Episodes

  • How AI Is Transforming Marketing Analytics

    How AI Is Transforming Marketing Analytics
    Oct 8 2026

    Host: Mark Fidelman
    Guest: Aksel Bedikyan, marketing research and analytics practitioner based in Montreal, Canada

    Episode description

    How is AI changing marketing analytics—and what remains valuable when AI can write code, analyze data, and automate reports? Mark Fidelman talks with Axel Benikian about AI agents, the changing role of data science, and practical ways marketers can get more insight from the data they already have.

    Axel explains how his team uses AI to automate recurring analysis and presentation work, while emphasizing that useful insights still depend on access to good data. His advice to businesses: map your existing data first, use AI to explore what it can tell you, and turn to custom research when important questions can't be answered with public or existing data.

    Key takeaways
    • AI is broadening access to data science. Coding may become less central to some roles, while more people use AI to build apps, models, and tools for business questions.
    • AI can automate repetitive analytics work. Aksel's team uses Claude to help generate analyses and recurring PowerPoint reports, including brand trackers.
    • Start with the data you already have. Map your internal data and connect it to the questions you want to answer before investing in new data collection.
    • AI has limits when it comes to proprietary information. LLMs can help analyze available data, but they don't automatically have access to a company's private customer or business data.
    • Custom research still matters. Interviews, focus groups, ethnography, and surveys can fill gaps when existing data can't answer new questions.
    • Learn by doing. Aksel recommends experimenting with AI tools and sharing what you learn with others.
    Episode timestamps
    • 00:27 —Aksel's background in aerospace engineering, consulting, and market research
    • 02:36 — Will AI replace data scientists?
    • 05:25 — AI agents: risks to jobs and opportunities for innovation
    • 07:05 — How Aksel's team applies AI to marketing analytics
    • 09:54 — Automating recurring analyses and PowerPoint reports
    • 11:46 — How marketers can make better use of existing data
    • 15:13 — When AI needs to be supplemented with custom research
    • 15:47 — Staying curious and learning through hands-on experimentation
    Links
    • Mark Fidelman's book, Agent Shock: agentize.com/book
    • Aksel Bedikyan: OG Insights · Find Axel on LinkedIn
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    19 mins
  • AI Agents, Dashboards, and Work Slop: What Marketers Need to Know

    AI Agents, Dashboards, and Work Slop: What Marketers Need to Know
    Sep 25 2026

    Stop Chasing AI Tools: What Marketers Should Actually Do With AI

    AI marketing is moving fast and the constant stream of new tools can leave even experienced marketers feeling behind. In this episode, Mark Fidelman talks with marketing educator Will Francis about how to put AI to work without getting swept up in the hype.

    Will shares why he recommends starting with one primary AI assistant, how desktop apps can help marketers work directly with their files, and why he prefers practical workflows over complicated agent hierarchies. He also walks through his own AI-powered dashboard, explains how he uses voice dictation throughout the day, and discusses where human judgment still matters.

    The conversation also covers Will's AI for Marketing community, which he said was planned to launch in mid-October at the time of recording.

    Key takeaways
    • Start with one main AI workspace instead of trying every new tool.
    • Look for useful outcomes—like organizing documents or creating a daily briefing—before building a complex AI setup.
    • Treat AI agents as assistants that need direction and review; left unchecked, they can produce "work slop."
    • Connect AI to the systems and data you actually use if you want a more complete picture.
    • Make room for human judgment, strategy, and leadership—and step away from AI during the day.
    In this episode
    • 00:04:20 Will's background and his practical approach to AI education
    • 00:07:29 How to avoid getting overwhelmed by AI tools
    • 00:10:30 Will's tool recommendations for marketers
    • 00:12:30 Why he's skeptical of complex, always-on agent systems
    • 00:18:02 Practical ways CMOs can get started with AI
    • 00:22:09 AI as a sounding board—and the continuing role of human judgment
    • 00:25:15 Will's daily AI workflow and custom dashboard
    • 00:30:30 The AI for Marketing community and workshops

      Sign up for my book AgentShock
    About Will Francis

    Will Francis is a marketing educator and creator with 25 years of experience, including work at MySpace, advertising agencies, and his own agency. He creates practical, no-hype content to help people use AI for marketing.

