EP145: Escaping The AI Slop Trap: Smarter Content Marketing With Jon Gillham

Content marketing is changing fast, and so are the rules of visibility. Tessa Burg talks with Jon Gillham, Founder of Originality.ai, about how marketers can avoid the “AI slop” trap in today’s era of AI-generated content. Jon shares what he’s learned since launching the first commercially available AI detector—just three days before ChatGPT hit the market—and offers practical advice on balancing efficiency with authenticity.

Listeners will hear about using AI tools responsibly while still producing high-quality, original content that builds trust and stands out in search, LLMs and beyond. Jon also explains how marketers can increase their visibility with strategies like adding citations, original data and quotes. 

Whether you’re worried about declining Google traffic, retention challenges or simply how to future-proof your content strategy, this episode delivers insights you can put into practice right away. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. 

About Jon Gillham:

Jon Gillham founded Originality.ai after selling a content marketing agency he had previously founded. Originality.ai launched in November 2022 to detect GPT-3-generated content (before ChatGPT had launched).

One of the earliest adopters of generative AI content for SEO purposes at scale through his agency, Jon understood the wave that was coming, which ChatGPT and GPT-4 have fully unleashed. Additionally, he believed that there was a need for a modern plagiarism checking solution. One that provided scan history, detection scores, shareable results, team access etc., what you would expect from a modern Plagiarism Checking solution.

The team now includes experienced Machine Learning Engineers, Researchers, Developers and Marketers, all on a mission to try and provide transparency on the true originality of any writing.  

About Tessa Burg:

Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at [e-mail].