Latest news with #AdamBrotman
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Don't count out Apple in the ‘AI race': It might be in the best position of all
Adam Brotman and Andy Sack are cofounders at Forum3. As generative AI reshapes the tech landscape, most attention has gone to OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Microsoft, xAI, and China's DeepSeek. Their models are powerful, their demos flashy, and their progress rapid. In contrast, Apple—famously secretive and methodical—has drawn skepticism over its perceived AI inertia. Despite announcing 'Apple Intelligence' at WWDC in June 2024 and following it with a splashy fall ad campaign, Apple has yet to meaningfully integrate generative AI into iOS. Instead, headlines swirl about delays and internal team reshuffling, and among AI insiders, it's trendy to 'worry' about Apple's AI future. That worry is understandable, especially when compared to the dizzying pace of OpenAI and Google's new capabilities. The contrast is frustrating for users who see clear use cases where generative AI could vastly improve the iPhone experience: AI-powered search, advanced voice assistants, agents, and multimodal interactions. But we see it differently. Yes, we're frustrated iPhone users, too. We wish Siri were as helpful as ChatGPT's voice mode. But Apple isn't losing the race—they're running a different one. And they might still win. Apple has never been about speed. It moves deliberately, focused on reliability, privacy, and delighting the customer. With 2.2 billion active devices and full-stack control—from chip to OS to App Store—Apple has a unique advantage. Historically, it's combined existing technologies (web, MP3s, GPS, 3G/5G, etc.) with intuitive interfaces to transform how we live. It doesn't need to compete on model performance. It just needs to integrate AI in a way that enhances the 'Apple magic.' So, what's the holdup? Apple clearly understands the opportunity. Its Apple Intelligence campaign hints at awareness of the obvious integration points. Take Siri: Apple already owns the 'voice gateway' to our always-on devices. These phones are full of rich contextual data (preferences, habits, histories) that would power next-level AI interactions. We all want to say 'Hey Siri' and get real results—bookings, posts, purchases, reminders, edits—across apps we're already logged into. Imagine telling Siri to reorder your usual from Starbucks, restock the pantry via Instacart, trade on Robinhood, or post to LinkedIn, all without switching apps, or even having to touch your phone for that matter. That's the vision. Generative AI feels like the missing piece to finally fulfill Siri's promise. And because it's Apple, we'd trust it to be secure and privacy-first. But internal delays and hints of cultural conflict suggest Apple's AI leadership lacked urgency or vision. A recent Apple research paper questioning LLMs' ability to 'reason' was widely criticized for missing the practical point; LLMs work incredibly well in real-world contexts, regardless of what's happening inside the model. This kind of skepticism points to a potential lack of spark and ambition in Apple's AI leadership. But Apple has another cultural pillar that may soon take over: customer obsession. The truth is that generative AI, when integrated well, will make the iOS experience dramatically better. That gravitational pull is strong, and Apple seems to be responding. There are signs Apple is course-correcting. It's rumored to be pursuing partnerships, acquisitions, and hires to fill gaps in leadership and capability. One such rumor: a possible acquisition of Perplexity, the AI-native search engine. Why would that matter? Perplexity is led by Aravind Srinivas, a respected AI voice. The company is pioneering AI search with nearly a billion monthly queries. It's focused on being an 'answer engine,' a perfect fit for Apple's need to evolve both Siri and Safari, especially as it may need to decouple from Google Search in the future. Siri powered by Perplexity's tech (plus Srinivas's vision) could help Apple leapfrog into a world where voice and AI search are seamless, helpful, and deeply integrated into iOS. And Apple has the resources to make this happen. With $130 billion in cash and one of the strongest brands in tech, it could easily hire or acquire the talent it needs. Consider Meta, which is throwing massive sums at top AI figures, including Scale AI's Alexandr Wang, Safe Superintelligence's Ilya Sutskever, and others. Apple has the same access and arguably a more attractive platform to offer. So even if it looks like Apple is behind, it's likely in the middle of a deliberate acceleration. It doesn't need to build the next best model or dominate AI as a research field. It just needs to masterfully integrate this new layer into its existing experience. That's what it does best. Apple's goal is to make AI work for its ecosystem—private, secure, and seamless. When it arrives, it will feel like it's always been there. And Apple will continue to lead, not by chasing AI headlines, but by doing what it always has: putting the customer first. And we would bet on it doing just that in this space as it gets through its current course corrections. The opinions expressed in commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on
Fast Company
27-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
How Bill Gates thinks you should use AI
