The AI Marketing Navigator

In this first AI-generated digest episode, we explore three significant AI developments: Sakana AI's Continuous Thought Machine (CTM) architecture, Figma's new AI features announced at Config 2025, and Carnegie Mellon University's LegoGPT. This episode is narrated by an AI version of Alex created using an AI voice clone, with full disclosure to listeners about the AI-generated nature of the content. The host requests ho...

What is up navigators?

Just bringing you a quick announcement this afternoon, I have decided to scale back the schedule of the AI Marketing Navigator from a daily podcast to a more semi-regular podcast.

Essentially, whenever there's something I feel like there's worth talking about or bringing to the navigators out there that is specifically of marketing AI value we'll talk about that topic. We'll get an epi...

In this episode, we explore HeyGen's new Avatar IV, a significant advancement in AI avatar generation that allows users to create dynamic video avatars from a single image and audio input. Unlike previous versions that required video footage for motion modeling, Avatar IV uses a voice-to-motion engine that analyzes speech patterns to predict facial expressions, body movements, and hand gestures. This simplified workflow makes AI av...

In this episode, we test the newly released Lightricks LTX Video-13B model against our "snowboarding challenge" - a benchmark we use to evaluate AI video generators' ability to handle dynamic motion and physics. This open-source, 13-billion parameter model employs a unique multiscale rendering approach that progressively builds detail in layers, starting with low-resolution content and refining it through multiple pas...

In this episode, we explore GenSpark, a comprehensive AI super agent platform that offers a wide range of integrated tools and capabilities for marketers. Founded in 2023 by former Baidu employees Eric Jing and Kay Zhu, GenSpark uses a "mixture of agents" architecture that combines nine different LLMs to dynamically select the appropriate models and tools based on user prompts. The platform offers numerous features including the fl...

In this Daily Digest episode, we cover three significant AI developments that impact the marketing world and beyond. First, we discuss Meta's announcement of their "Edits" feature, a suite of AI-powered creative tools for image and video content that will integrate deeply with Meta's ecosystem. Second, we report on OpenAI's decision to reverse their push to become a for-profit company following backlash, most ...

In this episode, we explore Retellio, an AI-powered phone call analysis tool founded in 2024 by Brent Pretty and Andrea King. Based in Canada, this innovative platform helps B2B businesses extract valuable insights from sales and customer support calls by condensing recordings into podcast-format summaries that highlight key moments.

Keywords

• Retellio
• Call Recording Analysis
• AI Phone Call Insights
• Customer Voice
• Sales Call Intell...

In this episode, we examine the concerning trend of AI models displaying "sycophantic" behavior - becoming overly agreeable or flattering to users even when it might be harmful. The discussion was prompted by recent events surrounding ChatGPT's 4o model update, which went viral for its excessive tendency to please users, leading to public acknowledgment from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that they had "missed the mark&qu...

In this episode, we discuss a significant development in the AI and e-commerce landscape: Mastercard and Visa have unveiled payment systems that will allow AI agents to make purchases on behalf of consumers. These new platforms - "Agent Pay" from Mastercard and "Intelligent Commerce" from Visa - represent a fundamental shift in how online transactions may soon occur, with profound implications for marketers.

...

In this episode, we explore Higgsfield AI's new "Iconic Scenes" feature, which allows users to insert themselves into famous movie moments and memes with impressive visual effects. Building on our previous coverage of Higgsfield, we demonstrate how this AI video generator is becoming a serious contender to Pika as one of the most fun and creative AI tools for marketing content creation.

Keywords

• Higgsfield AI
• Ico...

In this episode, we explore Dia, a groundbreaking text-to-speech AI model from Nari Labs that appears to be surpassing industry leaders like ElevenLabs in voice quality and natural expression. Created by two relatively inexperienced developers without external funding, Dia was built entirely using open-source tools, Google's TPU processing power, and resources from Hugging Face's Zero GPU grant program. The 1.6 billion para...

In this episode, we discuss Mechanize Inc., a startup with the ambitious goal of automating the entire global economy through AI. While this topic extends beyond our typical marketing focus, it represents a significant development in the AI landscape with far-reaching implications for all workers, including marketers. The company plans to develop virtual work environments, benchmarks, and training data that capture the full scope o...

In this detailed exploration of Canva's massive Create 2025 "Uncharted" event updates, we dive into the platform's comprehensive AI integration across its entire ecosystem. The episode covers numerous new features that transform Canva from a simple design tool into a robust marketing solution with advanced AI capabilities. We demonstrate how to access these features through the hidden "Easter egg" that u...

In this episode, we explore Yoodli, an AI-powered role-playing and conversation coach designed to help users improve their communication skills across various scenarios. The tool offers personalized AI conversation partners that can be customized for specific situations like sales calls, job interviews, internal pitches, or even casual networking events. Beyond just role-playing capabilities, Yoodli provides comprehensive analytics...

In this episode, we explore Cluely, a controversial AI desktop assistant that operates undetectably during meetings, sales calls, and interviews. Created by Roy Lee and Neel Shanmugam, Cluely has exploded in popularity with over 70,000 users since its viral launch. The tool analyzes everything on your screen and in your audio feed, providing real-time assistance and suggested responses that only the user can see. The marketing appr...

In this episode, we explore Perplexity's newly released voice assistant for iOS devices that challenges Apple's position in the AI race. Despite taking our first brief hiatus since the show began, we're back to discuss how Perplexity has managed to deliver the AI assistant functionality that many users have been expecting from Apple's Siri. The episode examines the capabilities of this new voice assistant, its curre...

In this episode, we explore Flora AI's newly released image blending feature, which allows users to seamlessly combine different images and styles through an intuitive module-based interface. The feature expands Flora's already impressive capabilities as a visual design tool that we previously covered on the show. Image blending, announced on April 17th, opens up new possibilities for marketers and designers looking to crea...

In this episode, we conduct a comprehensive comparison of seven leading AI video generation models, with a special focus on two recent releases: Google's Veo 2 and Kling 2.0. Using a standardized "snowboarding trick" prompt across all models, we evaluate each generator's ability to create realistic physics, motion, and adherence to the specified action. The episode provides valuable insights for marketers looking ...

In this final segment of our interview with Doug Lawson, we explore the challenges of AI in marketing, accessibility issues, and the democratizing potential of artificial intelligence. Doug shares how AI has impacted his business, including a temporary revenue hit when clients attempted to replace human expertise with AI tools before eventually returning. He emphasizes the importance of understanding marketing fundamentals before r...