Julian Goldie, SEO agency founder, explains how AI content automation helped him scale from freelancer to an eight-figure business without hiring at speed.

In this episode of Scaling with AI, Julian Goldie joins Alex Bacon to break down how AI is being used to scale content and operations in real businesses. The conversation is aimed at founders, agency owners and consultants exploring AI for business growth.

Julian shares how AI tools are used to automate content creation at scale across YouTube, LinkedIn and short-form video, reaching millions of people each month. He explains the role of AI voice and video cloning, automated scripting, and structured quality control systems that allow small teams to compete with much larger organisations.

The episode also covers practical AI use cases in SEO delivery, backlink outreach, reporting automation and cost reduction. Julian discusses how to avoid AI hallucinations, where human input still matters, and how to introduce AI into teams without sacrificing quality.

If you are looking to use AI for content automation, marketing scale or operational efficiency, this episode offers clear, real-world insight. Listen now to learn how to scale with AI, not headcount.

AI search is changing how every brand gets found and trusted online - and most businesses are not ready for what is happening right now.

Get practical advice on preparing your brand for AI search with James Foote, SEO Director at Polaris. James joins Alex Bacon on the Scaling With AI Podcast to unpack how AI search, AI overviews and generative search are reshaping brand visibility for marketing and business leaders. This episode explores the real impact of SEO, GEO, AEO and AIO on e-commerce, B2B and consumer search behaviour, making it ideal for leaders who need clarity on what is shifting and what to do next.

James shares why brands are behind the curve, how AI search models like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT are influencing product discovery, and why reputation management is becoming essential again. We also look at the rise of spam tactics in AI search and how to stay visible without risking your brand.

You will learn how to measure your AI search baseline, create content that matches user intent, and get ahead of emerging trends such as agent shopping, visual search and contextual content for e-commerce.

If you want to understand AI search and build a brand strategy that is ready for what comes next, this episode is for you. Listen now.

Business and marketing leaders are rethinking how they create and scale content in an AI driven world. In this episode of Scaling with AI, Jon Buckthorp from Differentiated joins Alex to explore how AI content creation is transforming user behaviour, marketing workflows and customer expectations.

Jon explains how AI can act as a genuine content partner, improving research, ideation and writing so teams can produce higher quality work at speed. He shares why brands must move away from thought theatre and focus instead on clarity, depth and measurable value. The discussion breaks down the growing gap between what users say they want and what they actually engage with, plus why traditional content marketing models are struggling to keep up.

You will also hear practical examples from Differentiated, covering generative AI, personalised content journeys, AI assisted workflows and the real world impact these tools can have on marketing performance.

If you want to understand how AI can elevate your content strategy, meet rising user expectations and give your team a smarter way to work, this episode of Scaling with AI will help you stay ahead.

What happens when a global retailer like ASOS puts Microsoft Copilot in the hands of its people? In this episode of Scaling with AI, Alex Bacon explores how AI adoption can succeed when non-tech teams lead the change.

Hannah Adams, ASOS’s former Head of Learning and Development, shares how she helped employees embrace Copilot—from early resistance to practical everyday use. She explains what really drives engagement, how to turn sceptics into advocates, and why learning design matters more than technology.

Expect insights on building confidence, embedding AI into real workflows, and making “AI for everyone” a reality. Whether you’re running a small team or scaling an SME, you’ll take away practical lessons to launch your own Copilot rollout without the chaos.

ASOS, Microsoft Copilot, AI adoption, SME leaders, digital transformation — how do non-tech teams make AI work in practice? If you're an SME leader, founder, and manager planning a Copilot rollout or exploring how to embed AI tools into daily work - this episode is a must.

This episode also features a new segment of the show with Ben Lee who is reviewing a new AI tool every episode. This week Ben reviews Tella.

AI is changing how we work – but most teams still don’t know which skills matter or where to start.

In this episode of Scaling with AI, Alex Bacon talks with Will Roberts from Digital Peninsula Network about the essential AI skills every business needs to stay competitive. Drawing on insights from the government-funded AI for Workplace Productivity Bootcamp, Will shares how UK leaders and teams are learning to use tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Midjourney to boost efficiency, creativity and confidence at work.

You’ll discover how to build an AI-ready workforce, why most training fails to stick, and how to create a culture of experimentation that drives results. They also explore AI in education, the changing expectations of future employees, and how Will uses AI to manage ADHD, turning distraction into focus and productivity.

If you’re leading a business or building a career around AI adoption, digital transformation or upskilling, this episode gives you a practical blueprint for success.

Listen now to learn how to close the AI skills gap and future-proof your business.

What happens when Microsoft becomes its own test case for AI?
In this episode of Scaling with AI, Alex Bacon speaks with George Pearson, Portfolio Lead for Global Partner Support at Microsoft, about the Customer Zero initiative – the internal deployment of Copilot across Microsoft’s vast support organisation.

George reveals how Microsoft used Copilot to transform operations spanning 92 contact centres, tens of thousands of engineers, and over a billion customers. He shares what it really took to modernise global customer service: from consolidating 16 CRM systems into one, to cutting admin time and increasing first-call resolution by 31%.

You’ll learn why Copilot is more than a writing assistant, how “thoughtful deployment” avoids the rubbish in, rubbish out trap, and why human feedback from engineers proved crucial to success.

If you lead a business exploring AI adoption, this conversation offers a blueprint for scaling AI that boosts both customer experience and employee satisfaction.

Listen now to learn how Microsoft made AI work in the real world.

What happens when cutting-edge AI meets one of literature’s most beloved characters? In this episode of Scaling with AI, Alex Bacon explores how the University for the Creative Arts partnered with StarPal AI to bring Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen’s world into ours as a fully interactive AI avatar.

Discover how students and researchers worked together to design, build and test a digital version of Lizzy that delighted visitors at the Jane Austen House Museum. From witty unscripted conversations to surprising historical knowledge, the project revealed how avatars can transform cultural engagement and make learning more accessible.

We unpack the creative process behind shaping Elizabeth’s personality, the role of iteration in refining her responses, and what this experiment means for museums, education, and the wider cultural sector.

If you’re curious about how AI avatars can breathe new life into heritage experiences - and what it’s like to chat with Jane Austen’s most famous heroine - this episode is not to be missed.

What does it take for a 187-year-old firm to successfully scale AI across every department? In this episode of Scaling with AI, you’ll hear real-world AI strategy, use cases and implementation lessons from Ben Lee of Bidwells.

Most businesses struggle to move AI projects beyond pilot stage. Guest Ben Lee, Head of Data and AI at Bidwells, shares the "Launchpad" framework he developed to move from experimentation to business-wide adoption.

Alex and Ben explore:

• Why time, not technology, kills AI adoption (and the simple fix)
• The critical step before automating: fixing broken processes first
• Ready-to-implement AI applications for meetings, research, and documentation
• How to scale from experimentation to enterprise-wide transformation

This conversation blends strategy with hands-on examples, showing how traditional businesses can adopt AI in a structured, scalable way. Whether you're starting your AI journey or ready to scale, you'll gain a clear framework to follow.

Listen now to learn proven strategies for AI adoption, implementation and scaling across your business.