David Arkin has more than two decades of experience in audience and content which he now uses as a consultant helping publications better hone their strategies for SEO, content and social media. Among his diverse skill set, David has immersed himself in the development of AI technology with an eye toward how it can help publications to both become more efficient and grow their businesses. On this week’s episode of The Upgrade, host Peter Bittner talks with David about the best ways media companies can harness AI to help their publications become more successful.  Show Notes:(3:25) How publications can hone their SEO strategy(5:15) Why we’re seeing Reddit pop up to the top of so many Google searches(7:05) Simple ways that publications can be transparent about their processes to earn credibility with readers(11:25) David shares how he teaches reporters to become more digital (14:24) Best practices for keeping up on new developments in AI(17:33) AI’s effect on the way companies should consider their social media strategy (20:47) The ways David uses AI in his own business(21:25) The four questions you should ask about whether an AI tool is worth incorporating into your business(21:56) Strategies for including AI in company policies(23:43) An argument for creating company policies around AI when the technology is changing so fast (25:03) An example of how to fact check content produced by AI(26:01) David’s predictions on how new organizations and publishers will use AI in the near futureWhere to learn more about David’s consulting:www.davidarkingconsulting.com Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Wes Shields started his new venture, Synthminds, almost by accident. A rather obsessive interest with exploring AI inspired him to offer his knowledge as an AI consultant on Upwork. To his surprise, the company eventually promoted him on their platform as one of the world’s “top AI experts” –  that’s Upwork’s words, not his. Shields went on to found the AI consulting company Synthminds, which helps organizations and individuals better understand AI. In this week’s episode of The Upgrade, Wes and Peter have an unhinged conversation about the latest developments in AI.Show Notes:(1:55) How Wes started a successful AI consulting business almost by accident (5:28) Goda Go, the Queen of AI(7:37) Like driving a car: How Wes approaches teaching clients about AI(10:09) Wes describes the courses Synthminds offers(13:28) The different consulting and AI development projects that Synthminds offers(16:35) Wes explains what Auto-GPTs are(18:35) What aspects of AI Wes thinks have been correctly hyped(20:30) Why you should be wary of prompt lists(21:24) The problem with universities betting that AI content detectors can detect plagiarism(30:54) What voice actors have to gain from AI(32:39) AI’s capability to create 3DWhere to find the folks at Synthminds:https://www.synthminds.ai/Connect with Synthminds on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/synthminds-ai/For more on Synthminds, check out their Linktree:https://linktr.ee/synthmindsThe Goda Go YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@godagoLearn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

When Erin McNeill became a mother she started developing strategies for how to best educate her kids about media literacy. As a reporter who used to cover Congress, Erin eventually realized she could use her knowledge about the legislative process to improve media literacy for students all over the country. Her organization, Media Literacy Now, has helped pass state bills that improved how the subject is taught and developed resources to aid teachers all over the country to create lesson plans. In this week's episode, Erin talked with host Peter Bittner about how teachers and parents need to change the way they think about media literacy as new technologies like AI exert a greater influence over young people.Show Notes: (00:58) How Erin came up with the idea to found an organization that works to expand media literacy across the United States(3:08) How Erin’s background as a journalist helped her become an advocate for media literacy (4:34) How Media Literacy Now works to help improve curricula in schools (5:19) Ways media literacy can prepare students to better understand the dangers posed by AI(6:28) The challenges facing young students growing up with AI(7:35) What parents can do to educate their children about how to understand the dangers of the internet(11:30) What worries Erin about AI (14:04) Effective strategies for teaching children how to be media literate (19:37) States are taking an initiative to combat the effects of smartphones by strengthening media literacy in schools (21:162 Peter talks about his career as a foreign correspondent in Mongolia and pivoting to working at the intersection of tech and media(23:03) The pandemic’s influence on education How to read more about Media Literacy Now’s work:https://medialiteracynow.org/Subscribe to Media Literacy Now’s newsletter and mailing list:https://medialiteracynow.org/subscribe/Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Peter Frelik’s path to becoming a storyteller began seeing a matinee of a James Bond film as a kid and eventually led him to becoming a feature film editor for Hollywood and a director of commercials. AI image generators will soon make it possible for most anyone to produce a blockbuster from their own living room. But instead of crowding the field, Peter believes AI has the power to help established filmmakers and creatives to better succeed. In this episode of The Upgrade, the Peters talk about everything AI and film.