What Next?

Mike Maynard, CEO of the Napier Group on the benefits and challenges of employee ownership, the importance of focus in a competitive market and why to invest in employee growth. An engineer turned marketing man, he argues the need to continually upgrade ourselves and develop our teams, finding a sense of ownership, both in our company and our work. Results do matter, he says, but we need to think much more clearly about how best to measure them.  #Marketing #Business

Bill Harvey, Emmy-winning media researcher on the three levels of consciousness in the workplace: emergency oversimplification procedure (EOP), observer state, and flow state. An advertising veteran from the Mad Men era, his innovations in advertising, including the passive people meter and set top box data have made him a legend. Now, after decades of consulting for more than 70 of the top 100 advertisers, his non-profit Human Effectiveness Institute which optimizes decision making and has been used by the US, Army and Navy and 34 universities, focuses on the importance of introspection and understanding one's motivations to pursue our passions. His insights have led to more effective advertising, but just as importantly, how to be a more effective human being. #Business #HumanIntelligence #Advertising

Rohit Bhargava, founder of the Non Obvious Company and IdeaPress Publishing, on augmented creativity, the human mode, and accelerated learning. Adjunct professor at Georgetown University with a background in marketing and advertising at Ogilvy and Leo Burnett, he argues the significance of live events, media literacy, and the role of the curator in the stories we tell in branding. Technology advancements and storytelling, he says are interlinked, but the future will always depend on the greatest storytellers, and in particular, those who find the non-obvious stories to tell.#Advertising #Business #Technology

Michael Tchong, pioneer in digital marketing and consumer behaviour and Adjunct Professor of Innovation at the University of San Francisco on uber trend spotting in a world of AI driven innovation, acceleration imperative and time compression.  A trusted authority on market-disrupting trends, he predicts the extinction of digital marketing with the rise of AI-powered disruptors, and the influence of the control enthusiast as consumers demand instant gratification and superior services. He says success in business will be driven by human innovation and human insight in the AI-driven economy with the rise of service marketing where consumers dictate the terms.#Business #AI #Innovation

Dr. Angela Jackson, CEO of Future Forward Strategies and author of "Win Win Workplace," on the importance of centering employee voices, aligning business success with employee well-being, and building diversity, equity and inclusion into pathways to advancement. The Harvard lecturer who advises organizations on innovation and human capital strategies has been featured in Forbes Wall Street Journal, BBC and the Economist, and argues that companies with strong employee engagement have higher share prices and revenue. Those that invest in talent internally and adapt to new generational workforce expectations, she says, are those with the Win:Win mindset. #business #leadership #innovation

Nick Colucci, former chief operating officer of Publicis North America on his 40-year career in healthcare advertising and recent induction into the Hall of Fame. Having built Publicis Health into the industry's largest health focused agency network as CEO and chairman, Nick shares the top three take outs of his extraordinary career: the importance of self-management over time-management; the significance of feedback as a gift; and the impact of being a multiplier rather than a divider in leadership. His approach to mentoring focusses on the value of discipline and feedback on personal and professional growth. When we grow people around us, he argues, we grow their skills, we grow teams, we grow companies and we grow business.#Grow #Business #Upskill

Digital pioneer and innovator Leslie Laredo, president of Laredo Group and the Academy of Digital Media, and Deborah Burns, award-winning author of "Authorize IT!: Think Like a Writer to Win, brand storyteller, and business strategist, share their thoughts on why leadership must be redefined -- and how to it. They discuss their beliefs, stressing that traditional models of leadership need to evolve to emphasize neutrality, belief, and integrity, which are the principles of their Theta Leadership program. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to redefine leadership, expand awareness, and multiply impact in a rapidly shifting landscape.#Leadership #NewBusiness #ThetaLeadership

