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Welcome to Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass. Jon is the founder and CEO of Image Group International, an award-winning image consulting and personal branding pioneer established in 1989. This podcast will bring you old-school wisdom, inspiring ideas, strategies, and hacks for the new tech world. Here, you will learn everything about personal branding: the system, the techniques, and the right mindset to have a successful personal brand, image, and reputation.

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Hello and welcome to another episode of John Michael's personal branding master class. I'm your host, John Michael, and today we're diving into an exciting and transformative topic that is shaping the future of the world in profound ways. And what I'm talking about is transforming the way leaders and of course, their businesses build trust and influence in a digital age. But before explore further, I'd like to connect with you online. My Twitter, or X, is Jon_Michail, my LinkedIn is Jon Michail, and you can find me as Image Group International on Facebook. Today's episode will, uh, ruffle some feathers. Now let's get started. But first, before I talk about this on a positive level, let's also look at the Dark Zone of AI and how we can balance the digital shift. Three negatives I want to cover today of AI in relation to personal branding, leadership and, of course, the erosion of authenticity and the challenge. While AI tools can help craft, Polish content and automate interactions, they often also lack the human touch necessary to build genuine connections and the impact of mobile reliance on AI, like any other tool for that matter, will lead to a perception of inauthenticity, as audiences crave real personal engagement rather than perfectly optimized responses. And an example of this is chat box or AI generated LinkedIn posts which feel impersonal, potentially, I would say, undermining trust, if not carefully managed. And that happens on a daily basis, on a on LinkedIn, specifically that I find quite unsavory, if I could use that word. Then there are the data privacy concerns. Of course, a lot of companies have been caught up with this, and the challenge there is this analyze effectiveness depends on analyzing vast amounts of personal data, and it raises concerns about how this data is collected, of course, stored and used. A lot of people who say the horse is bolted on that end, well, it's still going to be a problem, even if the horse is bolted, because the reality is, people do not want their data misused, and that at times can happen. So the impact when mishandling sensitive information could damage trust and negatively affect the leaders and companies, brand and reputation. So as we can see, the importance of the collection of this data is really a CEO and senior management responsibility, as opposed to a junior responsibility. So the accountability has to be very clear. And I think leadership has to take control of this so leaders overall, using AI without transparency and data usage risk that comes from that alienates, of course, their audiences and even potentially could face legal repercussions. So an over dependence on AI for decision making brings another challenge. AI tools can provide valuable insights. We already know that you don't need me to tell you, but they're not infallible, and can misinterpret nuanced human dynamics and of course, context. So the impact on leaders, in my experience, will overly rely on AI risk making decisions that lack the emotional intelligence and misaligned, of course, with the brand values. A great example of this is AI based hiring tools that have been criticized for inherent biases, which could harm a leader's credibility and industry expectations and, of course, inclusivity efforts from a brand value perspective, these basic examples are only a part of the negative side and must be considered in balancing all the pros and cons. And I like to do that. Obviously most people don't because it creates cognitive dissonance. But as a critical thinker, I think it's important to always look at both sides. Our first today, I'm going to cover five segments, and they're rolling digital shift, and AI is wrong in personal branding. And I've been paying attention to the rapid developments of AI, of course, artificial intelligence, for quite a while now. I think I wrote something about this originally as an e book around six. Years ago. So you'll know it's not just from my perspective, change in the tech landscape, but it's transforming how we connect, communicate, and, of course, even influence people. And for authentic personal branding, of course, this is a game changer, and I'm going to explain to you why, because authentic personal branding is about building trust, influence, and, of course, the key word authenticity, realness, rapport, etc. So as a leader, you aim to be perceived as reliable, competent and consistent. That's the aim. Sometimes you might not come across that way, because I would argue communication issues right the way it's been communicated, as opposed to what you actually communicated.