    Learn more: willfrancis.com
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    28 mins
  • Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): How to Rank in AI & Capture 4–12x

    Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): How to Rank in AI & Capture 4–12x
    Sep 18 2026
    AI Marketing Podcast – AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) with Elina Panteleyeva Guest: Elina Panteleyeva, Founder of ShowUpWithAI Host: Mark Fidelman Topic: How to rank in AI answers (AEO) and capture high-intent leads from ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc. Episode Overview In this episode, Mark and Elina break down Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)—how to become the brand that AI agents and chatbots recommend first. Elina shares: Why AI-driven leads convert 4–12x betterHow to optimize your website, content, and off-site signals for AIWhat's changing from traditional SEO to AEO/GEOReal-world case studies of brands exploding inbound leads in 15–60 daysWhy agentic commerce is the next big wave—and how to get ahead of it Timestamps & Segments [0:02:46–0:04:52] Warm-up & context Light banter about calls and busy schedules.Mark mentions bringing a company public (Exascale Labs) and dealing with heavy legal sign-offs on marketing.Sets the stage that this is an AI + marketing focused audience. [0:04:52–0:08:59] Guest intro & origin story Your setup and question: 0:04:41 Mark: "All right, so we're going to talk about the AEO… I'm going to be the voice of the listener and walk through it as if you were talking to me for the first time." Key points: 0:07:39 Elina's background: Founder of ShowUpWithAIWorked at an AI startup, got laid off in 2023.Bootstrapped an e‑commerce brand to seven figures.Noticed people using ChatGPT to choose doctors, therapists, services. Realization: "There's no page two of chat."She spent hundreds of hours studying documentation, signals, and how LLMs evaluate brands.That research became ShowUpWithAI [0:08:59–0:12:13] Why AEO matters now Your question: 0:08:59 Mark: "Okay, so why should anyone care about AEO?" Key points: People coming from AI/chat are 4–12x more likely to convert. They've already discussed their problem with an AI.They trust the model and are now ready for a solution. AI is always recommending someone—you or your competitor.It's still early: Most businesses aren't optimizing for AI yet.Results can come within 30–60 days. Elina: AEO is "the biggest ROI you can get in 2026." Your follow-up question: 0:10:13 Mark: "What if 1,000 plumbers are doing this? How does ChatGPT know which one to recommend?" Key points: Right now, 1,000 plumbers are not doing it, which is why starting now matters.LLMs care deeply about recommendation quality: If they recommend bad options, users switch models (Claude, Perplexity, etc.). Models use specific signals different from traditional SEO: On-site: technical optimization, schema, phrasing, blogs, structure.Off-site: Reddit threads, YouTube, reviews, third‑party mentions. [0:12:13–0:15:05] Signals, platforms & AI-optimized content Your question: 0:12:13 Mark: "Is that primarily how you rank… or is there something else you have to do to make sure you're top of mind, especially locally, for ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude?" Key points: It's industry-dependent: Some spaces are Reddit-heavy.Others lean on YouTube, Trustpilot, or specific review sites. Local AEO: Google Business Profile + reviews are critical. Website & content structure matter a lot: Blogs should be AI-optimized, not "typical" blogs.Key elements: Summary at the topFAQs at the bottomExternal citations to credible sourcesInternal linking: blogs → service pages; services → blogs There are "100+ more" technical and structural factors behind the scenes. Your next question: 0:13:51 Mark: "So it's no longer the link-sharing game with SEO or trying to get links in high-traffic sites?" Key points: Big difference vs. traditional SEO: Backlinks still help, but…AI can infer trust from unlinked brand mentions. Example: Someone mentions your brand on Reddit without a link.If your website is properly set up, AI can: Recognize the entityAttribute that mention back to your site and brandTreat it as a credibility signal [0:15:05–0:18:07] Search behavior shift & Google's AI overview Your question: 0:15:05 Mark: "Do you have any breakdown of how many people are doing Google searches vs AI now… it used to be like 99/1?" Key points: Tracking is tricky: People find you via chat/AI then go Google your brand.In Google Search Console, you'll see a spike in branded searches if AEO is done right. Behavior changes: People still use Google, but: They rarely scroll far.They definitely don't hit page two. The new game: "How do you get into that Google AI overview box?"That's where the real battle is now. Your commentary: You share your own behavior: You now start most product/service discovery via ChatGPT/Claude/Gemini, not Google.You trust AI to synthesize reviews, source data, and filter out "gamed" SEO. Strategic takeaway: If you're paying 30% to Amazon vs 0% on your own site, AEO is crucial.Do "whatever you can" to rank high in AI results. Your next question: 0:17:06 Mark: "Is there any ...
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    20 mins
  • Meet the AI Agent Running His Entire Company

