In this episode of the No Brainer podcast, hosts Geoff Livingston and Greg Verdino welcome Rex Briggs, chief ai officer at Claritas and AI subject matter expert for the MMA. They explore the limitations of AI, the importance of understanding its capabilities, and the risks associated with its implementation. The conversation delves into the role of algorithms, the significance of precision in AI applications, and the evolving landscape of marketing agencies in the age of AI. Rex shares insights from his book, 'The AI Conundrum', emphasizing the need for businesses to adapt and embrace AI while being mindful of its limitations and risks. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of process and leadership in successfully integrating AI into marketing strategies.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Commercial Break03:02 Exploring the Limitations and Risks of AI07:50 Using Machine Learning and Gen AI for Segmentation and Personalization17:38 Making Informed Decisions about AI: Precision and Open/Closed Systems25:17 Differentiating AI Hype from Reality25:51 The Future of Agencies and Marketing Departments in the Age of AI34:57 The Importance of Process Documentation and Optimization40:36 Leadership and Embracing Change in the AI Era Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Greg and Geoff are joined by Stephanie Pereira, the COO of Astral AI. They discuss the impact of AI on the digital content ecosystem and the challenges and opportunities it presents. The three discuss the exponential increase in content and how AI is making it easier to scale. Immediate impacts include the importance of maintaining quality and relevance in AI-generated content, understanding the role of AI in personalization, and the need to balance human touch and machine in content creation.The conversation explores the need for organizations to define workflows and roles when implementing AI technology. Stephanie, Greg and Geoff also touch on the significance of brand guidelines and the role of creativity and empathy in marketing. They also critique the overemphasis on prompt engineering and how it distracts businesses from embracing a more holistic understanding of AI's capabilities.Chapters 00:00 Start 03:30 AI is making it easier to scale content production, but it's important to maintain quality and relevance. 08:56 Building trust with AI-generated content is essential and striking the right balance between human and machine is crucial. 13:38 How social networks are adapting to AI generated content. 17.34 Brand guidelines are essential for maintaining consistency and coherence in marketing efforts. 23:52 Stephanie’s crystal ball future vision for AI and digital content. 27:51 AI in the Loop: Creativity and empathy are crucial for effective marketing, and AI can serve as a co-pilot to enhance these qualities. 33:08 Relying on prompt engineering as the future of AI is a mistake. Here’s why! Astral Website: https://tryastral.com/Stephanie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniepereira/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This fun end-of-summer podcast features Nick Unger, Managing Partner, AlterityAI in a follow-up conversation about the AI hype bubble and its potential impacts on enterprise adoption.  Nick, Geoff, and Greg discuss some of the winners and losers of the generative AI bubble (28:52), but before they get there, they discuss what long-term impacts AI hype will have on businesses. Nick argues that while we may not be approaching artificial general intelligence, the power of generative AI is just beginning to be tapped and to market it Silicon Valley companies will keep promoting roadmap goals. The hosts and guest discuss the importance of education, data governance, and strategic implementation of AI within organizations. Finally, the conversation concludes with a conversation on winners and losers in the bubble era, including the challenges faced by traditional big tech companies adapting to the AI revolution, using examples like Cisco and Intel. Nick, Geoff, and Greg speculate on potential winners and losers in the AI landscape, discussing companies like Nvidia and Google and how established companies like SAP and Adobe might better navigate the AI landscape within their respective domain expertise.00:00 Start3:27 MIT Generative AI Course - What was it like?4:44 Is the AI hype wave actually going to end?8:39 How valuations are driving the hype cycle.13:14 Using AI to lift humans.16:00 When the seismic impact of generative AI technology normalizes21:14 How do organizations pick the right use cases successfully?23:49 There are no organizational AI experts29:21 Brands that are winning and losing in the AI era, including Cisco, NVIDIA, Google, Intel, SAP and Adobe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there an AI bubble and if so what does it mean to businesses? Geoff Livingston and Greg Verdino discuss the AI bubble with guest Shashi