Brands that aren't using artificial intelligence will soon be left behind—but it's not too late to start, argues a new book, AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business or Brand. The same way that business leaders once explored what it means to be digital first or mobile first or video first, digital strategists and authors Adam Brotman and Andy Sack pose the question: What does it mean to be AI first? Brotman and Sack, cofounders of the digital consultancy Forum3, interviewed some of the most influential leaders in technology for their book, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, and Reid Hoffman, best known for cofounding LinkedIn. The book shares their insights as well as a playbook for businesses on how to integrate AI. Brotman, the former chief digital officer for Starbucks who shaped the brand's highly successful mobile app and loyalty program, spoke to Fast Company about what he hopes readers will gain from their new book. We had actually been asked by Harvard Business Review Press to write a book on digital loyalty, which is my background and our specialty. But we had just had a 'holy s—' moment, like a lot of other people, when we saw ChatGPT. We didn't understand what was really behind these generative AI systems and where the various frontier labs and systems were going with it. We thought, we better learn this. We asked Harvard if we could go on this journey and share it with our readers, and they said yes. Why does AI feel different to you than other technological advances? There are two ways. One is that we're talking about intelligence as a service, and that just felt like something that was always reserved for either science fiction or human beings. It wasn't just software that you programmed, that either worked or didn't work. The fact that it could think and reason—at least seemingly so—felt very human and unlike anything that we had seen. The second thing was how fast it was moving. You brought up the 'holy-s— moment.' I've heard that you and Sack at one point wanted that to be the title of the book. Why? We talked to Sam Altman as our first interview for the book. He said that the mission of OpenAI was to achieve artificial general intelligence. And by definition, that's when the AI can effectively do what any human can do, if not better, pretty much instantly and for free. We were like, 'Oh my God, you're focused on that. When do you think that's going to happen?' And he said, 'I can't predict it, but probably in around five years.' That was a holy-s— moment for us. We were sort of stunned. When you try this technology, I think everybody has their own aha moment, if you will. How do I take advantage of this? What is this going to mean for jobs? What is this going to mean for society? There's a lot of exciting things but there's also a lot of scary unknowns. We thought that was an appropriate name, but of course that's not the best name for a book published by an established publisher. So we compromised and called the introduction chapter 'The Holy-S— Moment' and the book is called 'AI First.' Yeah, two things: One was that he likened the first time he saw ChatGPT4 to the first time he saw graphical user interface, before Microsoft came up and led the PC revolution with Windows. So he validated and confirmed the significance of this technology. The other thing Bill Gates said to us that was a key takeaway was about the contours of the concept of productivity. Most of us think of productivity as just quantitative, meaning output. He reminded us that productivity has a qualitative edge and dimension to it, and that if you have access to a tool like generative AI and you know how to harness it, you're going to not just up your productivity, but the quality of your work. I thought that was really interesting. How should business leaders today be leveraging AI? Most organizations want to skip to the AI innovation. They want to skip to the application, like the chatbot or the robot. What they're skipping over is the powerful effects of everybody using AI many times a day, every day, to enhance their decision-making and analysis and insights—frankly, to do their job better and faster. That's not as sexy as some advanced voice-mode, drive-thru technology you deploy across all your QSR [quick-service restaurant] locations. It's not as sexy as completely innovating your creative output through text-to-image, text-to-video capabilities. Those are really important AI use cases, but they're not the everyday, always-on superpower of letting every individual get that benefit of co-intelligence to make decisions faster. One of the key nuggets from the book is that AI-first organizations start with AI-first people. Is that what you mean when you say that business owners should be thinking of AI as a colleague? Yes. It's collaborating, soundboarding with the AI, inviting AI to the table, as [AI expert and Wharton] professor Ethan Mollick likes to say. It's thinking of it as a member of your team, a colleague. Is there anything else you want readers to know about your book or AI in general? I think a lot of people are intimidated or afraid of either not being able to keep up with the advancements in AI or of the implications of AI, given how fast-moving and powerful it is. What I would say is: It's absolutely not too late. There are so many business leaders in the same spot as you. This is the perfect time to develop a game plan to figure out how to make your organization keep up with what's going on. But don't wait—get started.