    Meet the AI Agent Running His Entire Company
    Aug 28 2026

    What happens when an AI agent stops answering questions and starts running the business?

    In this episode of AI Marketing, Mark Fidelman talks with veteran marketing automation expert Gary Henderson about Luna, the AI agent his company built to handle podcast outreach, customer service, community management, content creation, social media, direct messages and marketing funnels.

    Luna has contacted approximately 700 podcasts, booked Gary on more than 20 shows and opened conversations with dozens more. She also replaced a seven-person concierge team, now resolves roughly 95% of customer-service issues without human intervention and communicates with customers around the clock in their preferred language.

    Gary explains how he went from managing a 12-person operation to running the business largely by himself, with AI handling much of the execution.

    In this episode:

    • How an AI agent booked more than 20 podcast appearances
    • Why AI agents are becoming operators, not just assistants
    • Which marketing and customer-service tasks can already be automated
    • How to give agents enough freedom to act without losing control
    • Why the perfect marketing funnel may soon disappear
    • How AI will personalize every customer journey
    • Why niche creators may outperform traditional advertising
    • How professionals can stay employable as agents and robots become more capable

    Mark and Gary also discuss the larger shift ahead: businesses will soon move from individual AI tools to coordinated fleets of agents capable of completing entire workflows. The people and companies that learn to direct those systems will have an enormous advantage. Those that wait may discover the tide has already reached them.

    About AgentShock

    AgentShock: Surviving and Profiting from the Rise of AI Agents and Robots, by Jas Dhillon and Mark Fidelman, is a practical guide to staying one rung ahead as AI advances from simple tasks to workflows, agent fleets and physical robots. It explains what is coming, what it means for your career and business, and how to turn disruption into opportunity.

    Learn more and get the book at Agentized.com.
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    22 mins
  • Cloning Your Brain with AI