Steve Dennis, strategic growth consultant and author on risk taking in leadership strategy. His books "Remarkable Retail" and "Leaders Leap," call for companies to adapt quickly to disruption. They stress the importance of being ‘remarkable', avoiding mediocrity, and taking bold, transformative actions to stay relevant. Explaining the key principles of leadership he describes in his latest book, he says that leaders must embrace change, foster a culture of experimentation, and pay attention to opposing points of view from a more diverse workforce.#BusinessStrategy #Leadership #Disruption

Vikram Sharma, Operating Partner at S2G Investments on the massive opportunities of new technology for digitization and legacy industries. The former division president of Information Resources, or IRI, and former CEO of Shop Local says that 80% of US GDP comes from low-digitized industries, presenting significant opportunities for innovation.  An extraordinary combination of businessman, strategist and technologist, he argues that technology, while it might be scary, is coming to enable us. He says that in both the real world and the investment world, it's important to marry math and meaning, and that ROI with storytelling can inspire and drive transformation.#Business #Innovation #Technology

Jack Myers, media ecologist, leadership strategist and author of The Tao of Leadership on how ancient principles can guide the modern business. The former executive at CBS TV and ABC Radio, and founder of The Myers Report and Media Village Education Foundation argues that leadership In the AI era will be built around five Taoist values: harmony, flexibility, balance, stability and integrity, integrating technology with human creativity and helping business adapt to rapid technological changes. He predicts the rise of the 'Nexus Generation,' born into an AI-integrated world, which will play a critical role as human intuition and creativity learn to coexist with AI in the future workplace.#Business #Leadership

Jack Klues, former director at Publicis Groupe, on the current talent crisis in the advertising industry. The architect of what is now Publicis Media built his career at Leo Burnett Media and says that long-term employee growth over constant job churn is about companies investing in their people. The role of leaders, he says, is to foster a supportive environment in the age of AI, shifting from boss behaviour to collaborative leadership. And short-term pitch cycles and the commoditization of talent, he argues, degrade trust, respect, and integrity in client-agency relationships.#Business #Leadership #AI

Kass and Mike Lazerow are serial entrepreneurs, investors, and authors of Shoveling $!it: A Love Story About the Entrepreneur's Messy Path to Success. As the co-founders of Golf.com and Buddy Media—acquired by Salesforce for $745 million—they bring a wealth of experience from decades of building businesses and supporting nearly 100 early-stage startup founders as angel investors and advisors. They explore how AI and no-code platforms are breaking down barriers to entry, fueling a record surge in new businesses and reshaping the rise of entrepreneurs as the new franchisees. The heart of their message is that the balance between passion and persistence is the key to business success. #Entrepeneur #DigitalBusiness #Leadership

Andrew Essex, a seasoned executive at Tata Consultancy Services on the future of business, creativity, and brands in an AI-driven world. The founding CEO of the award-winning agency Droga5 and CEO of the Tribeca Film Festival argues for the importance of human ingenuity and the need for brands to maintain their value, and gives us his vision of the evolving role of Madison Avenue. He predicts that excellence in craft and the hybridization of creativity and technology will be the way to thrive in an AI world, and says that continuous learning and curiosity is the way to navigate the changing landscape effectively. #business #leadership #advertising

Seth Green, Dean of the University of Chicago Graham School on how to navigate career transitions while keeping sight of our North Star, ‘traveling lightly" as we balance purpose over material wealth in achieving a fulfilling life. The co-architect of the University's Leadership in Society Initiative, aimed at helping accomplished individuals transition to meaningful second careers, argues the importance of lifelong learning, especially in a rapidly changing world in which many are now climbing two career mountains. Ultimately, he says, we need to align our careers with personal values and to balance joy and meaning in work.  Title draws on David Brooks' concept of the "Second Mountain." #Business #Leadership

Peter Naylor, seasoned media executive on the impact of streaming television and the superior experience it provides. The former global Vice President at Netflix argues that Sports streaming will explode our expectations of the viewing experience as Netflix and others begin to leverage the advertising potential of what was the last bastion of traditional media. And through his involvement with Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit focused on gun violence prevention, he reminds us of the power and responsibility of media influence as it expands exponentially, particularly on children. *This episode was recorded on December 11, 2024.

