Human-First AI Marketing Podcast by Avenue9

AI in 3D Content, Gaming, and World Building with James Thornton

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435068/fan_mail/new] Everybody is talking about generative AI. They're missing the bigger opportunity. In a recent conversation with James Thornton, CEO of Daz 3D [https://www.daz3d.com/?], we explored a side of artificial intelligence that most business leaders aren't paying enough attention to. While much of the current AI discussion revolves around generating text, images, and videos, Thornton's work sits at the intersection of 3D content creation, gaming, digital avatars, AI training data, and virtual world building. His team helps create the digital assets that power everything from entertainment experiences to the next generation of AI systems. The conversation revealed an important shift that SMB business owners and marketing leaders should understand. Most companies are focused on creating content. The companies shaping the future are creating digital assets. That distinction may become one of the most important competitive advantages of the next decade. As AI evolves beyond chatbots and content generation, businesses will need new ways to create consistent digital identities, train intelligent systems, and build experiences that span physical and virtual environments. The organizations that prepare now will be positioned to benefit from these changes rather than react to them later. Connect with James on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-thornton-1245162/] Visit Daz 3D [https://www.daz3d.com/] Key Takeaways from This Episode: * The future of AI extends far beyond text, images, and video. AI is increasingly being trained to understand 3D environments, movement, physics, and real-world interactions. * High-quality 3D training data is becoming a critical asset. The next generation of AI systems, robotics, and virtual experiences depends on realistic 3D models and simulations. * Digital identity is becoming just as important as physical identity. Younger generations increasingly engage with brands through avatars, gaming, virtual worlds, and digital experiences. * Digital twins and virtual assets can create long-term business value. Brands can build reusable digital assets that scale across marketing, training, entertainment, and future AI applications. * AI avatars and virtual influencers are creating new marketing opportunities. Leading brands are already exploring how digital personalities can connect with audiences in new and immersive ways. * Human creativity remains essential in an AI-powered world. AI can accelerate production and execution, but human insight, storytelling, and strategic direction drive meaningful results. * The "uncanny valley" is still a challenge for AI-generated humans. Audiences can often sense when digital characters feel almost human but not quite authentic, making human oversight critical. * 3D content creation is becoming more accessible than ever. Tools that once required large studios and specialized teams are increasingly available to creators, marketers, and SMBs. * Virtual experiences will enhance, not replace, real-world interactions. The most successful applications of AI and immersive technology will create new experiences while preserving human connection. * Business leaders should combine AI efficiency with human expertise. The greatest opportunities come from using AI as an amplifier of human creativity, intuition, and experience rather than a replacement for them. The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9 [https://avenue9.com/]. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success. Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com. [https://avenue9.com/#how] No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation! [https://avenue9.com/contact-us/] Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here. [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1738519089289300a62eab036]

The AI Leadership LeapShift with Shea Murtaugh

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435068/fan_mail/new] In this episode of the Human-First AI Marketing Podcast, Mike Montague sits down with Shea Murtaugh, CEO of Hoffman Murtaugh [https://hoffmannmurtaugh.com/] and founder of LeapShift AI Collective [https://leapshift.ai/], to explore how smart SMBs are scaling faster with AI without burning out their teams or losing their humanity. Shea shares how AI has transformed her agency’s productivity from a traditional 40-hour workload into what feels like 120 hours of output per week, including building an entirely new AI community brand, website, logo, and launch system in a single afternoon. Together, they unpack the leadership mindset shifts required to scale intelligently with AI, while keeping people focused on higher-value thinking, creativity, and strategy. The conversation dives into practical AI workflows for marketers and business leaders, including building custom GPT agents that act like personal clones, creating conference content in real time, using Gamma and Claude to build pitch decks in under an hour, and designing agency “brains” powered by client context and personality profiles. Shea also explains how she builds AI agents to support leadership, content strategy, and business growth, giving listeners a practical roadmap for integrating AI into everyday operations without sounding robotic or creating chaos.  If your team is overwhelmed by AI hype, struggling to keep up with bigger competitors, or looking for smarter ways to scale marketing and operations, this episode delivers a grounded, human-first look at what’s actually working right now. * AI multiplies capability faster than most leaders expect Shea shared that AI allows her to generate what feels like 120 hours of output inside a normal 40–50 hour work week, fundamentally changing how entrepreneurs think about productivity and growth. * Small businesses can scale smarter without dramatically increasing headcount Instead of replacing employees, Shea focuses on using AI to help her existing team produce more value, think more strategically, and scale revenue without bloating labor costs. * AI should eliminate repetitive work so humans can focus on thinking work Shea explained that the goal is not to automate people out of the process, but to free teams from manual tasks so they can spend more time solving problems, creating strategy, and leading clients. * Custom AI agents become powerful when they are trained on real human context She discussed building GPT agents modeled after personality profiles, communication styles, and leadership frameworks so the outputs feel aligned with real people instead of generic AI content. * The future belongs to businesses that build systems, not just prompts Shea emphasized creating AI-powered workflows and agency “brains” that store client context, messaging, positioning, and brand voice to make execution faster and more consistent. * Conference content can now become a real-time marketing engine Shea walked through her workflow for capturing keynote presentations, transcribing insights live, generating implementation plans, and publishing LinkedIn content before the speaker even leaves the stage. * AI tools are compressing work that used to take days into hours Using tools like Gamma, Claude, and custom GPT workflows, Shea described building professional presentations, strategy decks, and launch assets in a fraction of the traditional time. * Raw information is often more valuable than over-processed AI summaries Shea prefers working from transcripts and original conversations because nuance, emotional context, and strategic insight are often lost in simplified AI-generated summaries. * SMBs currently have an AI adoption advantage over large enterprises Smaller organizations can move faster because they are not trapped in layers of approvals, legal reviews, and enterprise bureaucracy around new AI tools. * AI leadership is becoming more important than AI tool knowledge One of the strongest themes in the episode was that leaders now need new ways to manage energy, thinking, workflows, and expectations because AI changes how work itself gets done. * Personalized marketing is moving toward hyper-contextual experiences Shea shared her vision of a future where advertising, content, and messaging adapt dynamically to individuals in real time based on context and behavior. * The businesses winning with AI are the ones staying human Throughout the conversation, Shea reinforced that the real opportunity is using AI to amplify expertise, relationships, and authenticity instead of creating robotic content at scale. The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9 [https://avenue9.com/]. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success. Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com. [https://avenue9.com/#how] No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation! [https://avenue9.com/contact-us/] Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here. [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1738519089289300a62eab036]

