This Week's Influencer: AI Brands Need Audio Now; YouTube's View Count Gets a Boost It Didn't Earn; Creators Are Making Exit Plans; and More

It seems like AI is everywhere these days. But if you look at actual usage, only 50% of Americans use AI once a week. That’s roughly the same share of Americans who were logging on to the internet back in 2001.

If AI brands want to grow, there’s a hesitancy gap they’ll need to address. According to our new study with the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®, audio is the perfect place to foster a brand campaign.

For details of our survey, as well as tips from our AI brand playbook, check out this week’s episode of The Media Roundtable.

First-time host Tucker Peleuses (Chief of Staff, Oxford Road) welcomes Neal Lucey (EVP, Strategic Planning, Oxford Road) and Pierre Bouvard (Chief Insights Officer, Cumulus Media | Westwood One) to talk about AI’s split perceptions, audio wins, and why it’s important to remember you’re not the customer. Let’s dive in.

“ If you’re an AI brand and you think most Americans are aware of you, you’ve got a lot of work to do.” – Neal Lucey (EVP, Strategy & Planning, Oxford Road)

A Tale of Two Cities – Though AI has made inroads into numerous industries and workplaces, many Americans remain unaware of AI services. There’s still little mass-market recognition of AI brands, aside from a few big names. With that awareness gap, you’d think brands would be flooding the airwaves. But so far, only Claude and Microsoft Copilot have invested significantly in audio advertising. A lot of white space remains, just waiting for the right brands to take advantage of it.

Why Audio Wins – Even though AI companies offer digital services, audio should be the centerpiece of their media plans: The demographic fit is just too good to ignore. Heavy podcast and AM/FM radio listeners significantly over-index on AI usage, awareness, and interest. A willing audience is already listening, and it’s up to AI brands to reach them.

You’re Not the Customer – Because AI is so polarizing, marketers can’t assume potential customers share their enthusiasm for the technology. Check your blind spots and pre-test your creative to make sure you’re actually connecting with your audience. And please, please don’t be boring. Dull ads cost twice as much as interesting ones.

For more insights on how AI brands can use audio to grow, check out the full episode below.