Donna Dupont, founder and chief strategist for Purple Compass on the importance of good governance and forward planning in business as we face the challenges of climate security and extreme weather events. As an award-winning designer and futurist who helps organizations build their future literacy, she argues how in preparation for future risks, we can see future opportunities. She reminds us that the ramifications of climate change impact every one of us, both as leaders and as individuals, but that in business, it will affect how we hire talent, how we manage risk and where potential clients might or might not spend their money. #ClimateChange #Business #FutureOfWork

Scott Donaton, currently Chief Marketing and Content Officer at Versus Game, on brand storytelling and the agility of startups. The former Global Chief Creative and Content Officer at Digitas who became CMO at Hulu argues that Versus Game's AI-driven engagement engine which gamifies content to enhance user interaction is a glimpse of the future in media. He says that companies need to embrace the Next Big Thing – especially the AI era of brand storytelling, and to move at the speed of startups if they are to stay competitive.   #Marketing #Media #FutureOfWork #BrandStorytelling

David Kenny, Chairman of Nielsen, dives deep into the evolving landscape of talent, data, media, and technology. David explores the critical intersection of people and business goals, offering powerful insights on creating synergy between the two. He discusses how to navigate the complexities of industry shifts, the importance of adaptability in leadership, and how the future of data-driven decision-making will impact companies and consumers alike. #Leadership #Media #Technology #Data #BusinessStrategy #Innovation

Engineer and business coach, Sairan Aqrawi focuses on merging technology and communication for success in leadership. She shares her journey from Iraq to the U.S. with nothing but $300 in her pocket and a million dreams. Now an engineer overseeing metro projects and a midlife coach helping women uncover their hidden talents, she says that it is IQ + EQ that leadership is really all about. As she highlights the need for courage, trust, and effective communication, she advises aspiring leaders to adapt, communicate, and maintain a growth mindset to help their staff discover and unleash their true potential. #Business #Leadership #Tech #Coach

Joaquin Gil, author, filmmaker, composer and digital artist on AI and the creative experience. He's also a programmer, creator of graphic novels, live action, animated films and shorts, electronic music albums and the technical director of special effects for classic feature films like Starship Troopers, Godzilla and Oscar winners like Contact and As Good As it Gets. And his children's book, The Caretakers whose use of AI illustration is one of the first experiments of its kind. He discusses new interfaces, the importance of imagination, the power of creativity and the exciting new world available to creative people.  #AI #Creative #Advertising #Media #contentcreation

Brian Morrissey, founder of Rebooting on the future of sustainable media business. The former president and editor in chief of Digiday Media and digital editor at Ad Week believes that the move from mass media to micro media, particularly since the Pandemic, is a power shift from institutions to individuals where AI will be most vibrant part of the media ecosystem. He illustrates his argument with his own model at Rebooting which started with a Substack newsletter, expanded to a podcast, and now offers consultancy and events. Multi-skilled smaller companies which optimise the latest tech and are motivated by autonomy, he says, are the future of the workplace Sustainable media business, he believes will be about a niche media of unique expertise, perspective and personality. www.therebooting.com The Rebooting Show #Media #Business #Ad #Tech #MicroMedia #Leadership

Itamar Friedman, CEO of Qodo on the evolution of AI in software development, and the changing philosophy of AI.  The former director of Machine Vision, which was bought out by Alibaba, established Codium AI before ChatGPT, predicts a future in which increasingly AI will think like humans, and argues that System  2 Thinking could even improve human reasoning. He gives us an insight into many of the tools that his own company is creating, and explains that jobs for developers will grow rather than fall victim to AI. The need for coders and software engineers, he says, will increase, but their jobs will expand and operate at a higher level. #Business #Leadership #AI #SoftwareEngineer

