12 Weeks in the Future

Lately, I've been thinking about the not too distant future.

I gaze into my Magic 8 Ball and search for answers to all my AI and marketing questions ??.

Trouble is, I keep getting the same curt, yet absolute replies.

Which does little to calm my gnawing sense of uncertainty.

• How will intelligent AI agents change the nature of work, human relationships and trust?
• What types of 'good' jobs will there be?
• What do we need to learn to get one?
• Are our current skills transferable?
• Will we have a robot boss that's on us 24/7?
• How can we get it to like us?
• Does today's AI have a theory of mind?
• Will chatbots gain sensory experiences if they're embodied in the metaverse?
• Will we have a place or purpose in an AI-dominated world?
• How worried should we be about humanity's collective future?

That's a lot to think—and be concerned—about.

And it's just the tip of an AI iceberg that's yet to arrive.

A Course About Things You Can't Quite Imagine

I think the reason my spidey sense is tingling is because I'm getting ready to teach a new course at the 加拿大约克大学 - 斯古里克商学院 , The Future of Marketing.

I'm leading a grad section, while my Future of Marketing Institute colleague M. David Rice , is doing the same with undergrads.

As I've been finalizing the syllabus, assignments and readings, I've come to realize how many notions about the future are simply up in the air.

I have way more questions than answers. And that's making me feel the duality of AI: on edge, but also excited.

I realize that this semester, regardless of how much I prep, read and think, I will be driving without the comfort of my educator training wheels.

Which is why I designed the course as a co-learning experience for students and me.

My goal is to encourage students to separate news from noise (easier said than done), discover signals and trends, and then dig deeper.

Using strategy and foresight thinking, we'll piece together unconventional predictions for future of marketing scenarios. And attempt to envision both positive and negative implications.

It doesn't matter if the scenarios are way out there or start from a more familiar path.

What's important is that they provoke us ways that might alter our own perceptions.

It won't be easy.

And it means we'll have our heads down reading (a lot), watching, analysing and reflecting.

And maybe even calling on our favorite chatbot from time to time for a machine's perspective.

How will it turn out?

Check back with me in 12 weeks. Or sooner, if you want an interim report.

I can say, we'll venture beyond the hype of generative AI and into an exploration of:

• Multi-sensory data
• Synthetic media and influencers
• Augmented and virtual reality
• Bots on the run

So buckle up. It's going to be an bumpy ride.

AI Flying Free

Before you go, I want to ask: would you sign up to a social network where the person you're talking to might be a bot?

This week's Digital Marketing Trends video looks at a new social network, Butterflies AI, where you create an AI character with a name, image and backstory and then let it fly free. And it interacts with other humans and bots.

I designed a synth called Prof Martin-Bot that's acting out its own story independent of me. So far, it's battled AI hackers and designed a digital maze that gained consciousness. Pretty bizarre.

I also look at why generative AI might be the bridge that takes AR and VR into actualized realities. I introduce Niloom.AI, a platform that lets creators build spatial experiences with a prompt. And talk about how Meta's AI research is pointing the company in a similar direction. Meanwhile, Snap's betting on an augmented future with conversational custom lens creation.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Follow Me on LinkedIn

Well, I can tell you with certainty that we've come to the end of issue #108.

Thank you to all of you who follow me and subscribe, read, comment and share this newsletter! It's great having all of you along for the ride.

This newsletter comes out every two weeks. But between issues, I share shorter daily posts with my take on digital marketing and the latest on generative AI. It's another way to stay on top of the trends.

And while you're at it, follow the Future of Marketing Institute, too. Every day we post content and perspectives on where we may be heading and what the shift might mean.

Let me know if you have questions about any of the videos in Digital Marketing Trends, or my other LinkedIn Learning courses. You can also visit my website and send a message or a question.

What are your predictions for the future of marketing? How do you feel about the way things might change? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

See you in the very near future ... well, in a couple of weeks!

Note: All the content in this post was written by a human—me and not Martin-bot.