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So traditionally, one of this was built through face to face interactions, speaking engagements, and, of course, connected networks. And what connected networks, I mean, in clubs, boys clubs, etc. That hasn't changed much, by the way, it's still there. But of course, historically, that was even more so because it was the only way, as opposed to doing it, you know, like the way you would do it today, through digital. But in today's digital first world, the game has changed. Artificial Intelligence offers tools that help leaders not just keep up, but Excel when done intelligently, tools like aI powered chatbots that I mentioned earlier, content creation platforms and sentiment analysis allow you to amplify your voice, streamline your messaging and, of course, deepen relationships with the audience. And of course, if you don't do that, then the audience connection will only be superficial. So all of this allows you to do this without losing the essence of your unique presence. Again, when action with smarts, according to Gartner, the big tech firm, 70% of organizations will rely on AI for business decisions by 2025 underscoring its transformative potential across industries that we're all experiencing, including, of course, personal branding and all business, of course, is being transformed right now in real time. Next, let's explore how AI will work in personal branding, of course, in reference to you and building your personal brand to truly understand AI's role, though, in personal brand, let's break it down into three key areas, and we'll call it for argument's sake. There's more for a simplicity point of view today, so I don't overwhelm you, it's going to be around premium content creation, okay, then it becomes part of you getting known, then the engagement, of course, the trust building process. So number one AI in premium content creation is about creating consistent, authentic content. And of course, it's one of the biggest challenges for leaders, especially if it's done by their younger and I'm going to use the word deliberately, younger staff that do not understand gravitas, okay? And of course, I have many, many examples of that case studies, including clients that have been in this situation before, where potentially some of the content actually damage the reputation, as opposed to build it. So there is many tools out there, chat, GBT, Jasper, Grammarly, they've all revolutionized the way we approach this task, and maybe you're already using some of these tools now. These tools, though, can help you generate tailored blog posts, social media, updates and email campaigns, definitely where I like to use it, certainly now, email campaigns that align with your voice and your audience's interests, however, remember, they're only a tool, and the most important aspect of using a tool is The awareness experience and skills of the user. So although it's a fantastic tool, it can also be used in the wrong way, where potentially can do damage, no different to a hammer, basically hammering a nail on the wall, if you don't watch it, it can actually hit your finger.

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So you gotta be really careful on how to use a tool, but you got to experience it along the way, and obviously, with experience and a lot of practice, you get better at it. So you can analyze trends no question and audience engagement to ensure your content remains relevant. For sure that's all available. You can also streamline content, your planning, your scheduling and, of course, freeing you from what we would see is a lot of burnout. Yes, that is, for example, something that we would recommend. But also, when I give you another example how Nike, of course, is using AI, the brand leverages AI to analyze social trends and audience. Behavior, and that's great for data collecting, creating hyper targeted campaigns that, of course, resonate globally. This has helped them big time in leveraging already some of their tech capabilities. A study by HubSpot found that 47% of marketeers already use AI for content creation, and that is significantly improving some sort of efficiency. The problem you're going to get is you're going to get what I would call is content pollution. Before you know it, because of lack of originality, a lot of people are going to be saying the same things, and that's a problem, because if that happens in that world, then what you've just done is commoditize the brand, as opposed to build equity. However, I see challenges already because of this lazy thinking, and, of course, originality being affected, where everyone is parroting the same thing. And in my experience, where that happens, that's a quick race to the bottom. The key here, though, is to be aware that AI doesn't replace your unique voice, your authentic you. It can support you when done smartly, it allows you to maintain a steady stream of impactful content while not sacrificing quality or authenticity if you know exactly what you're doing and, of course, how you're prompting the algorithm to create that spirit in you, but at the same time, remember your spirit is unique to you, and that's something that you would Hope AI cannot replicate. Okay, of course, many would argue opposites to that right now. Number two, also in AI, is engagement. Engagement is the backbone of building trust and influence. So if you're not engaging, obviously the it's all crickets. So AI tools like chat bots, as I noted earlier, social listening platforms and a sentiment analysis provides leaders with a competitive edge in connecting with their audience. So how does this work? Okay, chat bots can automate responses to frequently asked questions that's normally fairly, fairly powerful, and something we would recommend as well ensuring your audience feels heard without delay. Social listening tools track conversations about your brand and industry, offering insights on what your audience values and expects. Sentiment analysis helps gage the emotional tone of your audience, enabling you to tailor your messaging for greater impact. If you're a smaller business or an individual, some of this might sort of go over your head, meaning you might not need it at that level, but I'm sure. I'm sharing this with you today just to sort of give you a bit of a sense what is possible. And in that case, think of Spotify AI driven user engagement, where through personalized playlist, like Discover Weekly you get to do, obviously, find out about some of the new songs on on Play. 

