While I am sure that historically there are combinations of two letters that are more feared than AI, it’s those two that are most top of mind today.
When you mention Artificial Intelligence, the immediate thoughts that come to mind are loss of jobs, forced career changes, fake news, stolen identities, and even the possibility that AI programs will take over civilization as we know it.
So it’s understandable that, in some circles, AI is a dirty word.
There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Artificial Intelligence will lead to many of our imagined fears becoming reality. AI used poorly can create real chaos, create confusion when it hallucinates, and alter opinions by presenting falsehoods. Conversely, there should also be an understanding that AI used as a tool can improve human performance, lead to more efficient workflow, gather information, provide organization, generate revenue, and shore up weaknesses that would otherwise be detrimental to performance.
A perception that is more right than wrong is that AI needs human involvement for guardrails and to be programmed for the objective to be accomplished.
The advancement and rapid growth of AI for multiple uses requires all of us, regardless of our role in media, to seek out proper education and work toward mastering these new tools. Talent are among those who have the greatest headroom for growth by using AI as a tool to further connect, entertain, and inform their audiences. The advantages of AI for talent go beyond performance to include brand building and expanding one’s footprint across more platforms.
To thrive in 2026’s fragmented, AI-driven, and creator-led media landscape, talent must blend digital fluency, ethical rigor, and strategic personal branding.
Master Digital Fluency and AI Integration
Education around AI is no longer optional. It’s a baseline for efficiency and insight. Learn to use at least three AI-powered research tools for verification, data gathering, and content generation. AI is a strong tool for show prep. It is important to have a rigorous approach to checking information for accuracy. Thus the three AI platforms.
Build a Strong, Niche Personal Brand
Audiences in 2026 value relevance over scale. Develop a professional portfolio site and engage on at least two industry-specific platforms. Position yourself as a content curator, not just a personality, by offering original insights, data, and expert opinions. This aligns with the shift toward personality-led, authentic storytelling. This is where being a human matters the most. Your opinion counts.
Adapt to Evolving Storytelling Formats
Creator-driven content, short-form video, social search, and podcasting build personality brands and benefit stations. Be ready to produce concise, engaging formats for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Combine these with longer-form, in-depth content to cater to different audience segments. Not everyone uses every platform. Connect with as many listeners/viewers as possible across many outlets.
Prioritize Ethical Reporting and Verification
With AI-generated misinformation and deepfakes on the rise, known as hallucinations, maintain strict verification standards. Use AI tools ethically, ensuring transparency and accuracy. Build trust by consistently delivering verifiable, high-quality content. Never knowingly mislead your audience. Strive to always deliver in a credible fashion. Always.
Engage in Audience-Centric, Experiential Work
Experiential entertainment and immersive media are strategic priorities. Working with an experiential marketing company, I’ve seen firsthand how the importance of experiences is becoming increasingly desirable to consumers AKA listeners. Create interactive, community-driven content that fosters connection and loyalty. Use direct creator-to-listener communication to retain audiences. Database management that harnesses AI becomes an even more valuable tool to find meter or diary holders.
Diversify Skills and Revenue Streams
Embrace multiple revenue models. The obvious is the legacy medium way of selling Over The Air advertising. Digital advertising brings finite targeting, the ability to add streaming to OTA, which then enables the paywall for unique content, subscriptions, and ad partnerships to branded content and live events. Being available on many platforms is critical as all legacy media faces declining engagement from the many choices the audience has available to them.
Stay Agile and Curious
The media environment in 2026 is volatile. There’s zero reason to believe that the level of competition won’t continue to increase in the future. Continuously audit your digital footprint, adapt to platform changes, and experiment with new formats. Treat each broadcast as an opportunity to refine your skills and audience reach. The same focus we’ve put on Over The Air for decades needs to be put toward all locations where your content is available.
Opportunity Exists with the Help of AI
By combining the talent and creativity that highly successful personalities have, along with authenticity, audience intimacy, and drive, media talent can not only survive but should excel in today’s competitive, fragmented, and rapidly evolving landscape. The broadcasters that value personalities, real live humans, have an advantage … especially if they know how to master and dominate AI.
Be fearless and always learning.
