consumers have already taken a hard line against the use of GenAI on the principle that it is lazy, [inauthentic](https://www.capterra.com/resources/genai-marketing-expert/), and harmful.  - **Competitors don’t label their content.** One in five surveyed businesses using GenAI said the technology has yielded a competitive advantage. Without reliable AI content detectors, labeling relies on the honor system (which not everyone follows).[\[8\]](#sources) - **Labeling adds a few steps to a not-quite-fully automated workflow.** Doing the important work of aligning stakeholders to develop an internal labeling framework and including a labeling step in the GenAI content publishing workflow takes time that could put businesses behind their competitors. At the current crossroads, businesses have three options with regard to AI-generated content labeling: 1. Label GenAI content on social media and face a potential backlash.  2. Choose not to label GenAI content on social media and maybe face consequences if caught.  3. Choose not to use GenAI at all, with the option of positioning themselves as an “acoustic” brand that says no to AI.[\[7\]](#sources) None of these options are perfect, and the path forward is unclear. No matter where you are with your decision, you may have to choose sooner rather than later, because customers are already responding strongly—and negatively—to the influx of AI content.  ## Businesses should make transparent decisions around GenAI use All that said, being honest with customers and only publishing high-quality content is always a good long-term strategy. If your business chooses to use GenAI for marketing, you should do so responsibly and transparently.  Here are some tips on how to approach GenAI content and labeling on social media. - **Do** comply with social platforms’ stated policies on AI-generated content labeling. - **Do** explore ways that AI can automate the routine tasks your human creatives do with marketing content. For instance, AI-powered grammar checkers or image editing tools can save marketers time that is better spent on complex creative tasks.  - **Don’t** use GenAI to replace human creatives. GenAI can produce content quickly and at scale, but that content needs human intervention before it’s published.  - **Don’t** publish low-quality AI-generated content—in other words, content that’s boring, uncanny, or full of mistakes. Your social media audience will immediately clock that it’s AI-generated, and will perceive you as inauthentic. #### How top social media companies approach AI content labels **\>Meta (Instagram, Facebook, and Threads):** Meta previously applied a “Made with AI” label onto posts with metadata that indicated the presence of AI-generated content. Following an outcry from photographers whose content was labeled due to their use of digital editing tools, Meta updated its label to simply read “AI info.”[\[10\]](#sources) Users can click on the label to learn more about why it was applied.  **\>TikTok:** TikTok launched a required AI-generated content label last year, warning creators that their content could be removed if they did not disclose the fact that they had used AI. It soon began testing technology that can automatically label AI-generated content. It now labels AI-generated content with “Content Credentials,” a digital watermark tech that attaches metadata to AI-generated content.[\[11\]](#sources) **\>YouTube:** As of March 2024, YouTube creators are required to label realistic-looking content that was made using AI. However, the label is not required for certain effects such as beauty filters or background blurring, or for “clearly unrealistic” content such as animation.[\[9\]](#sources) Businesses can choose from a variety of AI-powered tools to support their marketing initiatives, from [brand management software](https://www.capterra.com/brand-management-software/) to [image generators](https://www.capterra.com/ai-image-generator-software/). ## Capterra's 2026 Software Buying Trends Report ### Download our 2026 Software Buying Trends Report to see how successful software adopters avoid disappointment and how your business can, too. * * * **Survey methodology** \*Capterra’s GenAI for Social Content Survey was conducted in May 2024 among 1,680 respondents in the U.S. (n: 190), Canada (n: 108), Brazil (n: 179), Mexico (n: 199), the U.K. (n: 197), France (n: 135), Italy (n: 102), Germany (n: 90), Spain (n: 123), Australia (n: 200), and Japan (n: 157). The goal of the study was to learn more about the impacts of generative AI on social media marketing strategies. Respondents were screened for marketing, PR, sales, or customer