Cutting through the noise: AI and thought leadership with industry leaders

In today’s fast-paced world of artificial intelligence (AI), thought leadership is a crucial tool for brands to establish authority and guide the conversation. At a recent AI event, industry leaders shared their insights on building a compelling thought leadership narrative. In this article we summarise highlights from the session, featuring Gareth Lofthouse, co-founder of FT Longitude, Bettina Schaller from the Adecco Group and the World Employment Confederation, Harvey Lewis from EY, and Anthony Marshall from IBM.

Could you introduce yourselves and your roles, particularly in relation to AI and thought leadership?

Bettina Schaller (Adecco Group): As SVP and head of group public affairs at Adecco, I’m deeply involved in workers’ rights and conditions, especially how AI impacts the workforce. We focus on cutting through the noise with a clear, non-geeky language to reach our audience effectively. Our thought leadership campaign for the World Employment Confederation, The Work We Want, prioritises AI’s impact on the world of work. We also emphasise the importance of balancing investments in talent and AI technology to maintain relevance and provoke meaningful discussions.

Harvey Lewis (EY): I’ve been in the AI and machine learning field for over 30 years. At EY, I combine my passions for technology and thought leadership. My role involves advising clients on emerging technologies like AI and quantum, and positioning EY as a thought leader. We build on our strengths in audit and tax, enhancing these with AI insights to stay relevant and forward-thinking in our advice and services.

Anthony Marshall (IBM): Leading thought leadership at the IBM Institute for Business Value, we produce extensive content on AI. IBM’s journey with AI dates back to Watson’s Jeopardy win in 2011. Our recent focus has been on generative AI, with a robust research program that includes C-suite studies. We publish actionable insights for CEOs, addressing the immediate needs and strategic implications of AI, ensuring our thought leadership remains timely and impactful.

How do you tailor your thought leadership to resonate with CEOs and other high-level executives?

Anthony Marshall: We simplify our messages to three essential things a CEO needs to know and do about a topic. This approach, combined with deep insights and practical implications, helps us capture and maintain their attention. It’s crucial to provide strategic conversations that CEOs rarely have time for, offering them unique, data-driven perspectives that inform their decisions.

Harvey Lewis: Understanding our audience is key. We write for specific segments with domain expertise, ensuring our content resonates deeply. For example, our CEO Outlook Pulse incorporates AI-related questions to stay current. We also encourage our domain experts to voice their insights, making our thought leadership more relatable and impactful.

How do you navigate the challenge of staying ahead of the rapidly evolving AI landscape?

Anthony Marshall: We’ve adopted a pulsing framework, conducting smaller, targeted surveys to complement our larger studies. This approach provides timely data and allows us to respond quickly to new developments. Maintaining a longitudinal set of data helps us track trends and adapt our thought leadership to the fast-paced AI environment.<
Harvey Lewis: Regular surveys integrated with AI questions help us stay current. Leveraging experts to identify emerging trends and potential regulatory changes is also crucial. By staying ahead of these developments, we can produce thought leadership that anticipates and addresses future challenges.
hat are your thoughts on AI writing thought leadership content? Will it ever fully replace human-generated content?

Bettina Schaller: Never. Regulation often mandates human involvement, and the nuanced understanding required for thought leadership is beyond AI’s capabilities.

Harvey Lewis: AI can already generate substantial content, but the quality and depth of human expertise remain unmatched. While AI can assist, the unique insights and relational aspects humans bring are irreplaceable. It’s about enhancing, not replacing, human creativity and expertise.

Anthony Marshall: AI will standardise the average, but true differentiation requires human creativity and originality. Our focus is on leveraging AI to handle routine tasks, allowing our teams to concentrate on adding unique value through their human talents.

Are we in a race with AI, constantly having to stay ahead as it learns from our content?

Harvey Lewis: Yes, but with caveats. AI will generate vast amounts of content, but human relationships and the ability to engage deeply with clients remain critical. Thought leadership should be about creating impact, not just producing content.

Gareth Lofthouse: Indeed, it’s about using thought leadership to foster meaningful conversations and relationships, ensuring our expertise makes a real difference.

This enlightening session highlighted the importance of staying adaptable, leveraging both human and AI capabilities, and focusing on impactful, data-driven thought leadership. As AI continues to evolve, the blend of human creativity and technological advancements will shape the future of thought leadership, ensuring brands remain at the forefront of innovation and influence.

Watch the full session – Cutting through the noise: AI and thought leadership – including more deep insight from our campaign strategists and specialist editors on demand here.

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