    Cloning Your Brain with AI
    Jul 16 2026
    Episode Description In this episode of AI Marketing Today, host Mark Fidelman sits down with legendary copywriter and AI entrepreneur Jon Benson (benson.ai) to unpack what it really takes to: Make AI sound humanClone your brain into a 24/7 digital workerUse specialty AI to out-market and out-sell your competitors Jon shares how he went from fitness author to inventor of the Video Sales Letter (VSL), why generic LLMs will never be enough for serious marketers, and how his "You Cloned" system builds AI versions of yourself that can consult, write, and think like you—about 95% as well as the real thing. We also dive into mirror language, specialty AI vs. consumer AI, and why your job isn't at risk from AI—but from the person who knows how to use AI better than you. Guest Jon Benson Founder of benson.ai – specialty AI for copywriting and marketingCreator of "You Cloned" – digital brain clones for consulting & copyLong-time direct response copywriter and creator of the Video Sales Letter (VSL) Resources from Jon: Website: benson.aiCloning PDF & tools: youcloned.ai (free resource mentioned in the episode) Host Mark Fidelman AI & marketing strategist, podcast host of AI Marketing Today, co-author of Agentized. Key Topics & Timestamps [00:02:25] – Jon's Origin Story From fitness author (Fit Over 40) to copywriterAccidentally inventing the Video Sales Letter (VSL)Early experiments with AI copy in 2010 and why 2017–2018 AI felt "harder than putting a rover on Mars" [00:05:11] – Why AI Still Struggles to Sound Like You The gap between "decent AI copy" and a true voice cloneWhy current models still have tells and feel slightly offThe distinction between sounding human vs. sounding like you [00:05:31] – You Cloned: Digital Brain, Not Just Deepfake Video Jon's "You Cloned" offer: a digital worker that thinks and talks like youTraining on: 20+ years of emailsCourses, funnels, and consulting calls Why this requires offline / private models (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) pulling directly from your own files [00:07:38] – Voice vs. "Voice" (Literal and Metaphorical) Spoken voice: 11Labs voice cloning, tricks to make it sound more humanStrategic voice: how you think, answer questions, and adviseWhy Jon focuses on behavior and reasoning more than perfect audio mimicry [00:08:35] – Recording Your Life vs. Recording Your Expertise Wearables like Limitless that record everything 24/7Jon's more practical approach: Clone the consultant part of himself (his $5,000/hour brain)Focus on marketing and copy instead of his entire personality [00:11:32] – Imperfect Humans, Imperfect AI, and Unrealistic Expectations Why expecting AI to be perfect on the first draft is delusionalHuman copywriters also revise their first drafts—AI should be held to the same realistic standardThe "microwave generation" mindset vs. real creative work [00:15:08] – You Won't Lose Your Job to AI… You'll lose it to someone who knows AI better than youImportance of: Staying on top of new models and toolsUnderstanding specialty AI, not just big general LLMs [00:16:18] – Agentic AI & Complex Workflows Jon's system is fully agentic and has been for over a yearOver 70 agents inside Benson for: Big ideasViral hooks (e.g., Firecrawl searches)Copy variants and consulting flows Difference between "has agents" and truly orchestrating specialized agents with tools and knowledge bases [00:20:09] – Should You Even Clone Your Voice? When you shouldn't clone your literal voiceWhy voiceover talent (or 11Labs presets) can outperform many foundersThe real gold: your buyer's voice, not yours [00:20:52] – Mirror Language: The Secret Weapon in Copy Mirror language = what your buyers secretly say to themselves in the mirrorHow Jon discovered his Fit Over 40 buyers were: Average age: 6772% female Why that mismatch in avatar and language still sold—but could've sold 10x more with accurate mirror language [00:24:35] – Repel Most People, Attract the Right Ones Jon's contrarian philosophy: Don't sell to everyoneRepel bad-fit buyersCreate rabid fans who share you organically Speak your values clearly so the wrong people self-select out [00:28:06] – Segmenting by Sophistication (Beginner vs. Expert) Newbie copywriters vs. advanced copywritersWhy jargon like "hypnotic flow" or "reverse NLP" alienates beginnersAnalogy: talking differently to your 10-year-old vs 18-year-old without changing who you are [00:29:51] – How the Clone Adapts to the User Layered questioning to determine: Who the user isWhat level they're atHow to pitch or advise them accordingly Specialty AI as a curated expert system, not "go read the whole internet" [00:31:44] – Specialty AI vs. Consumer AI (Clive vs. Dr. Expert) The "Clive in his mom's basement" analogy vs. a 20-year fasting expertWhy specialty AI with true IP will beat generic models in high-stakes nichesJon's stealth move: Creating training ...
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    30 mins
  • Building an AI-Centric Business

