At the Brand Tech Summit in Israel, Gary Survis, operating partner at Insight Partners, joined Ynet Global Studios for a conversation on the evolving role of branding in an AI-driven world.
Survis described branding as “the last frontier of authenticity,” explaining how, despite the rise of hyper-personalized AI tools, the human desire for genuine connection remains unchanged. “We crave connection,” he said. “Brand is the umbrella that allows you to deliver that in a way that feels human.”
Gary Survis, operating partner at Insight Partners
(Video: Yaron Sharon)
Survis introduced a memorable framework called HART to help marketers craft authentic, emotional brands. The acronym stands for Human—making brands feel genuinely human, not machine-like; Authentic—being real and true to who you are; Relationship—building meaningful connections across touchpoints; and Trust—the essential foundation for customers to commit. “People buy from brands they trust,” Survis emphasized, underscoring trust as the cornerstone of any lasting brand relationship.
Addressing the widespread use of AI-generated content, Survis shared practical advice for maintaining a personal touch. He recounted how fully AI-driven posts tend to get less engagement than those infused with his own voice and emotions, augmented by AI rather than replaced.
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“AI can make us lazy thinkers,” he warned, urging marketers to fight for their unique voice by expressing what excites or frustrates them. It is this emotional honesty, he said, that creates true connection in a sea of automation.
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Insight Partners Operating Partner Gary Survis at the Ynet Global Studio
(Photo: Yaron Sharon)
When asked about common pitfalls founders face in marketing themselves and their companies, Survis stressed the importance of putting founders front and center: “People don’t want to buy from a black box,” he said. “They want to feel they’re buying from people who care.”
Even technical founders uncomfortable with public speaking can be authentic by simply sharing their real selves without over-polishing. Authenticity, he reminded, resonates most deeply with customers.
Gary Survis’s message was clear: successful branding must return to the core of human experience. Through being human, authentic, building relationships and earning trust—the very elements captured in HART—brands can rise above the noise and create genuine, lasting connections that no algorithm can replicate.