Ideas I'm working through
Marketing in the AI era.
AI made average content free. That makes the scarce things more valuable: a clear point of view, real proof, structured information machines can trust, and a human voice. These two talks are where I'm testing those arguments in public.
3 October 2026 · BCS AI + Recruiting Summit
The Innovation Collider
Pauley Ballroom, UC Berkeley
Berkeley's innovation ecosystem, then six popular claims about marketing in the AI era, each tested against current research and given a verdict.
Six claims, six verdicts
“AI should create all your content now.”
AI made average free, and average is now worthless. Let AI draft. Spend your time on the point of view, because that's the brand.
Readers rate content 48% less trustworthy when they think it's AI-made. (Raptive, n=3,000 US adults, Jul 2025)
“Your buyer decides before they ever talk to you.”
By the time they call, you're already in or out. Win before the first call.
51% of B2B software buyers now start research in an AI chatbot more often than Google. (G2, The Answer Economy, Apr 2026)
“In the chatbot era, your website matters less.”
Fewer people visit your homepage, but every AI that recommends you has read it. Your website is the source of truth that everyone else repeats.
69% of B2B buyers found the website and the salesperson said different things. (Gartner, n=632, Jun 2025)
“The narrower your ICP, the faster you grow.”
Built for everyone, picked by no one. Be dramatically better for someone specific.
73% of B2B buyers actively avoid suppliers who send irrelevant outreach. (Gartner, n=632, Jun 2025)
“If you're not running AI agents, you're already behind.”
You're not behind on agents. You might be behind on positioning. Adopt agents where there's a useful problem, not because of the hype.
13% of marketers use AI agents today; 59% expect to within two years. (Salesforce, State of Marketing, 10th ed.)
“Your founder's face is worth more than your logo.”
Big companies automate their voice. You have a founder. Show up as a person.
Personal LinkedIn profiles get 63% more engagement than company pages. (Metricool, 673K LinkedIn posts, Apr 2026)
AI made content cheap. What's scarce now is a clear point of view, told by a real person, in the places buyers decide.
October 2026 · UDAX Berkeley Accelerator, Cohort 2
Startup Marketing in the AI Era
UC Berkeley (online)
A practical framework for founders: positioning, story, brand, when to invest in marketing, and the mistakes early-stage teams make most often.
The framework
Five questions founders asked, answered in order. The opening premise: buyers now ask AI before they ask you, so clear positioning, a distinct story and a consistent website are what get you recommended.
Positioning
Sell the hole, not the drill. Lead with the outcome the customer wants, not the technology. Then make the initial ICP uncomfortably narrow: narrow is relevant.
Story
The customer is the hero of your brand story, and your product shows up at step four. Generic is free now. A point of view isn't.
Brand
Build a minimum viable brand, trust signals first. Your website is your source of truth, and your founder's face beats your logo.
When to invest
Marketing grows with proof. Before product-market fit, learn your customer's words. Run campaigns once something is working, and treat a crowd you paid for as noise, not product-market fit.
Mistakes
Leading with the tech. Building for everyone. Using the investor pitch as the customer pitch. Sounding like everyone else. Buying attention before you've earned proof.
Three moves for this week
Write your one-liner and run the drill test.
Delete “blockchain” and “AI.” If it's still clear, it's ready.
Ask ChatGPT what your buyer asks.
Whoever it names is your real competition.
Talk to five buyers.
Discovery, not demos.
Generic is free now. A point of view isn't.
I'm interested in consequential work at the intersection of AI, product and growth.
I'm based in San Francisco and talking with teams working on how AI changes products, marketing and knowledge work.