Marketing is one of the areas of business operations where it is widely predicted that artificial intelligence (AI) will drive enormous change. In fact, a McKinsey study found that, along with sales, it is the single business function where it will have the most financial impact. This means that if you're a marketer and you're not using AI, you're missing out on the benefits of what is possibly the most transformational technology. Actually, though, the chances that there are people out there doing marketing today and not using AI in any shape or form is somewhat unlikely. This is simply because there are so many tools with AI features that we are used to using without even thinking about it.

Artificial intelligence generates lots of interest and more than a little bit of fear among agency owners. How will machine learning, AI, and all that super-technical stuff change agency life? Will it make agency work irrelevant? Not according to my guest, Paul Roetzer from PR 2020 and The Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute. In this episode, Paul shared how his agency is leaning into AI because of the power and possibilities he sees in terms of agency efficiency and profitability. He makes a strong case that AI has the potential to make agency work more intelligent and even more human. AI is one more way agencies can leverage new technology and new tools to serve our clients better, to help them grow their businesses, and to more profitably, efficiently, and effectively grow our own agencies. I’m sure that some of you find this a little scary to even contemplate. But just like we’ve embraced all of the technologies before AI (the internet, mobile, programmatic media buying, etc.) we’re going to have to wrap our heads around this one too. One of the best aspects of owning an agency is that we constantly get to evolve and re-invent ourselves to better serve our clients. AI gives us all the opportunity to scale and grow in ways we couldn’t imagine. AI isn’t about robots stealing jobs. It’s about the potential to eliminate the boring, repetitive tasks so we can spend more time thinking creatively. Paul always sets his eyes toward the horizon. He’s continually wondering what will happen next in our industry and how he and his agency can be at the forefront of that. So, I wasn’t at all surprised when Paul and I were talking a […]

The use case for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace is there. Deloitte's Tech Trends 2021 found AI and machine learning technologies are helping financial services firm Morgan Stanley use decades of data to supplement human insight with accurate models for fraud detection and prevention, sales and marketing automation, and personalized wealth management, among others. For marketing and customer experience, in particular, organizations are using AI and machine learning to improve internal business processes and workflow, automating repetitive tasks and to improve customer journeys and touchpoints, among other use cases. The CMO Survey by Duke University reports a steady increase as far as the extent to which companies are reporting implementing AI or ML into their marketing toolkits. However, the majority of marketers know AI is very important or critical to their success this year, according to Paul Roetzer, founder and CEO of the Marketing AI Institute and PR 20/20.

Artificial intelligence is a topic that evokes many opinions and predictions. I have heard people express concern that AI will take jobs away from humans and an overall fear of the technology. However, I have also heard countless others, including Paul Roetzer, explain how AI will enhance human knowledge and capabilities. After attending Marketing Artificial Intelligence Conference (MAICON) this year, I side with the latter. In July, hundreds of marketers gathered in Cleveland, Ohio at MAICON, to better understand AI and how it will impact them now and in the future.

It's a new year, and I bet you picked up a few shiny tech gadgets to play with over the holidays. But while your Google Home pods, face ID-enabled iPhones, wearable fitness trackers, 3D printers, and the like might be fun and games now, there's serious power behind those tools – power that enhances the performance of your content marketing efforts, makes them easier to produce, and makes them more enticing to your audiences. If you read our recent 2018 Content Marketing Predictions e-book, you may have noticed how many experts anticipate tech-enhanced experiences to dominate the content landscape. For example, HubSpot's Scott Brinker predicts chatbots and voice interfaces will experience explosive growth. Autodesk's Dusty DiMercurio sees an impending rise in augmented reality content at live events; and Chief Content Officer's Clare McDermott is all but ready to bow down to the AI overlords and embrace a more automated future. These expectations of greater tech dependence are likely well founded.

The featured guest for episode 148 is Paul Roetzer, Founder & CEO of PR 20/20, a well-known marketing agency specializing in inbound marketing strategies. Paul is the author of two popular books: The Marketing Agency Blueprint and The Marketing Performance Blueprint. In November 2016, Paul launched the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute (MAII). On this episode, we dive deep into what MAII is, why it exists, and why you should care. If you're not familiar with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Paul describes it as "the umbrella of the tools and technologies that are designed to make machines smarter."

As we step into 2017, we find ourselves face to face with that familiar sensation that often accompanies a change. It's equal parts uncertainty, hope, energy, and anxiety, a combination of the feeling of trying to fall asleep before your birthday as a child, and trying to fall asleep before a big presentation as a business professional. Late last year, while I was diving deep into research for my machine learning series, I found myself faced with the questions that many marketers have been asking themselves, especially as we head into what will almost certainly be a big year for artificial intelligence. What does this actually mean for me and my company? Is my career at stake?