Your customers are changing because of AI. But so are you—whether you realize it or not.
Host Dan Nestle welcomes back Mark Schaefer, whose new book How AI Changes Your Customers reveals a transformation most people aren't prepared for. As one of 300 futurists who contributed to Elon University's Being Human in 2035 study, Mark brings insights beyond the usual AI hype.
Mark and Dan explore the psychological rewiring that is happening as AI reshapes human agency, empathy, purpose, and trust. They confront the choice everyone faces: use AI to augment your thinking, or delegate so much that critical skills atrophy.
This isn't another "AI will save us" or "AI will ruin everything" conversation. It's a balanced look at implications most people haven't considered—like algorithms becoming decision-makers, with conversion rates from AI referrals 23 times higher than those from traditional SEO.
Listen in and hear about...
The psychology of AI and how humanity is being rewired
Choosing between augmentation and delegation in your AI usage
Why algorithms are becoming your actual customers
The loss of agency, empathy, and purpose when we depend too heavily on AI
How AI reveals patterns you didn't know existed through intellectual archaeology
Notable Quotes
On The Psychology of AI: "No one's talking about the psychology of AI that literally before our eyes, humanity is being rewired. The psychology of human beings is changing." - Mark Schaefer [00:08:13 → 00:08:28]
On Attention Spans: "Don't tell me people don't have a long attention span. The problem is they're being more selective. You've got to earn it. So it's not that they have a short attention span. You, You've got a short interesting span. They're abandoning you for something else." - Mark Schaefer [00:15:38 → 00:15:53]
On The Power of Vulnerability: "What this world is lacking is a real human voice, friendly, accessible, vulnerable. And think about the power of that. To really be human. You've got to be. Have a sense of vulnerability. But we don't get that from brand voices. Very, very rarely. And think of the opportunity to stand out, to be audacious, to just by flubbing up once in a while, just by admitting you made a mistake every once in a while." - Mark Schaefer [00:27:37 → 00:28:05]
Resources and Links
Dan Nestle
Inquisitive Communications | Website
The Trending Communicator | Website
Communications Trends from Trending Communicators | Dan Nestle's Substack
Dan Nestle | LinkedIn
Mark Schaefer
Mark Schaefer | Website and Blog
How AI Changes Your Customers | Book (Amazon)
The Marketing Companion | Podcast
Mark Schaefer | LinkedIn
The RISE Community | Apply to Join
Timestamps
0:00:00 AI’s Impact: Dan’s Intro and Use of NotebookLM0:03:03 Mark’s Reaction: AI Enables Bolder, Creative Work0:05:16 Mutual Mentorship and AI Experimentation0:07:29 Mark’s Book: Humanity’s Changing Psychology with AI0:09:12 Agency, Empathy, Intimacy, and AI Decision-Making0:11:41 AI Search: GEO, Marketing to Algorithms0:13:02 The Golden Age of PR: Credibility and Authority0:15:13 Attention Span Myth & Content Selectivity0:17:21 Volume vs. Quality: Content for AI and Humans0:19:35 Cumulative Advantage & Brand Authority in AI Era0:21:42 Personal Brand Building: Quality is Essential0:23:13 Earning Social Signals & Genuine Content0:25:47 AI Editing, Strategic Awkwardness, and Vulnerability0:28:46 Challenges for Corporates: Embracing Awkwardness0:31:20 Feelings as a Competitive Advantage0:35:28 Transcendence: Artful, Long-Form, and Human Content0:37:56 Respecting the Reader: Content Length & Value0:39:55 Hopeful AI: Augmentation, Mentorship, Markbot0:42:24 Real Education & AI: Preparing Young People0:42:46 Closing Remarks: Book Recommendation & Mark’s Links
(Notes co-created by Human Dan, Claude, and Castmagic)
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