AI no threat to agency employees learning fundamental skills
In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the complaint from owners that AI is preventing junior employees from learning how to do their jobs the right way. They refute arguments that AI is detrimental to learning the fundamentals, comparing it to outdated technologies like fax machines and card catalogs. They advocate for embracing AI, citing its efficiency and evolving intelligence in completing tasks. They emphasize training teams to use AI effectively, focusing on editing and verifying AI-generated content rather than doing things ‘the old way.’ The episode concludes with practical advice for integrating AI into agency processes and improving productivity. Key takeaways Gini Dietrich: “Things evolve, things happen, technology happens to make your life easier. That doesn’t mean you don’t know how to do your job, or that your team doesn’t know how to do their job.” Chip Griffin: “We are at the early days of AI and it is only going to get better. So, figure out how to use it.” Gini Dietrich: “Use AI. Stop being stubborn.” Chip Griffin: “Teach people how to use AI the right way, question it, verify it. And that is a far more productive use than to tell your juniors, do this without AI.” Related What does ChatGPT and generative AI mean for PR agencies? AI should be your agency’s friend, not foe Agencies succeed through consistency and evolution Introduction to generative AI for agencies View Transcript The following is a computer-generated transcript. Please listen to the audio to confirm accuracy. Chip Griffin: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Agency Leadership Podcast. I’m Chip Griffin. Gini Dietrich: And I’m Gini Dietrich. Chip Griffin: Gini, I, AI, I just, with AI, I don’t know how to do anything anymore. I mean, it just, I just rely so much on it that I’m not even sure I could figure out how to walk anymore. Gini Dietrich: I’m still waiting for it to do my laundry and my dishes. So I still have to do those things, unfortunately. Chip Griffin: Yeah, I mean, look, AI is a great thing, and I think we’ve talked about it a lot on the show before. It’s something that most agencies should be taking advantage of to help them do their jobs quicker, more cost effectively, get better results, all those kinds of things. But I’ve been troubled lately by the number of times I’ve heard that Because of AI, young people in, pick your industry, for us, let’s pick marketing communications, just by happenstance. That AI is, is preventing them from being able to figure out how to do their jobs the right way, because it just does so much for them. I have to tell you, this gets me irritated. It’s really, really irritated. Gini Dietrich: It doesn’t make sense. Like what? That, yeah, this is akin to saying that email… Because you’re not faxing anymore, you’re emailing, you don’t know how to do your job. Or because you’re not using the Bacon’s Green books, you’re using an online database, you don’t know how to do your job. People – things evolve, things happen, technology happens to make your life easier. That’s not, that doesn’t mean you don’t know how to do your job, or that your team doesn’t know how to do their job. They’re learning how to do things differently than maybe you learned how to do them, but they’re still doing their jobs. Chip Griffin: I mean, look, this is, this is not a new argument with AI. This has been an argument every time new technology comes along. You know, I, I remember when, when the transition took place from using the old fashioned card catalog at the library to find books. And people started using computers to look them up and people said nobody’s going to know how to use a card catalog anymore. They need to learn how to use that before they’re able to use the computer. Why? Why? Why? Why? I mean, if you go to a university library these days, not only you’re not going to find a card catalog, you’re not going to find a lot of books. Right. I mean, university libraries are, are increasingly removing books. Inst