How AI is Changing the Content Dynamic (And What We Should Do About It) - with Rob Davis

Let's face it, dealing with the future isn't something we can kick down the road. And at the intersection of people, technology, and brand, change is coming faster than ever before. We could blame Generative AI. Or we can embrace it and use it as an accelerant for our teams, employers, customers, and brands... In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle welcomes award-winning digital innovator, public speaker, and agency executive Rob Davis, the Chief Digital Innovation Officer at MSL, for an engaging conversation on the future of communications and marketing. Rob, a digital pioneer with a career spanning broadcast TV and leading agencies, shares his journey of invention and innovation (and his good fortune at attaining a role that Dan not-so-secretly covets). From his early days at MTV, where he developed the world's first interactive game show, to his groundbreaking work at Ogilvy and now MSL Global, Rob has consistently been at the forefront of digital innovation. His accolades, including the Provoke Media Innovator 25 and two consecutive appearances in the PRWeek Dashboard 25, merely scratch the surface of his influence and expertise. He and Dan explore how Generative AI is reshaping how we approach communications and marketing and what that means for brands. They cover the importance of understanding and utilizing AI prompts, the evolving nature of authority in content, and the critical need for brands to adapt to the rapid advancements in technology. They address how AI impacts brand communication—shifting the dynamics between brands, media, and consumers. Rob stresses the need for brands to curate content that directly engages AI models to enhance discoverability and relevance. Moving on to the future of work, Rob notes that AI is reshaping job paths in communications, offering opportunities to integrate new talent and innovative roles. He encourages professionals to embrace AI to remain competitive in the workforce. Whether you're a communications novice or a seasoned professional, this episode offers lessons on embracing change, leveraging technology for enhanced communication strategies, and staying ahead in a fast-paced digital world. There's no doubt that AI will significantly impact the future of communications and marketing - listen in to hear what you can do about it for your future and the brands you represent.   Listen in and hear about...  How generative AI is revolutionizing communications and marketing.  Mastering AI prompts to boost content creation and engagement.  AI search algorithms reshaping content discoverability and relevance.  Workforce dynamics shifting with AI, creating new job opportunities.  Brands adapting content strategies to thrive in an AI-driven world.  Opportunities and challenges of AI and emerging technologies in business.   Notable Quotes On the Evolution of Technology and Career: - "I came out of college at a time in the early nineties when everything was starting to change and everything I was passionate about, music, photography, video, storytelling, all individual passions, all of a sudden had a place to go, and I've just kind of let the industry take me along." — Rob Davis [00:03:42 → 00:04:02] On the Thrill of Innovation: - "The thrill of that. It's funny, it wasn't an ego building thrill. It was a hunger building thrill. I said, I got to find more of this. Where does this come from? How do I tap into this bucket over and over again? And that's kind of what's driven me all along." — Rob Davis [00:06:24 → 00:06:42] On the Acceleration of Technology: - "I look at the years between advances from that era and it's like those advances are happening in months, if not weeks." — Rob Davis [00:09:31 → 00:09:47] On the Power of AI and Prompting: - "You can go to chat GPT the first time and you're probably going to treat it like this is a fortune telling arcade game. Zoltan. Zoltar, you're asking a question and you're going to get an answer, and as you said, you say, oh, that's cool, and you're going to walk away without realizing that you can start a chain of prompts that's going to develop something much deeper than that." — Rob Davis [00:16:38 → 00:16:58] On the Creativity in AI: - "You are creating every prompt you write, no matter how basic or complex it is, are creating something. And I think that that's part of the adrenaline rush for me." — Rob Davis [00:21:01 → 00:21:14] On the Future of Content Creation: - "We don't have to wait. We can do more than we can possibly imagine right now, and it's only going to get better, but we don't have to wait for the next piece. We can revolutionize almost everything that we're doing right now." — Rob Davis [00:22:14 → 00:22:31] On the Changing Nature of Authority in Content: - "The judge of authority is the consumer. So if the content, to your point, is not appealing to the consumer, it's not in their vernacular, it's not something that they feel ready to consume, they're not going to interact with it, and it is not going to get that algorithmic importer of authoritative." — Rob Davis [00:41:08 → 00:41:34] On the Power Shift in Content Creation: - "Because the consumer is now, or the customer…is getting more and more answers from AI, from generative AI. Well, now that puts a little bit more power in the hands of the brands, doesn't it?" — Dan Nestle [00:45:49 → 00:46:09] On the Future of Communication: - "The roles that are going to be created, the tasks that are going to be created are very different. It's going to create a whole bundle of new tasks. Those new tasks will have to be apportioned to somebody which become new jobs also." — Dan Nestle [00:54:27 → 00:54:59]   Resources and Links Dan Nestle The Trending Communicator | Website Daniel Nestle | LinkedIn Dan Nestle | Twitter/X Rob Davis Rob Davis's Website Rob Davis | LinkedIn   Timestamped key moments from this episode (as generated by Fireflies.ai) 🎙️ Introduction and Background (00:00 - 09:12) Dan Nestle introduces himself as the host of the Trending Communicator podcast Guest Rob Davis is introduced as Chief Digital Innovation Officer at MSL Global Rob's career spans from broadcast TV to leading agencies Rob's accomplishments include Provoke Media Innovator 25 and PR Week Dashboard 25 Rob shares his early career experiences, including work at MTV and developing the first interactive TV game show 🚀 Digital Innovation and AI (09:18 - 14:40) Rob discusses the rapid acceleration of technology advancements Ethan Mollick's video on LinkedIn showcasing AI recreating the game Doom Discussion on the need for proper AI prompting and understanding LLMs Critique of PR professionals' lack of understanding in AI prompting 💡 AI in Communications and Marketing (16:17 - 28:44) Importance of understanding how to use AI tools effectively Discussion on the power of prompts and the creative thinking involved Custom GPTs and their potential in various functions The changing nature of authority in content creation due to AI 🎯 Brand Communication and AI (30:24 - 42:11) Impact of AI on brand discoverability and content relevance Importance of creating content that influences AI models Shift in power dynamics between brands, media, and consumers Need for brands to become their own publishers and create the right kind of content 👥 Career Paths and AI (43:15 - 56:10) Discussion on how AI is changing career paths in communications and marketing Opportunity to reshape the workforce and bring in new talent Importance of embracing AI to remain valuable in the job market Potential for new roles and tasks created by AI and emerging technologies 🔮 Future Outlook and Closing Remarks (57:30 - 01:01:18) Mention of other emerging technologies like NFTs, metaverse, and near-field communication Rob's optimism about the future of connecting with audiences Importance of capitalizing on audience behaviors and trends Rob's contact information and social media presence Timestamps for your convenience (as generated by Flowsend.ai) 0:00 Intro 2:07 Rob Davis' Journey in Digital Innovation 3:42 The Evolution of Media and Technology 5:08 Developing the World's First Home Play Game Show 6:24 Pioneering Digital Content at Ogilvy 9:58 AI's Rapid Evolution and Its Impact 16:38 The Power of the Prompt 18:24 Challenges in AI Adoption in PR and Communications 22:31 The Evolution of Custom GPTs 30:41 The Evolution of Media Relations 42:09 AI's Impact on Discoverability and Content Creation 43:15 The Shift in Power Dynamics in Marketing 49:35 AI's Impact on the Workforce 52:22 Abundance Mentality in Business 53:57 Brands' Procrastination on AI Integration 57:02 Generative AI and Future Skills (Notes co-created by Human Dan and a variety of AI helpers, including Fireflies.ai and Flowsend.ai)