Bellamkonda, Principal Research Director, Marketing & AI Research and Advisory for Info-Tech Research Group.The three explore a hype wave or a bubble in the AI industry and the challenges faced by companies that have overinvested in generative AI. They also discuss the role of OpenAI and its missteps in managing consumer expectations. The conversation highlighted the importance of practical applications and the need for critical thinking when it comes to AI. The conversation explores the future of AI and its impact on various industries with an emphasis on driving revenue growth rather than just focusing on cost savings.Chapters04:43 The AI Bubble: Hype Wave or Bubble?12:10 The Missteps of OpenAI21:07 The Importance of Critical Thinking in Evaluating AI31:29 Consolidation and Shakeout in the AI MarketShashi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbellamkonda/Shashi’s X Account: https://x.com/shashib Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of No Brainer, Geoff is joined by successful serial entrepreneur Andre Yee, Founder and CEO of Tiga AI. They have a great conversation about the future of AI and its impact on sales and marketing.Andre brought his wisdom, offering insights like, “ChatGPT is the Excel spreadsheet of generative AI.” ChatGPT is a powerful tool, like Excel. But it takes more than a tool to realize true productivity gains. Real results require that companies invest in task- or process-specific AI solutions.In another key insight, Andre dropped a bomb, offering that “Generative AI has a deflationary effect on personalization.” His comments revolve around the cheapening of personalization around singular human behaviors. As a result, generated content hangs on singular life points that turn off customers more than engage them. Listen to the whole episode to get a thoughtful view of AI’s impact on sales and marketing.Chapters00:00 Start02:53 Generative AI as an impact event on sales and marketing08:17 Evolution of sales development representative (SDR) role and AI’s impact on the position14:43 Changes in marketing leadership and technology, including the CMO role17:36 AI and machine learning in marketing and how it works with generative AI24:50 Google's potential acquisition of HubSpot, and the challenges for incumbent big tech companies adapting to AI29:57 Personalization is getting deflated, and it needs to become more relational About Andre Yee and Tiga.AIAndre Yee is the Founder of Tiga.AI, a company that actively prospects leads for companies by learning details about your target accounts and contacts at scale. He is also the founder and former CEO of Triblio, which he led to successful exit to International Data Group (IDG), a global B2B media and data company. Prior to founding Triblio, he was the SVP Product Development for Eloqua, responsible for product development and operations. At Eloqua, he was part of the executive team responsible for leading Eloqua to an IPO and a $957M acquisition by Oracle. Before his time at Eloqua, he was CEO of NFR Security, which he successfully led to growth and exit to Checkpoint Software.Connect with Andre: Visit www.tiga.ai for more information or to request a demo Connect with Andre Yee on LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode, the AI Knowhow podcast team – Knownwell CEO David DeWolf, CMO Courtney Baker, CPO Mohan Rao, and CSO Peter Buer – take over the No Brainer podcast to dive into how to decipher AI hype and (perhaps) overambitious hope.Is AI poised to solve all of humanity’s problems? Or are we headed for a tech-driven catastrophe? This episode of AI Knowhow dives into the polarizing world of AI hysteria to separate the hype from the hope.Courtney, David, and Mohan break down where AI has been overhyped and where genuine hope lies. They discuss the foundational models in AI, the future of AI hardware, and the realistic applications of generative AI.David also shares insights on the potential of AI to transform enterprise operations, focusing on collaboration and knowledge management, while Mohan explores how AI can create hyper-personalized experiences for users.For the AI Knowhow interview segment, our very own Geoff Livingston joins Pete Buer to discuss the current state of AI in marketing and beyond. They highlight the integration of generative AI with machine learning and analytics, and how this blend could drive real enterprise value.All of that PLUS this episode kicks off with a segment called “Take a Lap, David,” revisiting one of David’s Hot Takes from a few months back. David predicted that the rise of Nvidia and AI in general would spell the beginning of the end of the dominance of the FAANG stocks.Specifically, David suggested that Amazon would be the company to falter because competitors like Microsoft and Google would make gains in their cloud and AI offerings. Venture capitalist Tomasz Tuzung recently covered what may be the beginning of this trend in a post titled When 1% Market Share Shifts Represent $5b of Market Cap.Knownwell is an AI startup that helps you reimagine your business in the AI Era. They are heavily focused on the professional services market. https://knownwell.