Teaching AI tools and technology isn't the hard part. Getting marketing teams to actually trust them, use them, and grow with them is where most organizations get stuck. In this talk, you'll hear lessons from inside 50+ Atlantic Canadian organizations over the past two years. How we help employees navigate AI without feeling replaced. How teams redesign workflows that were already stretched thin. And how leadership starts to think clearly about where AI fits in a marketing function, and where it doesn't. You'll also hear what we've learned running AI-First Consulting as a company built to experiment from day one. One example: how we run our own LinkedIn content using a pull system — ideas get captured the moment they surface, then teammates and AI agents flesh them out with as little friction as possible. It's a small illustration of a bigger principle: AI works best when it removes the execution burden, not when it tries to replace the thinking. We'll share what that looks like in practice, and how it applies well beyond social media. Whether you're leading a marketing team or doing the work yourself, you'll leave with a clearer read on where your organization really sits on the AI curve, and what the next honest step forward looks like.
Robert Newcombe is the founder and CEO of AI-First Consulting, a firm that helps organizations integrate AI to improve employee morale and productivity. He's a professional engineer that has applied his passion for strategy and process improvement to help organizations get the most from AI.