Entrepreneur
24-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
AI Is Changing How Restaurants Are Run
Digital strategists Adam Brotman and Andy Sack discuss their new book on AI and the impact of tech on today's restaurants. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Adam Brotman and Andy Sack weren't planning to write a book about AI. At first, Harvard approached them about customer loyalty, a subject they knew well. Brotman had spent years leading digital strategy at Starbucks, helping build the company's world-class mobile app. Sack was a longtime technologist and venture capitalist who co-founded Forum3, a digital strategy firm, alongside Brotman. Then ChatGPT arrived on the scene, and everything changed. "We had this moment," Sack says to Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media, "where we looked at each other and said: this is going to be way bigger than anyone realizes." Related: Giada De Laurentiis's Major Deal With Amazon Is a New Frontier for the Chef and Entrepreneur In that instant, the book they thought they'd be writing—the safe one about digital loyalty—became something else entirely. They were now on a mission to unpack AI: what it meant for business, creativity, and the entire landscape of work. That kicked off a journey that resulted in AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand. Their research involved interviewing some of the most powerful minds in tech: Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI; Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn and OpenAI; and Bill Gates. They weren't easy interviews to get. When they met with Hoffman, he was late. He'd just finished a call with the Pope. That's how powerful technology companies have become. He was working with the Vatican to help them understand the societal impact of AI. What caught the Pope's attention was the idea that a device powered by AI could provide healthcare guidance on par with a primary care physician. At scale. For the entire world. Bill Gates put his feelings simply: "AI is bigger than the computer." When asked why, he explained, "This time, the computer understands us." Sam Altman didn't hold back when asked how AI would impact marketing and creativity. He said 95 percent of marketing as we know it would be done by AI within five years. Whole departments would be replaced by agents. Decades-old workflows would be transformed. That interview, held at OpenAI's offices in San Francisco, was a turning point. Brotman and Sack left stunned. They walked around the block in silence. "We were just processing," Brotman says. "Everything we thought we knew about business and the future had shifted." That's when it clicked: this was bigger than anything they had ever experienced. It was their "Holy Shit Moment." Because that's what it was. And that's what it still is, for anyone paying attention. The AI-First Restaurant For Adam Brotman, the restaurant industry isn't just another vertical. It's where digital meets human, where a line of hungry customers can make or break your bottom line. He's lived it, from his days building the Starbucks app to consulting with some of the biggest names in hospitality. So when he says AI is a game-changer for restaurants, he means it. "Restaurants have always struggled to compete with bigger retailers on technology," Brotman says. "They run on razor-thin margins, always focusing on the guest, the food, the experience. Tech has often been an afterthought." Related: Fans Are Tattooing This Pizza Brand's Logo on Their Skin for a Year of Free Slices That's no longer an option. "The playing field has changed," he says. "You can't say, 'I don't have a tech team or business intelligence.' You do. It's called AI." So what does that mean? For starters, every conversation matters. Team huddles, problem-solving sessions—record them, transcribe them, feed them into AI. That pile of chatter is now a goldmine of insight. Customer feedback is no longer just something you respond to. It is data. Use AI to structure that feedback, cross-reference it with your notes, and figure out what's working and what's not. And the data you already have? "You don't need a massive data warehouse," Brotman says. "Snapshot it weekly, feed it into AI, and get a clear, real-time look at what customers are buying, what trends are emerging, and where you need to pivot." Related: These College Friends Wanted to Sell Better Food. Now, Their Company Is Publicly Traded. Andy Sack is quick to point out that an AI-first restaurant starts with an AI-first mindset. "You don't have to be an expert," he says. "Start with a problem—labor, supply chain, marketing—and let AI help you map out solutions." His advice: Don't overcomplicate it. "Just ask," Sack says. "Treat it like an advisor. Tell it what's on your mind and let it help you see what's possible." For restaurant operators who've always fought for every inch of progress, that might be the biggest shift of all. The world where you had to choose between hospitality and technology is gone. And for Brotman and Sack, it all goes back to that first Holy Shit Moment—the realization that AI wasn't just another tool, but a tectonic shift that would change everything. "The ground is moving," Brotman says. "We're just helping restaurants stand on it." About Restaurant Influencers Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point-of-sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience. Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast. Restaurant Influencer is also supported by NEXT INSURANCE. See why 600,000+ U.S. businesses trust NEXT for insurance.
Forbes
18-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AI First? Make Sure Your People Understand It First
AI: Educate first. getty AI-first thinking doesn't just spring out of a vacuum. Leaders and employees need to adopt an AI-first mindset that prepares everyone for the changes ahead. This makes training and education about AI more important than anything – and where any AI-first efforts are most likely to get bogged down. Among students, 65% say they had not had the opportunity to take an AI-specific or AI-inclusive courses at their universities, according to a student-run survey published in EdTech. Only three percent felt very confident that their education would help them secure a job in a field involving AI. AI education is still lacking for current employees as well. While the percentage of workers using AI for their jobs increased from eight percent in 2023 to more than one-third (35%) as of this spring, only 31% said their employer-provided training on AI tools, according to a survey released by Jobs for the Future. In addition, AI use appears to an individual endeavor, with a majority (60%) reporting using AI primarily for self-directed learning. The importance of education and training to prepare organizations for an AI future is emphasized by Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, in their latest book, AI First: The Playbook for a Future-Proof Business and Brand. An AI-first policy cannot move forward without education and training, said Brotman, former chief digital officer at Starbucks, and Sack, former adviser to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. 'An AI-first mindset requires a commitment to ongoing education about AI technologies and their potential applications," they wrote. "It encourages experimentation and learning from both successes and failures, ensuring that teams stay ahead of technology advancements.' Such programs should begin with programs 'to build proficiency across the organization. These programs should cover AI basics, applications, and potential impacts on various business functions.' Ultimately, AI education and training smooths the way for 'proper governance and process for scaling AI within your company," they added. "You can't effectively advise the company on an appropriate AI use policy or help prioritize potential AI pilots if you don't have a basic understanding of how the foundational AI systems work, versus still needing to improve, or the variety of capabilities and workflows that stem from AI." Brotman and Slack outline the progression for both individuals and their organizations – from experimenting with AI to building an AI-first culture: Notably, an AI-first mindset also borrows from the 'lean' approach to management, emphasizing 'continuous improvement and innovations by building products that customers want through interactive cycles of build, measure, and learning,' Brotman and Slack pointed out. AI-first lean thinking 'starts with identifying the core problem that needs solving and developing a minimum viable product to test hypotheses. Lean thinking is about reducing waste in processes, understanding customer needs through direct feedback, and pivoting strategies based on data and insights.'
