It’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing this newsletter in some form for over 10 years. It’s been a helpful way for me to keep up with changes in digital marketing, stay connected to my network, and provide me with an outlet for thinking and writing. Over the last 2 years, my focus has shifted more and more toward AI, which has captured my curiosity like the early days of the web (and my career). So, I’m going to keep focusing on it. Which brings me back to this newsletter. I’ll be adding some very short videos that explore practical ways which people use AI in marketing and business. I’ll talk with practitioners and builders to highlight useful prompts, tools, and real use cases. Think of it as an AI + Marketing Show & Tell.
If you or someone you know has something worth sharing, please get in touch. I’d love to shine a light (and learn from) folks who are finding creative ways to build and use AI in their work.
So How is AI Being Used?
Many studies show that AI is now widely adopted. Now, the companies behind the models are sharing more data on how people are actually using their tools. OpenAI released a report that breaks use into three patterns: Asking (49%), Doing (40%) and Expressing (11%). This is similar to Google’s “I want to know, go, do, buy” micro-moments framework for search, which is helpful to explore customer intent. Anthropic released a report on Claude that groups use into Automation and Augmentation. Automation recently passed Augmentation, with 49% of use compared to 47%.
A new Pew survey on American attitudes toward AI revealed some, well, surprising views. 11% of Americans support AI advising people about their faith in God. If you’re in that 11% and want to take things a step further, check out ChatwithGod (or ChatwithGod Pro for $8/month.)
AI & the Workplace
Working on an AI project inside a large consultancy must feel complicated. On one hand, revenue from AI client work is becoming a major growth driver. On the other, consultancies like Accenture are using AI to automate tasks and layoff consultants. It’s a bit like a cashier teaching a customer how to use self-checkout.
Consultants are also among those eager to build their AI skills. Udemy reports that AI courses are booming on their platform, with agentic AI emerging as the most popular topic. A recent BCG report found that only 36% of professionals across industries are satisfied with the quality of AI training their companies provide.
This lack of strong training is contributing to another problem at work: workslop. These are AI-generated documents and presentations that look polished but contain little real substance. 40% of people say they’ve received workslop in the past month. This problem may grow as tools like Claude can now not only help with files but create them from scratch. Tip: ask ChatGPT to critique your work, not create / rewrite it.
AI & Marketing
Marketing teams have been early adopters of AI, and recent reports show no signs of slowing. A CMO survey found that 89% agree “Gen AI will make a massive difference in producing content quickly and cheaply,” and 90% agree “Gen AI will make it much easier to in-house marketing tasks.” A WPP survey of experts showed broad consensus that AI will produce most creative content, including music, TV, movies, and art (71% view this as likely). It’s hard to imagine a future where most ad production work is not done by Gen AI and overseen by a subject matter expert (aka a human). Tasks like resizing, reformatting, swapping images, changing copy and CTAs, and regionalizing content are important but repetitive. Brand managers want them done fast, and in my experience, designers aren’t exactly in a huge rush to take on this work.
AI as Media
Marketers are also interested in AI as media. An IAB survey found that 81% of media planners are interested in buying or selling ad space on consumer-facing AI platforms like ChatGPT. This makes sense: 60% of people use AI for product discovery, and 48% use it for travel and restaurant reservations. What brands wouldn’t want to be there?
They may not have to wait long. OpenAI is reportedly launching its own ad platform and features that let users make purchases directly without leaving the service. It is also creating new media spaces through ChatGPT Pulse. I’m interested in how how ad formats will evolve in this new context. Could brands sponsor follow-up prompts? Could they appear in a ChatGPT-curated shopping lists based on past prompts? Sponsor an agent to complete a related task?
Cool Beans
Meta Ray Band Display: A cool demo that showcases a bunch of use cases that combine hand gestures with AR glasses. Like a design challenge where the only constraint was that you can’t use your phone.
Gemini + Google Products: Google is turning Gemini into an AI layer that sits on top of all its products and screens. Gemini is being added to Chrome, letting you ask about what’s on your current tab. It’s also coming to Google TV to help you decide what to watch.
New Baldness Cure? A new treatment reportedly made 100% of male mice regrow their fur. I didn’t know bald mice were a thing, but human trials are next. Stay tuned…