While the tech world obsesses over AI, positioning a product as 'AI-first' can be a liability in mainstream markets. Many non-tech users are skeptical or actively hostile towards AI, making it a poor marketing message. Focus on the problem solved, not the underlying technology which can create backlash.

Don't feel pressured to label every AI-powered enhancement as an "AI feature." For example, using AI to generate CSS for a new dark mode is simply a better way to build. The focus should be on the user benefit (dark mode), not the underlying technology, making AI an invisible, powerful tool.

Founders often mistakenly market "AI" as the core offering. Customers don't buy AI; they buy solutions to their long-standing problems (e.g., more leads, better service). Frame your product around the problem it solves, using AI as the powerful new tool in your solution space that makes it possible.

Instead of using confusing industry buzzwords, Typeform focuses its product positioning on the direct value delivered to customers. By naming features based on their outcome (e.g., "Translate AI"), they make the technology approachable and clearly communicate its benefit, which is crucial for their SMB audience.

In a market where every vendor claims to be "AI-powered," differentiation comes from focusing on outcomes. AI should be messaged as a force multiplier that improves existing workflows, enhances efficiency, and provides intelligence, not as a standalone product.

SMB owners are not asking for technologies like AI by name. They are asking for outcomes and efficiency. B2B marketers should position advanced features not as 'AI' or 'video tools,' but as embedded, invisible solutions that make a marketing hour more impactful. The goal is to provide tools that a business owner can naturally use to get a return, without needing to become a technology expert.

Now that generative AI is accessible to all, claiming "we have AI" is table stakes. The real competitive advantage lies in clearly articulating what the AI *does* for the user to create a differentiated product experience and value proposition. The key question is always, "So what?"

Instead of promoting AI for AI's sake, Canva integrates it to solve specific user problems and speed up processes. This philosophy manifests in features like Magic Translate, which goes from one language to 100 in a click, directly addressing a core user job-to-be-done.

Startups like Casa are adopting a dual-messaging strategy for AI. They heavily promote their AI technology to attract venture capital but deliberately omit any mention of it in consumer marketing. This tactic leverages AI as a buzzword for investors while avoiding potential consumer aversion to non-human services, especially in personal domains like the home.