Doing AI: Every Media Leader MUST experiment with AI now!

This newsletter deviates from the typical format, presenting a more personal perspective and a shift in focus from general trends and developments in the television industry.  However, it maintains its relevance by addressing a significant ongoing transformation: the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for our lives and the media industry.

If you have yet to engage with an AI tool, this serves as a call to action.  Engage with AI, experiment, and evaluate its capabilities firsthand.  Comprehend the potential impact of AI on your media business and, crucially, on your audiences and users.

Before exploring the future, let us embark on a brief historical journey to gain valuable insights from the past.

Remember that awkward phase of "the internet"? Back when executives scoffed at its legitimacy and questioned its value in the media landscape? Fast forward, and it became the cornerstone of what TV is now: streaming is all that is defining TV and it has its foundation in the 1990s with the emergence of the internet. But back then - and I vividly remember some of these conversations with senior executives -  the internet itself was dismissed as a fad, a passing curiosity for tech nerds. Then, bam! Here we are, a world transformed by connectivity. Those who embraced the internet early on became the leaders, the innovators. Those who scoffed? Well, let's just say some of those companies aren't exactly household names anymore.

The eerie sense of deja vu is strong. We're on the precipice of another revolution, this time powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). And there's a worrying trend of skepticism amongst media leaders. Is it fear of the unknown? A lack of understanding? Perhaps a touch of "machines taking over the world" paranoia?

Let me assure you, AI isn't here to steal your job (though it might take over writing those mind-numbing reports). It's here to be your most capable, enthusiastic, and ever-energetic teammate. Think of it like having a team of interns with unlimited brainpower and a complete disregard for sleep – that's the power you can harness with AI.

Over the past year, I've gone from intrigued observer to full-fledged AI evangelist. (Yes, the "MiniMBA in AI Strategy" fueled the fire a bit too.) Now, AI tools are woven into the fabric of my daily workflow, and I can confidently say they give me a significant edge.

It is exactly this approach that I want you to follow, too: go out there and test, use, experiment with some AI tools everyday and learn for yourself how they can change your own work but that of your team and organization, too. Hence, let me describe my own journey and experience. I will not write about industry specific B2B tools (we do that another time), but about those that each of you can easily and freely access.

AI: Your Personal Brainiac Brigade

Here's the key – I don't view AI tools as some monolithic, intimidating entity. I see them as a team of highly specialized assistants, each with their own strengths. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity – these are the names I call upon for research, brainstorming, and general knowledge-gathering missions. Stuck on a market trend analysis? Gemini can whip up a quick report with insights you might have missed. Need to delve deeper into a complex topic? Perplexity is your rabbit hole into a world of in-depth information. Claude, on the other hand, is my strategic advisor, the one who can take a step back and see the bigger picture, often framing problems in ways I never could on my own. And for those days when you need a slightly offbeat perspective (and maybe a good laugh), there's always Pi, the resident AI therapist with a surprisingly human touch.

The key to unlocking the true potential of these brainiacs lies in effective communication – mastering the art of the "prompt." Think of it as giving your AI teammate clear instructions. The better the prompt, the more impressive the results. 

Beyond Research: AI in Action

Now, let's get down to brass tacks. AI isn't just about research and brainstorming; it's about streamlining your workflow and making you a productivity machine.

• Translation & Summarization: Drowning in a sea of foreign language documents? Need a quick synopsis of a lengthy report? AI handles those tedious tasks with ease. Forget clunky translation software – these tools are surprisingly accurate and can save you hours.
• Image Creation & Design: Canva has become my go-to for presentations. It uses AI to generate stunning visuals that leave DALL-E's repetitive outputs in the dust. (Seriously, DALL-E, how many variations of a cat wearing a scarf can you produce?)
• Writing Tools: A Work in Progress I've experimented with Rytr, Copy AI, Jasper, and their ilk. While they can be helpful for a quick blurb or social media post, the output often feels generic and lacks the nuance of human-written content. For polished writing, I still rely on my own skills, but AI can be a handy starting point for ideation.
• Workflow Integration: This is where AI truly shines. Tools like Humantic and Humanlinker take the guesswork out of client outreach. They analyze company data and LinkedIn profiles to help you understand their needs and tailor your approach. My CRM system is also AI-powered, making client service a breeze by offering insights and suggestions I might have missed otherwise.

The Takeaway: Embrace the AI Revolution

The lesson from the internet's rise is clear: early adopters win. Media leaders who dismiss AI risk being left behind. The competitive advantage won't come solely from industry-specific B2B tools (though those are important too).The rapid ascent of the internet has indelibly etched a crucial lesson into the annals of history: early adopters stand to reap the richest rewards. Media behemoths that cavalierly dismiss the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) do so at their own peril, running the grave risk of being relegated to the annals of irrelevance. The competitive edge in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape will not be solely determined by industry-specific B2B tools, although their significance cannot be understated. Rather, it is the astute integration of AI technologies that will prove to be the ultimate game-changer.

Enterprises that embrace AI early on will gain a significant advantage over their less forward-thinking counterparts. By harnessing the power of AI, businesses can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up human resources to focus on more strategic and value-added activities. AI can also be used to gather and analyze vast amounts of data, providing valuable insights that can inform decision-making and drive innovation.

In the media industry, AI is already being used in a variety of ways to enhance content creation, distribution, and monetization. For example, AI can be used to generate personalized content recommendations for users, identify and target specific audiences, and optimize ad campaigns. As AI continues to develop, it is likely to play an even more integral role in the media industry, transforming the way content is created, consumed, and shared.

Media leaders who fail to recognize the importance of AI do so at their own peril. By embracing AI early on, businesses can gain a significant competitive advantage and position themselves for long-term success in the digital age.

Want to learn more? Contact me to discuss how we get you onto the AI track with our innovative AI Pathfinder Sprint.