James Vanreusel, founder and CEO of Vanreusel Ventures on fractionalized work, international contractors, AI and office automation in the future of work. With over 25 years of experience in finance, from Wall Street to non-profits, he guides us through how to navigate modern business solutions, the intersection of technology, financial management and strategic staffing. He discusses the gain or pain of the interim CFO and the fractionalized worker, and envisions a future where AI in business pushes leaders towards continuous learning and innovation in staffing.and envisions a future where AI in business pushes leaders towards continuous learning and innovation in staffing. Vanreusel Ventures LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vanreusel-ventures/?viewAsMember=true Ask A CFO: https://open.spotify.com/show/2oshmGhQLUMY3ctBT4H8jn Scale By Numbers: https://open.spotify.com/show/7uwZ4eddso1lup4r0unAJf #Business #Tech #Finantial #Media #Strategy

Greg Kahn, CEO of GK Digital Ventures, and Shiv Singh, the author of Marketing with AI for dummies and Chief Marketing Officer at C3 AI on the transformative impact of AI and to its potential to revolutionize the industry.  They argue that AI is a technological shift as life-changing as the internet and mobile phones, sparking existential questions about the future of work itself such as who and what to trust. But they stress the importance of companies to be pragmatically enthusiastic, to embrace openness to change, critical thinking, and diverse perspectives in navigating the AI landscape, enabling technology to give birth to more job opportunities than ever before. #AI #Business #advertising #media #FutureofWork

Juan Betancourt, CEO of Humantelligence on AI-powered HR in the workplace. A graduate of the prestigious endeavor.org accelerator program, his plugin, which is already used by companies like Accenture and UnitedHealthcare, provides real-time psychometric insights in 10-minute assessments, integrating with platforms like Teams, Outlook and Slack. Betancourt argues that its ability to personalize email rewrites and virtual meeting culture analysis will revolutionize the way humans interact in the workplace. But, he says, in a world where AI is going to grow increasingly powerful, the most important components are still human insight, human interaction and human intuition. #AI #Business #Media #FutureofWork #HR

Brian Wieser, principal and CFA at the strategic consultancy for media and technology industries, Madison and Wall on the changing of the guard in the future of media. After his roles as global president at WPP's Group M, the world's largest media services firm, Interpublic's Magna Global and Ad Tech for Simulmedia, he argues that in an age of major global platforms and performance, traditional media planning is no longer needed. Media companies, he says, need to scale up and globalize, and the emphasis on short term and performance will not differentiate companies as much as talent, trust from the investment community and understanding that Brands are key.

Nichola Hay, MBE, Director of Apprenticeship Strategy and Policy at BPP, the United Kingdom's largest apprenticeship training provider, discusses the evolution of apprenticeships in the UK. After 20 years of helping British businesses attract new talent and upskill employees across their organizations, Nichola is at the forefront of thought leadership and guidance on the challenges and opportunities in the UK's apprenticeship market, for which she was recognized in the Queen's New Year's Honours List of 2021. She argues that we need to review the examples of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, countries leading the way in vocational early talent programmes for young people. She also looks at England showcasing apprenticeship programmes for all ages and levels, which retrain the existing workforce while increasing diversity in these transitional times of digitization, AI, aging populations and declining populations.

Bobi Gilburd, Chief Innovation Officer at Team8, a leading Venture-Creation and Venture-Capital firm in Tel Aviv, on the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and the unique ecosystem of Israeli tech innovation. After 27 years' experience in the IDF's elite cyber intelligence unit leading its research and cloud divisions, Bobi won the Israel Defence Prize for his cyber security contributions. He believes that AI is both a tool and a target in cybersecurity, that we're moving into a world today where technology is going to become the key differentiator in business. And it may even replace human creativity and innovation. #Business #Advertising #AI #cybersecurity

