A CMO Confidential Interview with Mike Kaput, the Chief Content Officer at SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute and co-host of "The Artificial Intelligence Show."

Mike shares research across 2000 companies regarding AI adoption and highlights the gap between what companies say they are doing and what is happening, the fact that only 25% of companies have achieved "scaling" status, and how larger companies can be slowed by complexity.

Key topics include:

- Why training and education represent the biggest obstacle to progress

- Why you should measure "tool usage"

- Why job clarity is important for agents.

Tune in to hear about rising AI pessimism and building yourself a "second brain."

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

⏱️ Chapters

01:12 – Intro: Meet Mike Kaput & AI topic overview

02:37 – State of AI report: how the data was gathered

05:53 – Key insight: people vs organizations gap

06:43 – What scaling AI actually looks like

08:06 – Pilot phase reality across companies

10:11 – AI hype vs real adoption

13:02 – The “say vs do” gap in execution

14:15 – AI literacy is the #1 barrier

16:13 – How to assess AI maturity (individual & company)

20:06 – Biggest mistake: tools without training

23:20 – AI agents, risks, and what’s next

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIMarketing #AIBusiness #GenerativeAI #AIAgents #MarketingAI #DigitalTransformation #AIAdoption #AITrends #FutureOfWork #Automation #MarketingStrategy #EnterpriseAI #AIWorkflows #AIEducation #AProductivity #AIInnovation

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This week on CMO Confidential, we're revisiting our conversation with Tom Goodwin from August of 2025 - this is one of our favorites with topics just as relevant to marketers today.

Tom discusses his belief that today's CMO's are overly focused on efficiency versus marketing principles and that the contemporary playbook has been created by tech companies focused on performance metrics.

Key topics include:

-An unhealthy focus on the speed of measurement and short-term results

-Marketers having a "feeling of vulnerability" if they haven't heard of new tech

-The fact that many of the hyped direct-to-consumer brands like Casper and Ridge Wallets aren't actually doing that well

Tune in to hear the underestimated impact of "beauty" and a story about being locked out of a self-driving car.

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Intro: Meet Tom Goodwin

02:28 – Would 1950s Marketers Beat Today’s CMOs?

05:41 – Is Marketing Actually More Complex Today?

09:15 – Fundamentals vs Growth Hacking & Performance Tactics

11:05 – DTC vs Traditional Brands: What Actually Works

15:13 – Short-Term Metrics, AI Hype & Tech Overload

28:36 – Dark Social, Hidden Influence & What Data Misses

34:21 – Predictions, AI Reality & The Power of Simplicity

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A CMO Confidential Interview with Kim Whitler, professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, board member and former GM and CMO.

Kim shares recent research which details why the largest and best companies often get dragged into conflicts they can't win, the three main forces of pressure and how they affect different management levels, and tips on picking the right company for you.

Key discussion topics include:

- The only stance agreed on by 100% of consumers

- How to think about non-divisive activism (e.g. Dove's Real Beauty Campaign)

- The danger of in-group bias

Tune in to hear why "You don't have to get engaged," and tips for getting an unbiased view.

⏱️ Chapters

01:12 Introducing Kim Whitler

01:39 Why Corporate Activism Creates Business Risk

02:51 Inside the “Executive Flip-Flop” Study

04:11 Mapping the 3 Sources of Pressure on Leaders

06:01 Internal vs External Pressure Dynamics

11:19 The “Pressure Meter” Framework Explained

12:33 Key Insight: Pressure Varies by Level (C-Suite vs Managers)

14:18 The Myth of “You Must Take a Stand”

17:09 Flawed Research Driving Activism Decisions

21:19 When Brand Activism Works vs Backfires

27:04 Choosing the Right Company as a Marketer

31:06 AI Bias, Media Influence & Finding Truth

38:11 Practical Advice: Avoiding In-Group Bias in Leadership

43:25 Final Takeaways for Marketers

This episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo

Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.