From Expert to Expendable: How AI is Redefining Your Role in Marketing & PR

Staying Relevant in the AI Age

Hi - If you’re still on the fence about using AI in your marketing or PR day-to-day, here’s a quick reality check, from Harvard Business Review’s How Gen AI Could Change the Value of Expertise). Ai will take jobs. It's a matter of when, not if. But you've still got time to catch up.

Generative AI isn’t just for techies; it’s a game-changer for strategists, brand storytellers and relationship-builders like you. As HBR highlighted: AI is redefining the meaning of “expertise.” And guess what? You don’t need an advanced Computer Science degree to capitalize on it.

Generative AI can elevate your marketing and PR by handling time-consuming tasks, offering fresh angles, and letting you focus on high-level strategy. And here’s where to start learning

Fast Facts from the Harvard article

• 60% of senior executives expect AI to create new roles, not just replace existing ones.

• 42% of companies use AI in their daily operations, with another 35%actively exploring it.

• Yet only 18% of professionals feel “very confident” in their AI skills, yet 70% believe AI will reshape their work in the next two years.

That means more than three-quarters of businesses have at least dipped their toes in AI—so if you haven’t, it’s time to play catch-up.

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Companies big and small—from AT&T, L’Oréal and even niche B2Bs—are using AI for everything from chatbots to hyper-personalized social campaigns.

Real-World Examples

• Coca-Cola recently partnered with Bain & Company and OpenAI to generate creative marketing campaigns—speeding up ideation and testing in ways no purely human team could match.

• Starbucks uses AI-driven personalization to suggest custom beverage options, boosting both sales and customer satisfaction with their Starbucks Rewards app.

• Unilever tapped AI to analyze social data and spot emerging consumer trends, helping them launch targeted campaigns that resonated with a global audience.

AI’s a Time-Saver on Steroids

AI handles routine tasks like drafting content, sifting through data, or brainstorming quick campaign ideas—freeing you up to focus on big-picture strategy and creativity.

Expertise Redefined

HBR points out that AI can do tasks once reserved for “experts,” but the real power is still in your human ability to think critically, connect dots creatively, and nurture relationships. Think of AI as your incredibly smart intern. Ethan Mollick calls it “Co-Intelligence” in his fascinating NYT bestseller.Why this matters for you:

• AI’s a Time-Saver on Steroids
  AI frees creatives up by handling routine tasks like drafting content, curating data, or generating quick campaign ideas.

• Expertise Redefined
  HBR points out that AI can handle tasks once reserved for “experts.” But the real power is still in your human ability to think critically, connect dots creatively and build genuine relationships. Think of AI as your really smart intern. Ethan Mollick calls it Co-Intelligence in his fascinating NY Times bestseller,

• Practical Steps (That Aren’t Scary)
  You don’t need ot code or have a PhD in machine learning to get started. I teach non-geeks the ropes of Generative AI—like how to craft prompts that produce actual, on-brand results. It’s not magic, although it sometimes seems like it. It’s about knowing which buttons to push.

Ready to Turbocharge Your Marketing and PR?

If you’re ready to join what is being called The Fourth Industrial Revolution, let’s talk about how AI can turbocharge your marketing and PR. I'm your go-to guide for demystifying and harnessing Generative AI—without the tech jargon.

Let’s talk about how AI can elevate your work without the overwhelm. Reply to this email or schedule a free 15-minute exploratory call with me..

Thanks in advance,

B.L.

Founder/CEO, What's Next Tech

Harvard Business Review article, Executive Summary: (summarized by ChatGPT)

The article discusses how the rise of generative AI tools is shifting the nature and perceived value of expertise. Traditional expert roles, especially those involving memory recall or routine analysis, are being augmented by AI’s capacity to generate solutions quickly and accurately. This trend emphasizes the growing importance of higher-order skills, such as critical thinking, ethics, creativity, and nuanced decision-making — areas where human experts can offer unique value. Ultimately, organizations and professionals may need to redefine what it means to be an “expert” in a world where technology can handle many of the rote tasks previously seen as specialized work.

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