Ken Mandel, regional Managing Director of Grab Ads and brand insights at Grab on the huge potential of digital advertising in Asia. After building XM Asia Pacific into a top digital consultancy, establishing Yahoo's advertising products in Asia  and launching Buddy Media in the region which was then acquired by Salesforce, he believes that the future is Asian. He argues that the rise of the super app, the cashless society and the massive growth of the digital economy there shows that the rest of the world needs to urgently understand the Asian market  #Business #Advertising

Scott Monty, executive coach, advisor and public speaker, renowned for his values-based approach to leadership development, on human intelligence, insights, inspiration and intuition in the workplace.  Hailed by The Economist as the number one social business leader, his expertise in consulting for giants like Ford, Walmart, IBM, McDonald's, Coca Cola and Google has led him to believe in the importance of character, culture and storytelling in the age of AI. He argues that leaders must prioritize character strengths such as generosity, honesty, kindness, sensitivity and curiosity, and cultivate a human-centered approach which complements, augments and builds on what modern technology does to shape the future.

Jerremy Howell, Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development at Publicis Health, and Chris Keating, Vice President of Learning and Development at Publicis Media on the personalisation of learning in the workplace and the impact of AI and trauma in rethinking how we work. Jerremy's speciality in talent, organizational behavior and leadership development matched with Chris' passion in understanding and decoding the human condition underscore their drive to explore the psychology, behavior and coping mechanisms of the workforce at Publicis, as well as their podcast guests in The Lessons Learned.  In a world of minimal attention span and more complex human experience, they believe, bosses must figure out how to use different learning styles to maximise the potential of their teams.

Natalie Berg, retail analyst, podcaster and author on the future of trends, innovation and the convergence of physical and digital commerce in the retail space.  The co-author of Amazon: How the World's Most Relentless Retailer will Continue to Revolutionize Commerce, and podcast host of Retail Disrupted argues that successful retailers will focus on continuous innovation, customer centricity and the will to disrupt. Differentiation, she says, will come from offering immersive experiences rather than just convenience and value, and the need to balance technology with human touch to create a seamless and compelling customer experience. Podcast and website: www.nbkretail.com

On another special episode of What Next?,  Rishad, after scores of episodes discussing the impact of Artificial Intelligence on our future, is finally replaced by AI. Outsourced to AudioStack by guests Chris Outram, head of Blockchain at Publicis Media, and Keith Soljacich, Head of Innovation at Publicis Media Content Innovation known as PMCI, we hear for ourselves what's around the corner. Chris, as a technical guide on the marketplace of cryptographic solutions for brands at Publicis, and Keith whose strategic development of groundbreaking brand experiences has already leveraged cutting-edge technologies for Fortune 100 clients like Samsung, Visa, McDonald's, Disney and Campbell's, are way ahead of the game. As they explore the future of content creation evidenced by the twinning of Rishad's own voice, we get a glimpse of the extraordinary abilities of this new age of creativity, connection, and community.

In a special episode of What Next?, best-selling author of Can't Sell, Won't Sell: Advertising, Politics and Culture Wars, Steve Harrison returns to discuss his new book which is about an unsung hero in the history of advertising: Howard Gossage. As you'll discover, Gossage got to “interactive advertising” in 1964. Back then, he was also pioneering the publicity and unpaid media-generating stunts that dominate our award shows today. But Steve says his hero's biggest lesson for us is this: if you want to attract, involve and engage your audience you must realise you are in showbusiness. After a decade dedicated to soulless data and po-faced purpose, Gossage teaches us that advertising works best when it is entertaining. And, as Steve suggests, in him you have an entertainer who wrote the most imaginative, irreverent, funny - and effective ads you'll ever see. The Howard Gossage Show: and What it can Teach You About Advertising, Fun, Fame and Manipulating the Media, by Steve Harrison and Dave Dye www.amazon.co.uk/Howard-Gossage-Show-advertising-manipulating/dp/0957151535/ Check out Gossage Ads here!https://lion.box.com/s/h1yhe3apx5pjc6ue4ntd2wlr2h9eqioh

Ofir Krakowski, CEO of Deep Dub on the potential of AI-driven dubbing solutions for improving content accessibility globally. An Israeli tech pioneer whose company has already translated thousands of hours of content for major Hollywood studios and streaming platforms including Netflix, Apple TV, and Hulu, Ofir believes that AI has the ability to translate nuance and idiom into the languages massively underrepresented on the internet. And as the world reads less and becomes more video-driven, he argues that this application of AI, with its localized language dubbing bringing new opportunities for people all over the world, will democratize viewing and learning. 

