#154: AI Answers: The Future of AI Agents at Work, Building an AI Roadmap, Choosing the Right Tools, & Responsible AI Use

In this episode of AI Answers, Paul Roetzer and Cathy McPhillips
tackle 20 of the most pressing questions from our 48th Intro to AI
class—covering everything from building effective AI roadmaps and
selecting the right tools, using GPTs, navigating AI ethics,
understanding great prompting, and more. Access the show notes and
show links here Timestamps: 00:00:00 — Intro 00:08:46 — Question
#1: How do you define a “human-first” approach to AI? 00:11:33 —
Question #2: What uniquely human qualities do you believe we must
preserve in an AI-driven world? 00:15:55 — Question #3: Where do we
currently stand with AGI—and how close are OpenAI, Anthropic,
Google, and Meta to making it real? 00:17:53 — Question #4: If AI
becomes smarter, faster, and more accessible to all—how do
individuals or companies stand out? 00:23:17 — Question #5: Do you
see a future where AI agents can collaborate like human
teams?  00:28:40 — Question #6: For those working with
sensitive data, when does it make sense to use a local LLM over a
cloud-based one? 00:30:50 — Question #7: What’s the difference
between ChatGPT Projects and Custom GPTs? 00:32:36 — Question #8:
 If an agency or consultant is managing dozens of GPTs, what
are your best tips for organizing workflows, versioning, and
staying sane at scale? 00:36:12 — Question #9: How do you
personally decide which AI tools to use—and do you see a winner
emerging? 00:38:53 — Question #10: What tools or platforms in the
agent space are actually ready for production today? 00:43:10 —
Question #11: For companies just getting started, how do you
recommend they identify the right pain points and build their AI
roadmap? 00:45:34 — Question #12: What AI tools do you believe
deliver the most value to marketing leaders right now? 00:46:20 —
Question #13: How is AI forcing agencies and consultants to rethink
their models, especially with rising efficiency and lower costs?
00:51:14 — Question #14: What does great prompting actually look
like? And how should employers think about evaluating that skill in
job candidates? 00:54:40 — Question #15: As AI reshapes roles, does
age or experience become a liability—or can being the most informed
person in the room still win out? 00:56:52 — Question #16: What
kind of changes should leaders expect in workplace culture as AI
adoption grows? 01:00:54 — Question #17: What is ChatGPT really
storing in its “memory,” and how persistent is user data across
sessions? 01:02:11 — Question #18: How can businesses safely use
LLMs while protecting personal or proprietary information? 01:02:55
— Question #19: Why do you think some companies still ban AI tools
internally—and what will it take for those policies to shift?
01:04:13 — Question #20: If AI tools are free or low-cost, does
that make us the product? Or is there a more optimistic future
where creators and users both win This week’s episode is brought to
you by MAICON, our 6th annual Marketing AI Conference, happening in
Cleveland, Oct. 14-16. The code POD100 saves $100 on all pass
types. For more information on MAICON and to register for this
year’s conference, visit www.MAICON.ai. Visit our website Receive
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