(5:12) Why TikTok will stand the test of time(6:27) Aristotle and the three-act narrative(8:11) It’s all about the story beat (11:12) How the AI explosion has influenced Peter’s filmmaking (15:21) Potential competition between established filmmakers and AI wannabes (17:30) Copyright issues between LLMs and creatives (22:20) The ways in which AI is reshaping the creative process(25:20) How AI will cause filmmaking to evolve in the next year(27:09) Peter describes his new podcast Virtually Everything!Follow Peter Frelik:https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterfrelik/?utm_source=www.theupgrade.ai&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=media-experts-reflect-on-ai-in-2023Frelik’s Virtually Everything! podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/virtually-everything-podcast/id1732098353Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

John Biggs imagines a time in the near future where a human editor will manage a team of robot journalists using AI to report the news. A programmer turned journalist, Biggs is now co-founder of The Media Copilot, a consulting and media group that examines how AI is changing journalism and the news. In this episode of The Upgrade, Biggs spoke with host Peter Bittner about AI’s effect on the media industry and what newsrooms of the future might look like.Show Notes:(00:26) John talks about the Media Copilot, a new tool for media and PR professionals (5:14) The mysterious connection between longshoremen and journalists (7:57) John describes the future world he imagines where robot journalists will report the news with the assistance of humans(9:00) How reporting tasks could eventually be divided between humans and AI tools(12:39) The effect Google Books had on the traditional publishing industry(15:01) The New York Times vs. OpenAI(16:48) Ways that publications could get paid when AI scrapes proprietary data(18:16) The half-human centaur editor(19:39) John’s take on the most over and underhyped aspects of AI(21:54) Some of the most critical things professionals need to get up to speed on about AIFor more on the Media Copilot visit their website:https://mediacopilot.aiThe Media Copilot’s Substack:https://mediacopilot.substack.comThe new tool Sublimewire that Biggs created uses AI to help media professionals write blog posts:https://www.sublimewire.comLearn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

During the pandemic Jeremy Toeman tried – and, as he puts it, failed dismally – at editing a video preview of his podcast. That experience gave him the idea to create an AI-powered tool to help novices put together a video instantly. The Upgrade’s host Peter Bittner talked with Jeremy about his latest venture Aug X Labs and how to ethically build a new platform powered by generative AI in the age of deep fakes. This episode was recorded at the end of 2023 before the release of Sora, OpenAI’s video generator.Show Notes:(1:00) Augie: An AI-powered tool that can turn words into videos(4:23) How Aug X Labs was founded(6:58) The strengths that those working in the journalism industry can bring to the tech space(9:59) "Don’t empower badness": Jeremy talks about the safeguards his company uses to stop bad actors from maliciously using generative AI(15:16) Why Jeremy believes AI isn’t overhyped(16:42) One of AI’s biggest gifts(17:45) Which jobs will disappear because of AI (19:37) Common misconceptions about AI(20:59) The race to create quality, AI-generated video might be a longer one than many anticipate(23:57) Jeremy explains the business strategy of Aug X LabsTry out Augie for yourself:https://beta.meetaugie.com/sign-inRead more about Aug X Labs:https://augxlabs.comConnect with Jeremy Toeman:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtoeman/Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Simon Owens started his career as a newspaper reporter, but today he covers the media himself through this popular Substack and as the host of his podcast The Business of Content. Simon has successfully built an audience for his independent work by honing in on a concept known as parasocial relationships – the personal connection between a creator and their audience. Simon talked with host Peter Bittner about how generative AI is changing the way both publishers and content creators can develop these relationships.Show Notes:(1:35) The parasocial relationship(4:55) AI: To hype or not to hype – that is the question(8:11) How AI can assist journalists digging through public records(12:16) The Upgrade’s course on how to use LMMs for research(13:43) The differences between AI and crypto(14:57) The problem with disinformation and how AI can increase the dangers (18:27) How the courts might help to regulate generative AI(19:06) The New York Times vs. OpenAI(21:24) Generative AI’s ability to strengthen parasocial relationships between creators and those who consume their content(22:22) The Globe and Mail and the rise of the so-called dynamic paywall(23:39) AI-powered audio players and their ability to increase subscription revenue for publications(26:44) How Simon uses social media after the implosion of TwitterSimon’s podcast The Business of Content:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-business-of-content/id1339451218Simon’s Substack:https://simonowens.substack.comLearn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Salvador Klein came from humble beginnings in a single-parent household in Canada surviving off welfare to become a successful post-exit founder, angel investor and an advisor to the CEOs of early-stage