The End of SEO? How SMBs Win AI Search Visibility Instead

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435068/fan_mail/new] In this episode of the Human-First AI Marketing Podcast, Mike Montague sits down with Matt Ruffner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-ruffner-185772233/] of Opticl.ai [https://opticl.ai/trust/avenue9?via=avenue9] to unpack one of the biggest shifts happening in marketing right now: the move from traditional SEO to AI search visibility. With more than half of searches now happening through AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity, businesses can no longer rely on rankings alone. AI engines are evaluating trust, reputation, sentiment, and authority in entirely new ways, and the rules are changing faster than ever before. Mike and Matt explore what SMBs and midmarket marketing teams need to do now to stay visible in AI-generated answers and recommendations. They discuss why trust is becoming the new ranking factor, how different AI platforms pull information from different sources, why YouTube transcripts and LinkedIn content suddenly matter more, and how local businesses can strengthen their AI visibility through authentic community engagement. This conversation is a practical roadmap for business owners and marketers who want to build a brand that both humans and AI trust before the next wave of search disruption leaves competitors behind. * AI search is already mainstream More than 50% of searches now involve AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity, which means businesses need to think beyond traditional Google rankings. * AI search evolves exponentially faster than SEO ever did Major AI model updates are happening every few months instead of every few years, so marketers need adaptable strategies instead of static SEO playbooks. * Trust is becoming the new ranking factor AI engines evaluate reputation, sentiment, business practices, media mentions, and broader brand context, not just backlinks and keyword optimization. * Traditional SEO still matters, but it’s no longer enough Strong technical SEO and white-hat content practices still provide the foundation, but brands now need authority and trust signals that AI can interpret and recommend. * Businesses need to start optimizing for AI visibility now Building trust and authority compounds over time, so waiting until AI search fully matures will put companies significantly behind competitors already building visibility. * Every AI platform pulls information from different sources ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Grok, and Microsoft Copilot all rely on different ecosystems like YouTube, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and web content, which means brands need a diversified content strategy. * YouTube content has become a major AI search asset AI engines crawl video transcripts and spoken content, turning podcasts, interviews, webinars, and videos into searchable trust-building content. * Local businesses can win with authentic community involvement Google Business Profiles, local sponsorships, charitable events, and local news coverage all strengthen the trust signals AI systems look for when making recommendations. * AI can interpret sentiment, not just star ratings Modern AI engines can analyze tone, nuance, and context in reviews, which means businesses can no longer rely on surface-level reputation management. * The future of search is recommendation-driven AI search behaves more like a trusted advisor recommending the most credible answer, which shifts marketing from “ranking higher” to “earning trust.” * Monitoring AI visibility requires new tools and metrics Platforms like Optical.ai help businesses measure AI trust scores, track mentions across AI engines, and understand where AI models are sourcing brand information. * Human-first brands are better positioned for AI search Businesses with authentic expertise, clear positioning, and real customer relationships create the kinds of trust signals AI systems increasingly prioritize. Connect with Matt Ruffner on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-ruffner-185772233/] Visit Opticl.ai [https://opticl.ai/] Check out Avenue9's AI Trust Profile on Opticl [https://opticl.ai/trust/avenue9?via=avenue9] The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9 [https://avenue9.com/]. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success. Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com. [https://avenue9.com/#how] No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation! [https://avenue9.com/contact-us/] Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here. [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1738519089289300a62eab036]