service roles at companies of all sizes. Each respondent indicated their use of generative AI to assist with their company's social media marketing at least once each month. Sources 1. [2024 is the biggest global election year in history](https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/1/3/24022864/elections-democracy-2024-united-states-india-pakistan-indonesia-european-parliament-far-right-voting), Vox 2. [Biden signs U.S.' first AI executive order to create safeguards](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/30/biden-unveils-us-governments-first-ever-ai-executive-order.html), CNBC 3. [Think you can spot an AI-generated person? There’s a solid chance you’re wrong](https://www.fastcompany.com/91048985/can-you-tell-difference-between-ai-generated-real-people-image-study), Fast Company 4. [The Willy Wonka experience’s generative AI debacle is just the start of our nightmarish new advertising reality](https://www.fastcompany.com/91044935/the-willy-wonka-experiences-generative-ai-debacle-is-just-the-start-of-our-nightmarish-new-advertising-reality), Fast Company 5. [How Marketing Can Capitalize on AI Disruption](https://www.gartner.com/en/articles/how-marketing-can-capitalize-on-ai-disruption), Gartner 6. [Toys ‘R’ Us AI-Generated Ad Controversy, Explained](https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2024/06/26/the-toys-r-us-ai-generated-ad-controversy-explained/), Forbes 7. [YouTube adds new AI-generated content labeling tool](https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24104743/youtube-ai-generated-content-disclosure-label), The Verge 8. [Instagram’s ‘Made with AI’ label swapped out for ‘AI info’ after photographers’ complaints](https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/1/24190026/meta-instagram-facebook-made-with-ai-info-label-metadata), The Verge 9. [TikTok begins automatically labeling AI-generated content](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/09/tiktok-labeling-ai-generated-content.html), CNBC * * * Looking for Social Media Marketing software?Check out Capterra's list of the [best Social Media Marketing software](https://www.capterra.com/social-media-marketing-software/) solutions. ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Authors [### Molly Burke](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/mburke/) Molly Burke is a senior analyst and writer for Capterra. She covers customer experience and marketing in the retail and restaurant industries, with a focus on how emerging technology is transforming the way everyday people shop. Her insights on generative AI, social media, and other tech trends have been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, BBC, CNBC, Forbes, and the Financial Times, among other publications. [### Carolyn Santa Maria](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/carolyn-santa-maria/) Carolyn Santa Maria is a senior editor at Capterra. Carolyn has been working in content for more than five years as an editor. With her keen eye for detail, technical experience, and cross-team collaborative expertise, she has developed new content types, briefs, and processes for a variety of different projects and teams. She has edited a large variety of content, including research reports, white papers, eBooks, email marketing campaigns, and many other types of technical papers. When she... ### RELATED READING - [Marketing ROI: Prioritizing Your Next Sales and Marketing CRM Investment](https://www.capterra.com/resources/marketing-roi-strategies/) - [How Integrating Email Automation With CRM Systems Boosts Customer Engagement](https://www.capterra.com/resources/integrating-email-automation-with-crm-systems/) - [How to Develop an Omnichannel Marketing Strategy for Customer Engagement](https://www.capterra.com/resources/crm-omnichannel-marketing-strategy/) - [CRM cloud vs. on-premise: Which is better for your business?](https://www.capterra.com/resources/crm-cloud-vs-on-premise/) - [CRM Data Management Explained: From Clean Data to Customer Insights](https://www.capterra.com/resources/crm-data-management/) - [Capterra Sales and Marketing Trends 2026: CRM and AI Adoption Requires Strategic Implementation and Integration](https://www.capterra.com/resources/sales-and-marketing-software-trends/) - [Email Marketing Trends: What SMBs Need To Know To Boost Campaign Performance](https://www.capterra.com/resources/email-marketing-trends/) - [Exploring Different Types of Video Content and Their Benefits](https://www.capterra.com/resources/types-of-video-content/) - [What Are the 8 Types of Digital Marketing?](https://www.capterra.com/resources/types-of-digital-marketing/)