    Building an AI-Centric Business
    Apr 20 2026
    In this episode, host Mark talks with James Thornton, CEO of Daz 3D / Tafi, about what it really means to build an AI-centric business. James shares how his company evolved from a 3D content and avatar business into a key AI data provider for some of the world's largest tech and gaming brands. They discuss: The shift from scraping web data to bespoke, rights-clean AI training dataUsing AI across product, marketing, and customer service workflowsReal-world applications in VR, robotics, gaming, and product visualizationHow AI is transforming email marketing and localizationWhat the next 3 years of AI adoption will look like inside typical organizations Key Topics & Timestamps [0:00:00] – Introduction & Guest Background Mark opens the show and frames the topic: AI-centric businesses with a marketing slant.James introduces himself and his company Daz 3D / Tafi.His background: CEO at Daz for over a decadePrevious role growing a creative product brand from near zero to a $1B retail brand in 3.5–4 yearsHow Daz has continually pivoted into AI trends [0:01:18] – What It Means to Be an AI-Centric Business James defines AI-centric as "AI-first" thinking across the business, especially in marketing.Emphasis on balancing AI with people, expertise, and intuition, rather than AI replacing human judgment. [0:01:37] – Daz / Tafi's Evolution into AI Company roots: 25-year-old business with a strong direct-to-consumer freemium modelDeep community of 3D digital content creators (avatars, products for gaming, etc.) Past pivots: work in Web3 and NFTs, then parlaying that into today's AI data and services.They now both: Support other companies' AI initiativesUse AI internally to streamline content creation and business workflows [0:03:37] – How They Help Other Companies with AI Core specialty: 3D digital content, avatar systems, and digital assets.Use AI and procedural tools to: Scale their content libraryProduce rights-clean, structured, annotated AI training data Customers include top tech, gaming, and enterprise brands training foundation models for: Text-to-characterProduct creation & visualization (including physical product development)Robotics and other AI applications [0:04:51] – Concrete Benefits of AI for Clients and Daz Central thesis: Good AI requires high-quality training data.For clients: Bespoke, properly licensed data for training a wide range of models For Daz's own business: AI embedded in product workflows and content productionAI in product search, customer service, QA, and other functions to drive efficiency and effectiveness [0:06:07] – AI Agents and Localization Use of AI agents in customer service to handle technical tickets and customer questions.Heavy focus on localization: AI to adapt website and e-commerce for global marketsIntegrating translation tools directly into their software so customers can use products in their native languageJames calls this a "huge lift" for the business. [0:07:45] – Tools: Open "Claw" and Enterprise AI Options They use Open "Claw" (contextually, likely a reference to a general-purpose LLM) through virtual machines across business units, including marketing.Acknowledge recent changes in that ecosystem and the need to adapt.Considering more enterprise-focused alternatives, such as the "Nemo Claw" and other corporate-friendly solutions, with an eye on governance and parameters. [0:08:54] – Their Process for Helping Enterprise Clients First step: deeply understand voice of the customer and specific AI data needs.Industry shift: Moving away from scraping the internet or generic licensing for training dataToward custom, bespoke training sets Unique position of Daz / Tafi: Own the full rights to their 3D content library (avatars, scenes, props)Avoid ethical and legal issues around unauthorized training data Process: Scope the client's needs.Use AI and internal workflows to generate customized datasets. Example: For a major tech company building VR headset experiences, they created tens of thousands of unique characters, avatars, clothing, and assets to train their models.James notes they might be the only company able to deliver this level of tailored solution at that scale. [0:11:34] – The Next 3 Years: How AI Changes Organizations Based on discussions with CEOs and senior leaders: Debate continues on whether AI creates or eliminates jobs; James personally believes it will create jobs.Near-unanimous view: every company must integrate AI into workflows.Employees and companies with a clear AI strategy will win versus those without one. Expectation: Continued job creation plus a strong push for AI-centric efforts in every part of the businessFocus on efficiency, output, and more bespoke customer solutions [0:13:25] – Advice to Marketers & Final Takeaways James emphasizes "just get started" and experiment with AI.For marketers: AI enables hyper-specific adaptation to ...
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    16 mins
  • How Humanoid Robots Will Transform Marketing

