5 AI-focused influencers for brands to follow

From contemplating the effects that AI will have on younger generations to offering demos on the newest available tools, creators are becoming essential resources for anyone who seeks to understand this ever-evolving space. And marketers are already turning to social media for guidance on AI. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs The rise of artificial intelligence has birthed a social media presence led by a cohort of intelligent, forward-thinking minds. These are influencers, yes, but their influence ramifies in more ways than mere trendy viewership. Recent news: BBDO warns against generative AI for client work Here are five influencers in the AI space who are creating particularly useful videos, newsletters, podcasts and text posts that can help brands better adopt and experiment with the technology. While a non-exhaustive list, they cater to a variety of needs and interests, and represent the forefront of a complex industry’s public communicators. Sinead Bovell Sinead Bovell is a tech entrepreneur and commentator on the often discomfiting topics of AI, such as ethics and copyright implications. Bovell focuses specifically on how young people engage with the technology, which she has spoken about on platforms including CNN. She also founded WAYE, an organization that prepares young people to succeed in a professional world with advanced technologies like AI. @sineadbovell Will #ai automate some jobs? Yes. But we have an opportunity to prepare our societies and ensure citizens are protected. It’a critical we take it. #automation #futureofwork #chatgpt #thefuture #futurist #techwithsinead ♬ Epic Music(863502) - Draganov89 Bovell’s primary platform is TikTok, where she posts content for her nearly 250,000 followers. A recent video addressed the so-called “AI arms race,” which is seeing companies pursue technological advancements at the expense of responsible application. Another delved into the controversy around Levi’s using AI models to improve diversity. Bovell’s perspective is especially important given its attention on the younger generation, who will decide the next trends in consumership. Understanding their interests and hangups around AI can help marketers create more relevant, and less harmful, experiences. Pete Huang Pete Huang is a great source for professionals looking to stay up to date on all things AI. On LinkedIn, where he has over 146,000 followers, Huang writes daily content on the advancing capabilities of generative platforms. His posts aggregate examples from across the internet, such as short text-to-video creations, or screen recordings of chatbots. He also provides helpful context, including links to where one can access these tools and questions to facilitate more conversation. It’s his newsletter, however, that makes Huang an indispensable source to follow. Called The Neuron, the news blast puts everything you’d want to know about AI in a concise, daily email. Huang co-founded The Neuron this year, and contributes as a writer for an audience of over 55,000 readers. Given the AI industry’s propensity to move at breakneck speed, a daily newsletter such as The Neuron is one of the better ways to keep tabs on major developments. In addition to news, the platform provides guides on how to actually use generative AI tools. A recent guide, for example, focused on how to write effective copy using AI. Justin Fineberg Justin Fineberg is another creator focused on the professional applications of AI and the specificity of his content makes his account stand out. Fineberg, who prefers TikTok, tends to focus on the most popular generative AI platform, ChatGPT, exploring the machine’s nuances and development. @justinfineberg One of my favorite prompts for ChatGPT… #chatgpt #chatgpttips ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim Recent videos have addressed lesser-known issues such as data privacy as it pertains to ChatGPT, as well as using the tool for specific purposes such as finding GIFs and booking vacations. Fineberg explored the latter topic in a video about ChatGPT’s new plugin feature, which allows brands to share their data with the model so that it can invoke their services when handling a user’s query. Fineberg’s hyper-focused approach has awarded him over 190,000 followers, with videos that regularly surpass dozens, if not hundreds, of thousands of views. Seeing that ChatGPT is the tool that everyone is talking about right now, Fineberg offers significant value, especially as OpenAI expands the tool in terms of its capabilities and brand partnerships. More news: Marketers using AI turn to social media for knowledge Karen X Cheng Karen X Cheng, who boasts 1.2 million followers on Instagram and nearly 1 million on TikTok, has a unique reach and knowledge of AI tools. For this audience she posts informative videos on the subtle differences between AI tools, using creative examples to demonstrate her points. These tutorials, covering well-known tools including ChatGPT to smaller platforms such as Runway Research’s text-to-video model, are useful for any professional or dilettante looking to gain hands-on experience with AI. @karenxcheng Filmmaker’s guide to GEN-2 @runwayml ♬ original sound - Karen X Cheng’s videos are also relatable in that they assume a low-budget approach. For example, a recent post demonstrated how to use Runway’s Gen-1 model to storyboard using household objects and a phone camera. For marketers, the added benefit of following Cheng is that her videos are equally geared to creators, which means you can stay up to date with the content they are using to inform their own understanding. Lex Fridman Lex Fridman is a name you may recall. Fridman leads one of the most popular podcasts on the internet—called the Lex Fridman podcast—in which he interviews everyone from technologists and philosophers to athletes and content creators. His conversations, which often run over three hours long, have gained him nearly 3 million subscribers on YouTube. The theme to which his videos most frequently return, however, is AI, which Fridman researches at MIT. Recent episodes of his podcast have delved into the case for halting AI development, as well as a closer look at the dangers that AI poses to human civilization. His reach has also allowed him conversations with leading minds in the AI industry, such as Sam Altman, co-founder and chief executive of OpenAI, and Noam Brown, a research scientist at Meta. Fridman’s content is high-level and often quite in the weeds, which may be off-putting to many listeners. But for those who stick around, there is much to gain from these deep dives—a level of contemplation, and perhaps understanding, of artificial intelligence that cannot be found in many other places. This knowledge will undoubtedly be useful as AI continues to play a bigger role in our professional and personal lives. Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here

5 AI-focused influencers for brands to follow

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