Business Insider
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Sam Altman said AI would replace 95% of ad agency work. 3 top creative directors say AI has won them lucrative business.
Don't sound the death knell for ad agencies yet. Artificial intelligence threatens to upend the ad agency sector. Ever-improving tools are shortening the time it takes to produce logos, online ads, and even movies. In the soon-to-be-published book "AI First" by Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is quoted as saying, "95% of what marketers use agencies, strategists, and creative professionals for today will easily, nearly instantly, and at almost no cost be handled by AI." The agency world thinks differently. BI spoke to three top creative directors, who said AI is fueling a creative boom and that the technology doesn't portend an ad agency extinction event. Instead, they're using AI to more efficiently pitch big ideas and to expand their services into areas like content optimization. It's Don Draper from "Mad Men," on steroids. "AI can be an incredible creative tool, and if we keep getting in our own way of fearing it, it'll only date us," said Elena Knox, executive creative director at BBDO New York, which works for clients like M&M's, Wells Fargo, AT&T, and St-Germain. Knox said she's using AI to sell ambitious concepts to clients. She and her team used tools like Midjourney to bring to life a vision of an office where tree growth exploded into it before landing the viewer in a forest in the form of a GIF. It convinced the client to invest a multimillion-dollar production budget for shoots in New Zealand and Bulgaria. "Before you would have had to spend hours comping that, and the image wouldn't have existed," Knox said. "In AI, we were able to make a quick GIF of it and show the clients: this is what we want to film." In a separate pitch, Knox and her team used AI to create a realistic voiceover that convinced the client they needed to invest in that particular celebrity. In yesteryear, the agency might have needed to create a multi-page pitch deck to showcase why the celebrity was relevant, include their latest movies and social media followings, and perhaps call in the celebrity or a voice impersonator for testing. "What AI allowed me to do was show the client what it felt like," said Knox. "There's nothing like hearing the thing and being like, well, I can't unhear that." Trading celebrity glamour for an AI 'GOAT' AI can come to the rescue when lavish celebrity shoots are off the cards, too. Reckitt-Benckiser's laundry detergent brand Woolite was famed in the 1970s through the 1990s for using megastars of French cinema in its advertising. But when Woolite asked its creative agency, BETC, to relaunch the brand in France this year, the budget was more constrained than in decades past. Still wanting to maintain the brand's celebrity cachet, BETC used AI to create a new brand character: the Fluffy GOAT. A play on the "greatest of all time" moniker, the superstar goat is seen globetrotting on a speedboat, private jet, and in a limousine. Alasdhair Macgregor Hastie, executive creative director at BETC, said the campaign was delivered in six weeks, compared to the three to six months that in-person productions featuring big celebrities would ordinarily take. "AI to me is something that can only enhance what we do. I'm old enough to remember when Photoshop came in and people were wailing and moaning it was the end of advertising," Macgregor Hastie said. "Photoshop became a tool, and if we don't adapt to the new tool then the new tool is going to take over." For all its attributes, AI still presents clear challenges to the ad agency business model, in which companies tend to bill clients based on the number of full-time equivalent employees that are devoted to their accounts. Martin Sorrell, the executive chairman of the advertising company S4 Capital, told analysts on a recent earnings call that agencies like his were adapting their commercial models in some cases to be "on the basis of assets or outputs delivered." It reflects how AI is reducing the time it takes to manage and produce campaigns. The creative directors BI spoke to also said there were open questions about how the industry would continue to nurture early career talent, now that many junior tasks can be automated. Eric Wegerbauer, chief creative officer at TBWA, said the availability of AI tools is changing the scope of work the creative agency is pitching. It recently won a big piece of work that was all about content optimization across different formats and countries. TBWA also recently devised an idea for a campaign that would deliver close to 1 million personalized variations of an ad to target individual customers. "You'd just never ever, ever do that without AI," Wegerbauer said.