    How Humanoid Robots Will Transform Marketing
    Mar 30 2026
    In this episode of the AI Marketing Podcast, host Mark Fidelman sits down with David Amar, founder of Makina (a new conference dedicated to physical AI), to explore how robots and humanoids will change the future of marketing. They discuss why robots are such powerful brand activations, when we might see in‑home humanoid housekeepers, how China is leading on hardware while the West leads on software, and why 2025–2026 feels like the "GPT moment" for physical AI. David also shares what to expect at Makina in Paris on July 7 and why marketers should get ahead of this trend now. Guest David Amar Background in computer science and neuroscience (UCL)Formerly worked in prostheticsFounder of Makina, a conference that brings together the fragmented physical AI ecosystem: humanoid builders, robot "brain"/OS providers, capital, industrial partners, and talent Key Topics & Timestamps 1. Why Robots Are Marketing Gold [0:00:00 – 0:02:24] David's background and the launch of MakinaWhy robots are "premium marketing material": Robots tap into deep cultural fascination (e.g., Star Wars, Star Trek)Simply announcing "Robot X/Y will be on site" can materially boost event attendance Humanoids as especially compelling because of their uncanny, human-like form "I don't think I've ever met somebody that says this isn't interesting… It's just premium marketing material." – David [0:01:31] 2. Timeline: When Physical AI Hits Everyday Life [0:02:24 – 0:03:25] David's long‑range outlook: Short term: impressive demos, but still lots of technical bottlenecks~10–15 years: expect robots/humanoids in places we never imagined, with deep dependence on them Contrast with digital AI: We're already "slaves" to ChatGPT and cloud AI for knowledge workPhysical dependence on robots will follow later 3. How Robots Show Up in Marketing (Beyond a Robot at a Desk) [0:03:25 – 0:06:27] Robots won't replace marketers by typing at a desk—that's the realm of LLMs and digital AIInstead, robots will act as: Brand avatars and mascots (e.g., "the Amazon robot," "the Walmart robot")Physical activations at events, retail, and public spacesProduct demo agents in stores, on the street, or wherever target audiences gather Comparison to today's street activations (e.g., sign spinners) but in a far more advanced, interactive formEmotional/branding angle: A charming C‑3PO‑style humanoid pitching products can be more captivating than a celebrity "There's just something more charming about a C‑3PO showing the new Coca‑Cola than just a regular old Joe… even if it's George Clooney." – David [0:05:33] 4. Humanoids vs. "Robots" – What's the Difference? [0:06:27 – 0:07:55] Humanoid: Robot with human‑like physiology and form (height, posture, movement)Tends to get anthropomorphic traits projected onto it Robot: Any robotic form, e.g. a single robotic arm, a robot dog, or R2‑D2‑style platforms Long‑term: Mark expects humanoids to become increasingly indistinguishable from humans in 20+ years 5. In‑Home Humanoids: How Close Are We Really? [0:07:55 – 0:11:29] West vs. Asia split: West: stronger on software and AI modelsAsia (especially China): stronger on hardware and shipping units at scale Today you can already order multiple Chinese robot models online and have them delivered within a month Current leading players mentioned: 1X – focused on household/housekeeping tasksSanctuary (Sunday Robotics) and others delivering early trial units Reality check on timelines: No one truly knows, but David's informed estimate: 5–7 years to order functional in‑home humanoids onlineDependent on breakthroughs in: Fine manipulation of small objectsRobust computer visionAutonomous navigation in unmapped environments Many "impressive" demos are partly marketing: Used to raise capital, build momentum, and buy time while teams fight through technical bottlenecks 6. Data, Compute, and How These Robots Actually Learn [0:10:42 – 0:13:16] Today's deployed robots are often trial models used primarily to: Collect huge amounts of real‑world dataTrain the next generation of more capable robots Data and compute needs: Humanoids need even more data than LLMs: Touch, force feedback, vision, balance, navigation, etc. Massive compute, similar or greater than what's used for digital AI Where the compute lives: Training: in large data centers, often the same infrastructure used for AIOn‑device inference: Onboard boards like NVIDIA Jetson inside the robot's "chest"Local models run on-device, optionally connected via Wi‑Fi for streaming data and updates Most robots in the wild are still tightly constrained and far from general-purpose autonomy 7. The Makina Physical AI Event in Paris [0:13:59 – 0:19:11] Date: July 7Location: Station F, 13th district of Paris (central), the world's largest startup campusFormat: One‑day dedicated physical AI conferencePaired with ...
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    22 mins
  • Do You Need an AI Chief of Staff for Marketers

    Do You Need an AI Chief of Staff for Marketers
    Mar 19 2026
    15 mins