Nirit Cohen, HR strategist and bridge builder between emerging trends and practical solutions on the seismic shifts in how we approach work. A columnist for The Marker, Nirit's 25 years of experience at the Intel Corporation in Israel, EMEA and US has led her to examine how to craft strategies for the challenges and future trends across the employee lifecycle. She says that organizations must adapt to a future of work unbound by location, where AI and evolving employee expectations around flexibility, autonomy, and work-life balance are reshaping careers.  And after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards remote work and the rise of the 1099 economy,  she argues that the impact of AI will lead to profound transformations as workers embrace “the future of less work” by prioritizing their well-being and personal fulfillment alongside their professional goals. Further reading links: https://niritcohen.com/en/home-en/

Eric Levin, GM and Chief Content Officer at Publicis Media Content and Innovation (PMCI) and executive producer of Impact on National Geographic, joins us to discuss the transformative impact of AI on content creation, funding, and distribution. Leading content innovation for Publicis Media globally, Eric's team was the brains behind the award-winning CES experiences for Canon and the first-ever brand channel on Roku. He says that because the content landscape is changing so quickly, business models across the entertainment and brand space will have to embrace the power of AI in developing, distributing, optimizing, and customizing content for their audiences. Eventually, he says, commerce and content will be seamlessly interlinked as businesses and marketers will need to strike a balance between technology, creativity, and entertainment.

Stacy Feiner and Jack Harris, co-authors of  The Sixth Level: Capitalize on the Power of Women's Psychology for Sustainable Leadership. They make the case that current leadership models are missing critical elements and offer an addition to Maslow's five-model Hierarchy of Needs. Feiner and Harris suggest that this Sixth Level is women's unique ability to move between the analytical side and the emotional side of the brain which they call the ‘art of toggling'. Mutuality, ingenuity, justice, and intrinsic motivation, they believe, could elevate communities to work collaboratively and justly, and eliminate an outdated model of command and control. Further reading links:https://www.thesixthlevel.com/

John Winsor, Executive in Residence at Harvard Business School's Laboratory for Innovation Science and co-author with Jin Paik of the national bestselling book Open Talent: Leveraging the Global Workforce to Solve Your Biggest Challenges on strategies for harnessing the potential of the global talent pool to address major business challenges and enhance organizational success. A prominent figure in strategic marketing and product innovation, John argues that the future of work is a combination of micro-entrepreneurs and freelancers rather than full-time company employees. As a result of open networks, companies will have to reimagine themselves as open workplaces with leaders driven by an abundant mindset. And in a fast-moving, fluid world, it's the talent in the cloud that will perform tasks and skills, using cognitive surplus across the globe to get the work done.

Sophie Williams, former global leader at Netflix, anti-racism activist, TED speaker, and the author of Millennial Black, Anti-Racist Ally, and The Glass Cliff on the opportunities offered by a more diverse workplace. Her passionate advocacy for more women and Black and global majority people in the industry focuses on growing existing talent and creating a workplace designed to improve the return on its workers' investment. As the Glass Cliff phenomenon identified 20 years ago and replicated in research around the world shows, women are finding themselves being brought in to lead in businesses undergoing a crisis, when their chances of success are limited from the start. Sophie argues that the companies that set out to grow people from all backgrounds are likely to be the winners in the future. Further reading links: The Glass Cliff TED talk UN transcript

Kirthiga Reddy, former managing director (and the very first employee) of the social media giant Meta in India, co-founder of Liftery , and the first female investment partner at Softbank is today the CEO of the generative AI and blockchain startup Virtualness. In this conversation, Kirthiga discusses the enabling opportunities provided by Blockchain, Generative AI, and the rise of India. Kirthiga argues that in the world of Gen AI, blockchain is going to become even more important for creators, brands, sports media, and entertainment. She says that the read-write-own era that blockchain ushers will give new ways to monetize their side hustles (and also main hustles) and leverage them into a fairer, more creative world. She envisions a future where all moments that matter — including awards, certificates, memorabilia -- will be on blockchain.  Kirthiga Reddy links Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirthiga/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kirthigareddy   Virtualness links Website: https://www.virtualness.io Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/virtualnessio Twitter: https://twitter.com/Virtualnessio

Joey Hubbard, Chief Training Officer at Thrive Global, shares provocative insights into why workplaces mandating RTO need to offer something to “earn the commute”—and how taking care of yourself is the least selfish thing you can do.

Mark Grether, Vice President and General Manager of Uber Advertising on the renaissance of the marketer and the blend of creative analytics, brand and performance. As the man in charge of the acceleration of Uber's global advertising business and one of the driving forces behind Uber's success, his insights into the future of mobility media are a must listen. Merging branding and awareness campaigns into performance is the Grether Rule, he says, with the best platform companies already blending data generation with data monetization to fuse online and offline worlds

Lou Paskalis, Chief Strategy Officer of Ad Fontes Media, CEO and founder of AJL Advisory, former president and chief operating officer of MMA Global on the business opportunity that the return to News represents for marketers and how that has the added benefit of bolstering our society. He argues that in the unfounded fears of becoming collateral damage in the culture wars has sidelined many advertisers and deprived news publishers of a valuable source of advertising revenue at a time when they are actively combating disinformation and misinformation in a growing war on truth. News audiences represent the single most attractive cohort for marketers when it comes to household income, cultural influence and the ability to purchase products and build their respective businesses and advertisers are leaving significant money on the table by avoiding news.  "As AI becomes mainstream, the proliferation of misinformation it could create will exacerbate what we are already seeing today. Some bad actors will introduce "deep-fakes" that will be harder for consumers to discern and technology to detect. These ultimately threaten everything from the way business gets done to our society and indeed, democracy itself. At the same time, AI will help news publishers hone the appeal of their core product by helping them easily and efficiently tailor their offerings to disparate audiences. There are big opportunities for savvy marketers to partner with news publishers by investing in news advertising and enabling new technologies to bring both news and their messages forward to grow their business and thus protect it from the same threats that these same technologies represent to their businesses."

Lisa McCarthy, CEO and co-founder of the Fast Forward group, and author of Fast Powered: Five Power Principles to Create the Life You Want in Just One Year on managing stress and achieving fulfilment in the workplace and in life. Lisa who has spent 25 years at prominent media companies including Univision, Viacom, and CBS, driving billions in sales revenue, has used her own experience of the toll of high pressure to develop a system to create success and satisfaction. Named a ‘woman to watch' by Advertising Age, and listed on Crains New York Business 40 under 40, she argues that managers need to put the emphasis on coaching and mentoring, and less on bossing. The constant upgrading and improving of our selves, she says, will help us to seize opportunities, which will be even critical in the workplace of the future. www.fastforwardgroup.net

Richard Townsend, CEO of Workforce Learning on talent, culture and the augmented human. His predictions are based on a rich pedigree in communications, from humble beginnings at DMB&B Advertising to launching the digital division of Starcom Mediavest. But it's his pivot into online learning at Circus Street that has shown him a future where AI will deliver the technological uplift to let us become better at being human. He argues that in a world of AI, everybody will have their own personal chief of staff, research assistant and designer sitting alongside them as they work. The result, he says, is a future of problem solving, creativity, leadership while the machines get on with the rest of the job.

Rudina Seseri, founder and Managing Partner of Glass Wing Ventures on the future of Artificial Intelligence. Her predictions are based on 19 years of experience in high-growth companies from Microsoft through Chaos Search, Cloud Truth, Crowd Twist, and Navigant Consulting, to a place on the Digital Advisory Board for GSK Consumer. She argues that large language models will become smaller, more distilled, more refined, and therefore more powerful, while the transparency of Open Source and open models will enable companies to control their own destiny. She believes that the Coming Wave, predicted by author Mustafa Suleyman, will strip off the paint of funded AI companies to reveal the true AI Natives who will then thrive. ⁠https://www.the-coming-wave.com⁠ On LLMs becoming smaller LLMs for Dummies by Rex Woodbury: https://www.digitalnative.tech/p/llms-for-dummies?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Phi-1.5: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/phi-15-ai-textbooks-groundbreaking-new-way-train-llms-rudina-seseri-acbre/?trackingId=xFExcDnPTyuisRwZdmCs%2BQ%3D%3D On Meta's AI strategy Meta AI roadmap: https://www.wsj.com/video/events/metas-ai-roadmap/D8AD06F0-BCB8-4615-8FF6-B7DD3E1CE228.html On AI trough of disillusionment Biden EO on AI: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/10/30/executive-order-on-the-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-development-and-use-of-artificial-intelligence/ SuperReturns: https://globalfinance.connectmeinforma.com/community/superreturn/articles/five-essential/details

Internet pioneer, John Kosner, President of Kosner Media, a digital media and sports consultancy and investment advisor in sports tech startups on the future of Sports. His four decades of Sports media expertise include building ESPN into the world's leading digital Sports destination; he also struck ESPN's original streaming deal with Bamtech, which led to Disney's acquisition of Major League baseball's technology firm in 2016. He argues that Sports will follow gaming into the interactive world building communities around sports players on and offline as younger fans look for new ways to engage. And he advises us to follow his old Disney colleague, Steve Jobs' mantra: beware the status quo. Latest Sports Business Journal column: https://www.kosnermedia.com/news/crossing-sports-media-rubicon-one-year-laterNCAA Gender Equity Media & Sponsorship Analysis, 2021: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e48689ce8cf6318cdabe294/t/6149e29e8768351a56a63bcf/1632232095074/NCAA+Gender+Equity+KHF+Phase+I+Report+-+Desser+Media+%26+Sponsorship+Addendum.pdfInterview with Ben Thompson, Stratechery: https://www.kosnermedia.com/news/kosner-stratechery-interview-past-future-sports-abundance

Chris Guillebeau, New York Times best-selling author of The $100 Startup, Side Hustle and The Happiness of Pursuit on the rise of the side gig, and its impact on the future of work. His daily podcast, Side Hustle School is downloaded two million times a month, often by listeners who have regular jobs but want to diversify their income, create more options for themselves and do more of what matters. He argues that this creator economy is redefining what work means, with more focus on joy and meaning but also on what he calls asymmetrical risk which can reap a very different type of reward. Further links: https://chrisguillebeau.com/

Michael Millward, Managing Director of international solutions company, Lyreco on the increasing importance of community and resilience in business. With 25 years of experience across different markets and workplaces, from working in kitchens to sales to the development of packaging technology, he argues why change is the key to unlocking new sources of power. Leaders in business, he says, must build their teams by showing vulnerability and a passion for change, adapting and embracing the future, dreaming big and refusing to consider Plan B. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-milward-66a3654/

Linda Thomas Brooks and Wallace Snyder, founders of the Institute for Advertising Ethics on the future of trust in business. Linda, who is also chief executive officer at BRSA and former president and CEO of the Association of Magazine Media and Wallace, former president and CEO of the American Advertising Federation, argue that the rise of AI will elevate the role that ethics plays in keeping companies relevant. As Millenials and Gen Z look at who is doing the right thing, how to build ethics into the heart of business will become key to attracting and retaining talent. Further reading: Institute for Advertising Ethics: https://www.iaethics.org/