ventures all over the world. His Substack, Three Strikes Theory, examines real world case studies of companies large and small, and the three strikes that led them to disaster. Host Peter Bittner spoke with Salvador about the startup world and how one of the biggest stories in internet history, which has been underreported, can be a potential first strike that can take down a business. (3:17) How investors can give startups good advice(5:49) The three strikes theory that explains why startups succeed or fail (7:04) The case of a successful startup that unexpectedly had three strikes against it(10:16) What setback hurts founders the most(11:42) Why we often don’t hear stories about when founder fail (12:34) How generative search can pose a threat to new companies (14:09) One of the biggest news stories in the history of the internet that has gone almost unreported (16:00) Why Google’s use of generative search hasn’t received much media coverage(17:52) Google’s business model (18:39) Facebook and the organic reach of zero (18:26) What businesses can do to protect themselves from the effects of generative search Salvador’s Substack Three Strikes Theory: https://salvadorklein.substack.comFind Salvador on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/salvadorklein/?originalSubdomain=auLearn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Silicon Humanism founder, Sylvia Gallusser, worked for television and radio in France and in strategy consulting in California before making a career transition to become a professional futurist. The job title of a futurist might not have been on the shortlist of many children’s dream jobs growing up, but the discipline has become essential as companies and brands race to incorporate changing technology into their long-term strategies. Futurists are trained to read the signals playing out in society that offer clues to how the world will look down the road and advise the rest of us about how to prepare. Futures thinking is also an invaluable resource for individuals, from the youth to the elderly. Host Peter Bittner talked with Sylvia about how a futurist views the development of AI technology.Show Notes:(2:13) Sylvia’s career from journalist to futurist (4:08) How one becomes a futurist(6:06) What, exactly, does a futurist do anyway?(7:20) Sylvia explains what she calls “the generative AI revolution”(8:39) How a futurist reads the signals of how AI will influence the world (9:59) The new challenges AI presents to journalists (14:46) What can be done to stop the damage caused by deep fakes(17:25) Deep fake detectors(19:21) Sylvia breaks down the different groups of actors who will use AI for bad and good(21:26) The gray zone: the ways people can unintentionally cause harm with AI(22:21) How artists and musicians might be tempted to use image-generating AI to enrich themselvesReach out to Sylvia on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylviagallusser/Sylvia’s Company Silicon Humanism:https://www.linkedin.com/company/siliconhumanism/Sylvia’s newsletter about Futurism:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7158608122360512512/ Want to become a futurist yourself? Check out the Institute for the Future:https://www.iftf.org/about-iftf/Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Since the internet took off, the relationship between publishers and advertisers has been fraught. Co-founders Christopher Brennan and Reagan Nunnally of Overtone are using AI tools to analyze articles and help both sides maximize their success online. The two previously worked on all sides of the publishing industry, with Christopher working as a reporter in Russia with The Moscow Times before moving on to cover tech and Reagan helping media organizations and marketers navigate the digital landscape. In this episode of The Upgrade, host Peter Bittner talks with Reagan and Christopher about how AI can help maximize the success of publishers, advertisers and brands.Show notes:(4:42) Overtone AI's work helping players from all sides of publishing(10:15) How large language models can help publishers determine the best way to distribute their content (12:40) Reagan breaks down how these tools can benefit advertisers(15:46) AI’s biggest promise could actually be in its ability to read, not write(20:27) The bad guys can flood the internet with articles written by ChatGPT, but the good news is we have the tools to find them(23:55) AI tools really can help make journalism more sustainable (yep, you read that right)(29:33) Peter pops the big question: What does the future of the internet look like? (32:23) Christopher offers some helpful advice for entrepreneurs looking for success online(33:18) Publishers and editors have traditionally been divided from the business side of publishing, but in the future they don’t have to be Where to find the good people at Overtone:https://overtone.aiWant to give Overtone’s products a spin? Pop on over to:https://try.overtone.aiConnect with the guests:https://www.linkedin.com/in/reagannunnally/https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-brennan-65565950/?originalSubdomain=beLearn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Nick Toso and Catalina Villegas are journalists who previously worked at CNN Español and understand the pressures that the daily grind puts on reporters. Connecting with reliable sources is one of the most time-consuming tasks a journalist faces, but quick deadlines often prohibit them from having enough time to find diverse voices. Villegas and Toso responded to the problem by founding the platform Rolli, which uses AI tools