I’m Not Creating—Just Editing”: Emotional Tensions and Identity Shifts Among Digital Marketers Using Generative AI

As generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude become increasingly embedded in creative workflows, marketing professionals are experiencing a profound shift in how they perceive their roles, value, and agency. This commentary explores the emotional and identity-based dimensions of adapting to AI-assisted content creation, based on two narrative-rich survey responses from digital marketers in Romania. The respondents reveal complex reactions—ranging from enthusiasm for increased efficiency to disillusionment over the erosion of human creativity. By analyzing these reflections through the lens of identity theory and emotional labor, this paper argues that the transition toward AI collaboration is not merely a technical adjustment but a cultural and psychological one. The insights, while limited in scale, offer early signals of deeper shifts in professional meaning and call for more longitudinal, qualitative exploration of the human experience behind AI transformation.