The AI Answer Advantage with Brittany Trafis

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435068/fan_mail/new] AI search is changing the rules faster than most businesses can react; this episode breaks down what that actually means for SMBs trying to stay visible and competitive. Mike sits down with Brittany Trafis to unpack the shift from traditional SEO to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), where buyers are no longer clicking links but asking AI for direct recommendations. The conversation explores why this moment feels like the early days of search again, and why small and mid-sized businesses suddenly have a real chance to outrun larger competitors. You’ll hear practical takeaways on what’s working right now; from why old SEO fundamentals matter again, to how buyer behavior is becoming more conversational and specific, to what it really takes to “be the answer” AI tools recommend. The big idea is simple but powerful; search has moved from a list of options to a single trusted answer, and the brands that win will be the ones that build clarity, authority, and trust at scale. The Top Takeaways From This Episode Include: - AI search is still the “wild west,” which creates early-mover advantage. The rules are evolving in real time, so businesses that start experimenting now can gain visibility before the space becomes crowded. - AEO is simply about being found in AI conversations, not just search results. Buyers are asking AI tools questions directly, so your goal is to show up in those answers, not just rank on Google. - Old SEO fundamentals suddenly matter again. Things like keywords, alt text, and metadata are back in play because AI relies on structured signals to understand your content. - Content and technical SEO must work together to win. Strong content without proper structure, or strong tech without valuable content, will both fail to get you recommended by AI. - More high-quality content increases your chances of being selected. AI models reward breadth and authority, so covering your topic deeply and consistently improves your odds of showing up. - The competitive playing field has been reset. Small and mid-sized businesses can now outperform large brands because speed and adaptability matter more than budget. - Big companies are slower, which gives SMBs an edge. Less red tape means smaller teams can implement changes faster and capitalize on new opportunities sooner. - Buyer search behavior is becoming more conversational and specific. Instead of short keywords, users are asking detailed, preference-based questions that require richer, more contextual content. - Comparison and preference-based content is more important than ever. AI thrives on helping users evaluate options, so content that explains differences, pros/cons, and use cases performs better. - This is a rare moment to redefine your competitive set. AI is introducing new players into the conversation, so your real competition is expanding beyond who you used to track. The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9 [https://avenue9.com/]. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success. Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com. [https://avenue9.com/#how] No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation! [https://avenue9.com/contact-us/] Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here. [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1738519089289300a62eab036]

Collecting Service Stories with Joe Tuscano

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2435068/fan_mail/new] Most businesses are sitting on their most valuable marketing asset and completely overlooking it. In this episode, Mike Montague talks with Joe Toscano, former Google insider and featured expert in The Social Dilemma, about why customer conversations, service calls, and real stories are the missing link in modern AI marketing. They break down how the explosion of AI tools has made it easy to create more content, yet harder than ever to stand out, and why authenticity, context, and ethical data use are becoming the new competitive edge for SMBs and midmarket teams. You’ll learn how to turn everyday customer interactions into a scalable content engine, how AI can analyze sentiment and surface insights that were impossible just a few years ago, and why the future of search and marketing belongs to businesses that capture and amplify real human stories. If your team feels stuck producing more content with fewer results, this conversation offers a smarter path forward; one where AI doesn’t replace your voice, it helps you scale it with clarity, trust, and impact. Top Takeaways From This Episode: - Customer conversations are your most valuable, untapped marketing asset Every service call, sales conversation, and customer interaction contains real language, pain points, and proof that can outperform any manufactured marketing message. - AI makes it possible to finally scale storytelling, not just content production What used to take weeks to turn into a case study can now be captured, analyzed, and repurposed quickly; turning one conversation into dozens of high-impact assets. - Authenticity is becoming the only real differentiator in an AI-saturated market As everyone gains access to the same tools, the businesses that win are the ones with real, human stories behind their messaging. - Better data matters more than more data Ethical, intentional data collection focused on real interactions creates value; while mass scraping and generic inputs lead to noise and mistrust. - We’re entering a new era where AI shifts from automation to insight generation Tools can now analyze sentiment, context, and performance of conversations; giving leaders visibility they’ve never had before. - Search is evolving from keywords to conversations and context The future of SEO and discovery will reward businesses that provide real, experience-based answers instead of keyword-stuffed content. - Most companies already have the raw material for great marketing; they just lack the system The gap isn’t content creation; it’s capturing, organizing, and activating what’s already happening inside the business. - Ethical use of data is a competitive advantage, not a constraint Trust becomes a growth lever when companies are transparent and intentional with how they collect and use customer information. The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9 [https://avenue9.com/]. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success. Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com. [https://avenue9.com/#how] No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation! [https://avenue9.com/contact-us/] Want to be a guest? Send Mike Montague a message on PodMatch here. [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1738519089289300a62eab036]