I started working in digital in 1989, when most people hadn’t even heard of the Internet. At CompuServe, we helped businesses move offline communications online. This was a groundbreaking initiative at the time. We joked that we weren’t cutting edge. We were on the cutting edge.
Back then, the Internet was mysterious, tricky, and a little scary. And I feel the same way today. Only now, that technology has become artificial intelligence.
The similarities are unmistakable. Just as the internet has changed the way we communicate, learn, and do business, AI will do the same. The pattern of excitement, fear, resistance, and ultimately acceptance feels familiar. We’ve been here before. And if history is any guide, we’ll get through it again.
1990s Internet Panic: Chaos, Cookies, and Control
When the internet became mainstream in the 1990s, public conversations looked a lot like today’s AI debates. People are concerned about privacy (cookies and tracking), and the Internet Technology Task Force has come up with restrictions on cross-site cookies.
They also worried about misinformation (remember the cyberporn panic?) and automation raised concerns about job losses and worker displacement. There were concerns about who was actually in control of this new invisible network connecting everything.
Marketers, on the other hand, first experimented with the medium through websites, email, and online advertising. we made a mistake. We learned about privacy the hard way. We’ve been watching bad guys mess things up for a while now — hello, Spam.
And I figured out most of it. Regulations were born, industry standards were formed, and consumers adapted. Over time, the Internet has become an essential and reliable part of everyday life. This transformation came in waves, but it happened. And it was so worth it.
Learn more: AI is the new OS, but its value is determined by marketers’ curiosity
AI Anxiety in the 2020s: An all-too-familiar fear in a faster world
Fast forward to today, and AI inspires a similar mix of fascination and fear. We are concerned about:
Privacy: What data was the model trained on and who consented to it? Truth: Can we trust what is produced? Bias: Who is being left out or misrepresented? Control: Are we driving this technology, or is the technology driving us?
If that sounds familiar, it should. It’s the same cultural anxiety we had about the Internet. Only now it’s moving at warp speed.
Marketers are once again at the forefront. We use AI to write copy, segment audiences, generate images, and predict behavior. And just like in the 1990s, the temptation to go too far, too fast, is real. But so are the opportunities if we do it right.
What the Internet has taught us and what it means for AI
1. Transparency builds trust
When websites started collecting data in the 1990s, users were in the dark. That backlash forced us to create a privacy policy, consent checkbox, and unsubscribe link.
AI will need its own moment of transparency. Marketers need to be transparent about when and how AI is used (we recommend using Georgetown University’s AI guidelines as a template) and, more importantly, why it benefits customers. Trust follows clarity.
2. Ethics can be a competitive advantage
As spam began to dominate email, responsible senders learned how to differentiate themselves through permission-based marketing. We set standards higher than the law, and then industry associations enforced these higher standards. Those of us who respect our inboxes won (thank goodness!).
The same thing will happen with AI. Marketers who use this responsibly as a productivity tool rather than a hack will gain more engagement, loyalty, and long-term trust.
Digging deeper: Why the AI era will be the revenge of English majors
3. Regulation will (eventually) catch up.
All important digital waves are ultimately subject to regulations such as the Communications Decency Act, CAN-SPAM, and GDPR. AI will too. One of the differences between 2025 and the 1990s is who is more passionate about legislating. With the advent of the Internet, the prevailing sentiment within the industry was to let it grow naturally. Currently, OpenAI and other organizations in the field are consistently calling for federal AI legislation.
That being said, good marketers don’t wait for rules. they expect it. Now is the time to document your data sources, understand the limitations of your models, and build accountability into your AI processes.
4. Bias is the new information divide
In the 1990s, we were concerned about who had access to the Internet. Today, we worry about whose data will train our AI algorithms. Marketers who test for bias and ensure inclusive representation in AI-driven content will not only get ethics right, but also create better-performing campaigns.
Bottom line: same story, different technology
AI is the next internet. It’s the same cycle of confusion, fear, and adaptation, only faster. Just as the internet has reshaped marketing in ways we could never have imagined, so will AI.
When I worked at Reed Elsevier in the early 2000s, our digital team often pointed out that we were one of the few companies that made money on the Internet without porn or fake prescription drugs. This was a way for us to claim that we were building something sustainable, trustworthy, and legitimate.
That’s what AI needs to do now. we make mistakes. I will over-correct. Let’s find the balance. And we will create something better: an ecosystem that is smarter, more efficient, and yes, more humane.
Because here is the truth. Because technology doesn’t destroy trust. It’s all about how you use it. And, as we’ve proven, marketers have the unique ability to once again lead that evolution.
Dig deeper: In the age of AI excess, trust becomes the true differentiator
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