In this episode of Inside Marketing with MarketSurge, Reed Hansen sits down with venture capitalist and entrepreneur Jonathan Aberman, founder of Hupside, to explore a provocative question:
Is AI making marketing better… or just making everyone the same?
With more than 25 years launching over 40 technology companies, Jonathan brings a unique perspective on how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, marketing strategy, and the role of human creativity.
They dive into the paradox of AI:
While AI dramatically increases efficiency and productivity, it may also be driving strategic sameness across industries.
If everyone has access to the same tools, prompts, and models…
Where does real differentiation come from?
Jonathan argues the answer lies in something he calls Original Intelligence (OIQ) — the uniquely human ability to create novelty and strategic differentiation in an AI-saturated world.
What You’ll Learn
• Why AI is amplifying sameness across marketing and business strategy
• The difference between AI efficiency vs human originality
• Why large language models struggle to generate true novelty
• How organizations can measure human creativity and originality
• Why original intelligence may become the most valuable skill in the AI era
Key Highlights from the Episode
AI Is a Tool, Not a Substitute
Why treating AI as a collaborator rather than a replacement unlocks better outcomes.
The Problem of Strategic Sameness
How AI trained on past data can reinforce similarity instead of differentiation.
Original Intelligence (OIQ)
A new way to measure human creativity and originality inside organizations.
AI Narcissism
Why training AI models on AI-generated content could amplify sameness even further.


