Frontier CMO Podcast by Think with Google Shelly Palmer on Leading Through AI Change, Identity Threat, and Marketing’s Next Era
Jan 8, 2026
Shelly Palmer, CEO of The Palmer Group and expert in AI and marketing, joins to discuss the evolving role of CMOs amid technological transformations. She emphasizes that AI is a leadership challenge rather than a mere tech shift, urging marketers to reorganize around human-agent partnerships. The podcast dives into the identity threat posed by automation, differentiates between human-inspired creativity and AI production, and stresses the importance of continuous adaptation in marketing strategies. Palmer also predicts a future where CMOs transition from tactical roles to strategic leaders.
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AI Is A Leadership Challenge
- AI in marketing is primarily a leadership and organizational challenge, not just a technical one.
- Shelly Palmer argues companies must build cultures of continuous adaptation to capture AI's value.
Organize Around Human–Agent Pairs
- Reorganize marketing around human–agent pairs and treat agents as synthetic employees that need harnesses and governance.
- Give agents context, evals, permission tables, and a human-in-the-loop to ensure safe, useful autonomy.
Identity Threat Drives Resistance
- Identity threat is the real human friction: fear that automation will replace expertise.
- Shelly Palmer warns this sociological response must be managed alongside technical adoption.