to assist journalists to find the best experts for their stories. In this week’s episode, Peter speaks with the Rolli crew about how new technologies have the power to increase the diversity of voices we hear from in the media.Show notes:(1:13) A LinkedIn for experts(2:15) Catalina explains the typical kind of miscommunication between journalists and PR companies(5:06) Takes one to know one: Nick and Catalina describe their experiences as working journalists(12:01) How we can overcome the lack of diversity in the voices we hear from in media(13:48) AI tools can help journalists find the best sources quickly while they’re on deadline(18:14) Rolli is designed to be the dinner party you always wanted to go to(21:32) How Rolli vets their sources(24:37) The curious case of the fake Barbie press release (26:57) Why Nick thinks AI can’t replace journalists(28:24) The ways in which AI can help journalists produce more quality reporting How to roll with Rolli:https://rolliapp.comConnect with Rolli’s founders:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicktoso/https://www.linkedin.com/in/villegascatalina/Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Tony Elkins is a journalist and citizen of the Comanche Nation who worries he’s becoming the doom and gloom person among those focusing on how AI will affect the journalism industry. As a faculty member at the Poynter Institute, Elkins has closely followed the challenges and opportunities AI is creating for both reporters and their readers. In this week’s episode, Elkins and host Peter Bittner have a sobering conversation about AI scams, deep fake horror stories and how – despite the odds – AI can still be used as a force for good.Show Notes:(1:55) What the Poynter Institute does(5:00) The implications of AI for photographers(7:34) How photo organizations and tech companies can combat the spread of fake, AI-generated images online(9:42) Taylor Swift and AI deep fakes(13:55) Willy Wonka and the perfect AI scam(16:19) How AI could influence reputable publications that rely on a paywall(18:10) The implications of generative search(21:03) Peter’s community talk about AI in Washington State(22:19) Some tech workers are sounding the alarm over publicly-available AI tools(23:01) The dangers of the AI visual generator HeyGen(26:03) The Martha’s Vineyard Times, an example of how AI can help local news reach diverse audiences To follow the Poynter Institute’s valuable work head on over to:https://www.poynter.orgConnect with Tony Elkins on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-elkins-0a827870/Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

Kris Krüg’s career began in a Vancouver dorm room back in 1995 learning how to build basic web pages with a group of foreign exchange students. In the years since he’s worn many hats, working in corporate marketing, photojournalism and as an educator in the AI space. Host Peter Bittner talked with Kris about being a boundary-pushing creative explorer, an intuitive tech whisperer and a tenacious culture hacker. They also discuss the new course they’re offering to help media professionals and creatives better understand AI.Show Notes:(1:09) It all started with Netscape Navigator Gold: The epic origin story of Kris Krüg(4:17) Kris discusses his work as a photographer(7:06) Peter and Kris explain their shared mission for teaching others about the changing tech landscape(8:21) The power of collaborative learning(10:46) Future Proof Creatives, the latest venture Kris has launched(14:06) A heated discussion on generative AI (18:28) The underlying economics of AI (plus, Peter and Kris reveal how much their monthly digital subscriptions cost)(22:05) Kris talks about some of the questions he receives in his online classes(26:10) The key to eternal technological youth (29:25) Peter and Kris announce their upcoming courseWhere to find Kris Krüg:https://kriskrug.co/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskrug/Kris’s Discord channel dedicated to understanding image generating AI:https://discord.gg/YhJFa45mFuture Proof Creatives:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/future-proof-creatives/?originalSubdomain=caPeter and Kris’s upcoming course:https://www.theupgrade.pro/c/ai-upgrade-for-creative-professionals/Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork

For The Upgrade’s inaugural episode, Peter talked with Caoimhe and Gerard Donnelly, the founders of Legitimate. Their new platform uses AI tools to help journalists save time, easily connect with reliable sources, produce groundbreaking reporting and fight misinformation. It’s a surprisingly optimistic conversation about the future of journalism in the age of AI.Show notes:(1:00)  The origin story of Legitimate(5:12)  How Legitimate benefits journalists (7:40)  Peter and the guests take a look under the platform’s hood(11:29) How the founders stop their AI tools from hallucinating(14:29) Cicero, Oh Cicero(16:13) Wait, so you’re telling me AI isn’t going to kill journalism?(21:31) What publishers can do to protect their content from large language models(26:00) The unfortunate truth about bad actors on the internet stealing content(27:25) Legitimate’s founders weigh in on the anthropomorphism of AI toolsWhere to find the Legitimate team:https://legitimate.net/https://www.linkedin.com/in/caoimhe-donnelly/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerard-donnelly/Learn more about The Upgrade and our online courses Connect on LinkedIn with Peter Bittner, The Upgrade’s founder and CEO: Special thanks to Mitch Walker for helping to design the podcast’s artwork