In modern marketing, curiosity is the operating system that turns AI from a threat into an advantage.
AI is changing how we create, communicate, and compete. Excitement and unease can coexist. Fear often arrives first. Curiosity moves us forward.
Here’s how to recognise fear, replace it with curiosity, and practise it each week.
Fear: The Default Setting
Fear kept our ancestors alive. It still protects us today. It makes us pause before taking a risk, second‑guess an idea, or stay silent when things feel unclear.
Think back to when you first felt fear. It could have been your first day at school, a storm at night, or a time you had to speak in front of others. The same feeling shows up in business and technology. Every major change, from the printing press to the internet to AI, brings the same question: what happens to me now?
Fear is natural. It is not always useful.
What the Data Tells Us
Across industries, the unease around AI is clear.
- In a survey of 1,000 digital marketers, 52% believed AI could replace human marketers, while only a third felt confident about its long‑term value (Neil Patel, 2025).
- According to HubSpot’s State of AI in Marketing Report (2024), around one in five marketers have defined KPIs to measure the impact of AI tools, showing that most teams still lack a clear system for evaluating results (HubSpot, 2024).
- Deloitte’s Global Marketing Trends 2025 report notes that brands experimenting with GenAI in creative workflows are reporting improved creative throughput and stronger audience engagement, as marketing teams focus on integrating AI into human‑led processes (Deloitte, 2025).
Psychologists say that when control feels threatened, the brain reacts before logic steps in. Change leader Liza Adams writes, “Fear shuts people down. It makes them play small, avoid risk, and stay quiet.”
The AI revolution is not only technical. It is emotional.
When I Learnt to Sit with Fear
A few years ago, I left a full‑time job in big tech to focus on family and consulting work. It was the right choice, but it scared me. I struggled to see who I was without the structure and title that defined my old life.
In time, I realised I had a choice. I could hold on to the past or stay open to what was ahead. Curiosity helped me choose the second path. Instead of asking what am I losing?, I started asking what can I learn from this?
That mindset changed everything.
Why curiosity beats fear
Curiosity helps us adapt.
- Observe before reacting.
- See patterns others miss.
- Turn uncertainty into a learning loop (hypothesis → test → decision).
In marketing, curiosity lets teams test early, spot trends, and make better choices. Studies link curiosity to adaptability and optimism. Teams that experiment with purpose learn faster and perform better.
Curiosity is not about chasing new things. It is about staying open long enough to understand what matters.
Three habits to practise this week
You do not need a big plan to begin. Try these three habits:
1. Step outside your circle
Talk to someone outside your usual network or industry. Ask how they see the world or how they solve problems. A fresh view often changes how you see your own work.
2. The “Why” chain
Take a project or challenge and ask “why?” five times. Keep going until an answer makes you pause. You will often find what really needs attention.
3. The 30‑minute curiosity window
Once a week, spend half an hour exploring something unrelated to your job. Read, watch, or try something new. Curiosity grows when there is space for it.
How we apply this at Spangg
At Spangg, curiosity is not a personality trait. It is a practice.
We use all three habits, but we do #1 the most. Talking to people outside our world helps us see what life and work look like for others. The best insights often come from those conversations.
When we test new platforms or AI tools, we run small structured experiments. Each one has a clear goal and a short timeline. Every week, our team shares one question, one test, and one learning.
- Example: We hypothesised that a long‑tail question headline on LinkedIn would lift saves. We A/B tested two versions for one week. Result: +34% saves and a 12% increase in qualified comments. Decision: adopt the pattern for expert posts and re‑test monthly.
The aim is not speed. It is discovery. This rhythm keeps us focused on what works and open to what could work next.
Curiosity as the goal
We often treat curiosity as a means to an end. But curiosity itself can be the goal. It keeps us awake and aware in a world that decides quickly and moves fast.
In a time when algorithms tell us what to read, buy, or believe, curiosity is a quiet act of independence. It helps us listen longer and decide for ourselves.
The curious marketer becomes more empathetic.
The curious leader becomes more adaptable.
The curious organisation becomes more human.
A closing reflection
Progress rarely starts with confidence. It starts with curiosity.
The people and brands who keep learning, adapting, and asking better questions will be the ones who last.
Try the 30‑minute curiosity window this week. Then choose one experiment to run.
If you want to dig deeper into emerging search behaviour, see /industry‑intelligence.
- Adarsh Varghese
Director, Spangg Digital