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And of course, it's personalized to your exact taste. This, of course, approaches build immense trust and loyalty amongst its users, a great brand, and of course, research by Adobe found that 91% of consumers today prefer brands that provide personalized, real time experiences, which Ain't I enables seamlessly. But that doesn't mean that you want to cut out the human connection, the real human connection, the person, because I think that adds it. That adds another level of personalization, personalization that tech can't replace. So AI lets you listen, adapt and respond, even at scale, ensuring that you remain connected to your audience, of course, on a human level. And the final that, number three on this particular segment is AI and trust building. Now finally, let's talk about trust. It's the cornerstone of any authentic personal brand. So we know AI tools can monitor your online reputation, of course, ensuring your messaging remains consistent across platforms. It can analyze audience preferences, enabling you to predict their needs and deliver tailored experiences. Can also detect discrepancies or inaccuracies in your content, helping you maintain credibility. For example, LinkedIn, AI tools help users curate their profiles and suggest ways to optimize their professional presence. Of course, this can enhance trust by aligning your digital image with your real world expertise. A 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer report shows that 67% of people trust brands that demonstrate consistency. And authenticity across platforms. So AI is not here just to replace human connection. It's here to enhance it. By using AI, you can assure that every interaction reinforces your audience's trust in you as a leader and a trusted brain. Certainly, what I'm showing is what we know to this day and certainly what we've been communicated now, some of this could turn out to be wrong in the future, but I'm talking about in present day tense. Now we'll cover segment three, another important element of the whole AI connection, the human element. And of course, as we've discussed humans or everything. So here's the critical point I want you to take away. AI is a tool. It's not intended as a replacement for the human connection from what we've been led to believe. Remember, at its core, authentic personal branding is about building real relationships, real people, while AI can optimize and streamline your processes, it cannot replicate your authenticity. Values of human touch. And a recent self force study backs that sentiment that found that 79% of consumers say the human touch in digital interactions is critical to fostering brand loyalty. Now, I know you can relate to this, because any complaint you would have done to a large corporation or government entity, you would have found robot after robot with no customer service, of course, and that would have made you feel, in most cases, very, very disappointed. Okay, that's the element that the human touch is essential here, and a lot of organizations talk about it, and then do the opposite I'm suggesting by incorporating the both you can't lose. So now let's move on to segment four, and that's some of the actionable steps to embrace AI in personal branding. So you can start integrating AI in your personal branding strategy as soon as possible. 

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So here are some actionable steps, some fairly simple actionable steps that you can incorporate straight away, leverage AI for efficiency, yes, start with tools like gram leaf for writing or HootSuite for scheduling and, of course, chatgpt for ideation, among others. These tools free up your time to focus on relationship building. Use AI for insights, implement platforms like brand watch or Sprout Social to monitor audience sentiment and industry trends, and this ensures your messaging stays relevant and impactful. The next one is focus on the human connection, and while using AI to optimize your efforts, prioritize authenticity in every interaction. And by that, I don't mean using the AI autoresponder on a LinkedIn thought leadership post, in my opinion, I know that this earlier, it's inauthentic, lazy and really, truly sucks, especially you know, it's just extraordinary that you're talking about authenticity and you're using auto responders to communicate. So AI, by the way, in the case of thought leadership now in bots and so on, I can understand that's a different game altogether. Let AI handle, you know, the logistics, so you can focus on your unique value as a leader. So my final thoughts on today's subject as we wrap up, here's my challenge to you, think about how you can integrate AI into your personal branding efforts. So ask yourself what tools can streamline my processes now, by processes, think about what tools can streamline my life. How can I use AI to better understand and engage with my audience? Am I maintaining a balance though, between digital efficiency and human connection? AI is undoubtedly transforming business and leadership, but it also requires a use of careful balancing, by combining AI's capabilities with human intuition, of course, empathy, ethical considerations. I believe leaders businesses can leverage its benefits while mitigating these risks, and it has a critical thinking optimist, the future of authentic personal branding is bright for those who embrace the opportunities. So we've come to the end of the show, I want to thank you for tuning in again today. If you found valuable this episode, please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and share it with someone who might benefit. And if you're ready to take your personal brand to the next level, reach out to Patricia at patricia.bossa@image group.com.au, until next time, remember the future belongs to those who adapt. But true success, the success that truly matters belongs to. Those who stay authentic till next time. Cheerio

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Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass Podcast is sponsored by Image Group International, a global team of practical, digitally savvy personal brand and image strategists based in Australia, committed to maximizing your impact, influence, and authority in the business world. To learn more and apply for personal coaching, seminars, and group workshops, please visit imagegroup.com.au or call 1800 631 311.