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversation, Geoff Livingston interviews Lisa Adams, a CMO known for her expertise in AI. They discuss the importance of trust and authenticity in AI, the challenges of implementing AI responsibly, and the potential for AI to enhance human connection. Liza Adams and Geoff Livingston touch on the rise of PR, the importance of creating personalized and engaging experiences on websites, as well as the need to diversify marketing strategies beyond relying solely on search engines. Finally, they explore the role of brands in elevating the customer experience and building trust in AI, and how Apple may lead the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's No Brainer, Greg and Geoff serve up a power-packed two-topic episode. In the first half, they dig into the AI Maturity Model they just released at their AI consultancy CognitivePath. Incorporating inputs from 100+ enterprise AI decision-makers, the maturity model lays out five stages and seven paths to take any organization from AI zero to AI hero. Greg and Geoff discuss why they feel the market needs a comprehensive maturity model and how business leaders can benefit from knowing where they stand.In the second part of the show, they guys switch gears and talk about Apple Intelligence. Smart move or too little too late? How might Apple's emphasis on the consumer experience and their keen understanding of the customer give them an advantage over other Big AI players? And wait, did Tim Cook just outsmart Sam Altman? (bwahahahaha).Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:26 Getting into the CognitivePath AI Maturity Model07:18 Five Stages of AI Maturity14:18 The Seven Paths to AI Maturity20:07 Getting Into Apple Intelligence26:01 Apple's Focus on Consumer Experience36:15 Privacy and Simplicity in Apple Intelligence40:32 Apple's Understanding of Consumer Wants and Needs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, Greg is joined by Jennifer Ives -- a seasoned leader working at the intersection of business and technology, an in-demand AI advisor to C-suite executives, and all-around big thinker.  Together, Jennifer and Greg set out to bust some AI myths. Is your organization really falling behind? Is everyone else already using AI? And isn't "everything" AI these days, anyway? Does AI literacy matter for line-of-business leaders? Are ethics important? And a whole lot more.Tune in as they discuss the current state of AI adoption in organizations. They highlight that only a small percentage of organizations are leveraging true artificial intelligence. They emphasize the importance of AI literacy at the executive level and the need for organizations to start small, test and learn, and build out their AI strategies. They also discuss the challenges organizations face, such as data cleanliness and the development of ethical AI frameworks. They conclude that, no, you're (probably) not behind -- but warn that the early movers now are developing a big advantage. So, if you haven't started yet, the time is now.Chapters00:00 The True State of AI Adoption in Organizations10:53 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Adoption 36:08 Igniting Ideas and Driving AI Adoption 41:28 Challenging Assumptions and Breaking Through Barriers 42:28 The Urgency of Embracing AI 43:59 Critical Areas of Focus for AI Adoption Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, AI Marketers Guild (AIMG) founder and fractional CMO David Berkowitz joins Greg Verdino and Geoff Livingston for a wide-ranging discussion about the state of AI in marketing.The show kicks off with David’s summary of key findings from AIMG’s recent Q1 2024 marketing AI trends report. From there, they dive into the use cases for AI in various marketing functions and touch on the challenges and opportunities of implementing AI in marketing. The conversation ranges from personalization and creative optimization to the ways AI can level the playing field for small businesses and why agencies need new business models.The trio ponders the future of the CMO role, the coming AI-native workforce, and why senior marketers need to explore and experiment with AI to remain relevant in the face of fast-moving change.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Small Talk03:27 AIMG Study on AI in Marketing07:16 The Impact of AI on Agencies and Pricing12:05 AI's Role in Finding Patterns and Insights21:21 The Future of the CMO Role and the AI-Native Workforce24:06 Advertising with AI28:21 AI Tools for Small Businesses32:30 Adapting to the Changing Marketing Landscape36:24 The Power of Personalization with AI39:09 Advice for Senior Marketers: Embrace AI and Experiment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices