Feb 07 2025 67 mins 2
Is AI the superglue that can repair our fractured media universe? Or is it just another tool that could further splinter our audiences?
In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle sits down with digital marketing expert, leading AI researcher, and prolific LinkedIn Learning course creator Martin Waxman. A professor at McMaster University, associate director of the Future of Marketing Institute, and member of the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Center, Martin has been leading the AI charge for the Communications profession through his Digital Marketing Trends newsletter and the LinkedIn Live DM Show (with recent TTC guest, Deirdre Breakenridge). In other words, he's just the guy Dan needs to speak with to unpack the complexities of generative AI in the world of marketing and PR.
This episode tackles the pressing questions facing communicators in 2025: How can we effectively use AI to reach fragmented audiences? What are the risks of over-relying on AI for content creation? And how can we maintain our creativity and critical thinking skills in an AI-driven world?
Dan and Martin discuss the parallels between the early days of social media adoption and the current AI revolution, highlighting the importance of developing AI policies and guidelines within organizations. They also address the fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO) that many professionals are experiencing in the face of rapid technological change.
The conversation takes a practical turn as Martin shares his favorite AI tools for various tasks, from content generation to image creation. Listeners will gain insights into how to integrate these tools into their workflow without sacrificing creativity or quality.
Whether you're an AI enthusiast or a skeptic, this episode offers a balanced perspective on the role of generative AI in shaping the future of communications. Martin's call to action for professionals to be proactive, entrepreneurial, and initiative-taking with AI tools serves as a rallying cry for the industry.
Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion that will challenge you to rethink your approach to AI in communications and marketing. Tune in to discover how you can harness the power of AI while maintaining the human touch that sets great communicators apart.
Listen in and hear about...
- Navigating the fractured landscape of modern communications
- AI's potential to revolutionize content creation and distribution
- Balancing efficiency gains with maintaining creative integrity
- Strategies for avoiding "AI slop" and enhancing originality
- Essential AI tools for marketers and communicators in 2025
- Cultivating critical thinking skills in the age of generative AI
- Future trends in AI-driven marketing and public relations
Notable Quotes
On the Fractured Landscape:
"Sometimes I think the word of the year for 2024 should be fractured. As in the fractured. Fill in the blank landscape, the fractured media landscape, the social media landscape, the fractured political landscape, the fractured audience landscape." - Dan Nestle [00:00 - 00:17]
AI's Role in Communication:
"Instead of writing 15 versions of an article for 15 channels, we can write and easily use AI to repurpose it 15 ways." - Dan Nestle [00:45 - 00:52]
On AI Adoption:
"It feels like to me, with all the announcements that were packed into the last two weeks of December, plus all the hype we've heard for the entire year, it just. It reminds me of a Jenga game that the tech companies. Or Jenga game. How about that? The tech companies are playing with each, and they keep going higher and higher and higher as it gets a little bit shakier." - Martin Waxman [08:24 - 08:46]
Fear of Becoming Obsolete:
"There's actually a term for this. It's called FOBO, the fear of becoming obsolete. And it's really real. There's been studies around this." - Martin Waxman [09:18 - 09:25]
On AI Slop:
"I just want next year to be the year where we get rid of AI slop. And there's certain words I never want to see again. I never want to see the word leverage anymore. Unless you're talking about actually, you know, using something or moving something with a lever." - Martin Waxman [44:36 - 44:50]
The Learning Curve with AI:
"We have to factor in and. And you touched on this. The learning curve that we have, learning how to talk to machines. Yeah, we can talk to people, but we need to learn how to talk to machines better." - Martin Waxman [43:54 - 44:05]
On Being Proactive with AI:
"We are all newbies, we're all neophytes in this. I mean, it may feel like it's been around forever. It hasn't. So we all have an opportunity to figure out how the tools work, how we can use them more effectively. But we need to be proactive, we need to be entrepreneurial, and we need to take some initiative with them" - Martin Waxman [1:03:57 - 1:04:18]
Resources and Links
Dan Nestle
Martin Waxman
- Martin Waxman Communications | Website
- Martin Waxman | LinkedIn
- Digital Marketing Trends | LinkedIn Newsletter
- Generative AI for Digital Marketers | LinkedIn Learning Course
Timestamped key moments from this episode (as generated by Fireflies.ai)
🎯 Fractured Landscapes (00:13 - 06:03)
- Fractured is proposed as the word of the year for 2024, reflecting the splintered media, social, political, and audience landscapes.
- The increasing complexity in communications and marketing due to more channels and influencers is highlighted.
- AI is suggested as a potential solution to manage content across various platforms efficiently.
📈 The Role of AI in Communications (06:04 - 14:40)
- AI's impact on content creation, publication, and distribution is emphasized, with a focus on mastering generative AI.
- Martin Waxman discusses the current state of generative AI, noting that many companies are still in the early stages of adoption.
- The concept of Fobo (fear of becoming obsolete) is introduced, highlighting the anxiety among professionals regarding rapid technological changes.
🔍 Adoption Challenges and Opportunities (14:41 - 22:25)
- The conversation touches on the slow adoption of AI tools by the majority, likening it to the early days of electric vehicles.
- There's a need for organizations to implement policies and training for employees to effectively use AI tools.
- The importance of communication between leadership and employees regarding AI's impact on jobs is stressed.
🛠️ Critical Thinking and Creativity in AI Use (22:26 - 37:31)
- Critical thinking is essential for effectively utilizing AI tools; reliance on AI for first drafts is discouraged.
- Students are encouraged to use AI as a creative partner rather than a crutch, avoiding "AI slop" in content.
- The need for originality and uniqueness in content creation is emphasized, with a call to avoid publishing mediocre outputs.
📊 Tools and Resources for AI in Marketing (37:32 - 54:17)
- Martin shares his favorite AI tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Notebook LM, for various tasks.
- He highlights the importance of iterative prompting to refine AI outputs and improve content quality.
- The potential of AI tools to enhance creativity and streamline workflows is discussed, urging professionals to explore these resources.
🌟 Future of Marketing and Learning (54:18 - 1:07:14)
- The Future of Marketing Institute is introduced as a valuable resource for staying updated on marketing trends and AI developments.
- Martin encourages professionals to be proactive in learning about AI and to seek out curated information sources.
- He concludes with a reminder that creativity remains a key asset in leveraging AI tools effectively in communications and marketing.
Timestamps for your convenience (as generated by Flowsend.ai)
0:00 Intro
5:47 AI's impact on communication landscape
12:14 State of generative AI in 2024
18:35 Critical thinking and AI in education
25:27 AI as a tool for communicators
33:35 Essential AI tools for communicators
44:58 Balancing AI assistance with creativity
50:12 Ethical considerations in AI use
55:08 Recommended AI tools for different tasks
59:45 Future trends in AI technology
1:02:07 LinkedIn Learning courses on AI
1:03:57 Final thoughts on generative AI
(Notes co-created by Human Dan and a variety of AI helpers, including Fireflies.ai and Flowsend.ai)
