AI SIX Podcast

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I started my professional career in the year 2001. I joined Highland Radio as a graduate journalist and the rest they say is history. But I caught up recently with the station’s Business Matters host and my former colleague, Chris Ashmore to talk about my new book. 

We discussed the making of AI Playbook and what readers can expect. 

I want to say that it was great that Highland Radio was my first official radio interview about the book. 

Don’t forget you can order your copy now at https://aimarketingplaybook.ie/. 

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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Earlier this month I sat at my desk and watched the State of the Union Address with Europe setting out its boldest vision yet for artificial intelligence. 

In her 2025 Address, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a €20 billion plan to build five AI gigafactories across the EU. 

Her message was clear: “A European AI is essential for our future independence.”

But what exactly is an AI gigafactory? Why is the EU treating AI like critical infrastructure? And does this move mark a turning point in Europe’s long struggle for digital sovereignty?

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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Today I want to talk about Google’s latest model, amusingly named Nano Banana. Honestly, it sounds like my granddaughter Maisie’s nickname for me! She calls me Nan. 

Despite the playful title, this is a serious piece of technology. It’s Google’s most advanced AI for image editing and generation, built straight into the Gemini app and Google AI Studio. I love demonstrating this tool in my classrooms. It certainly has the wow factor. 

And earlier this month, Google released an official prompt guide to help people actually use it well. I’ve read through it and tested some of the examples, so let’s find out how it works!

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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I’m a huge fan of Notebook LM and I’m an even bigger fan after their latest round of updates.

What if your notes could turn themselves into a podcast, a video explainer, or even a mind map? Well that’s the promise from NotebookLM’s latest update.

Video overviews

• Narrated, slide-based summaries with diagrams, quotes, and images.
• Useful for training and workshops.

Audio overviews

• Podcast-style summaries with adjustable tone and style (formal vs casual).
• Flexible for different contexts (academic vs podcast-friendly).

Flashcards and quizzes

• Instantly generated from documents with citations.
• Attractive for students.

Interactive mind maps

• Visual navigation of complex documents (e.g. 200-page policy papers).
• Useful for both students and professionals.

Productivity upgrades

• Enhanced studio panel: store multiple outputs of the same type.
• Public notebooks and sharing: enables collaboration and open research.
• Upgraded reports: new formats like glossaries, character analyses, blog posts.

Research upgrades

• “Discover Sources”: pulls in relevant web material.

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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Today I’m talking about something that sounds like science fiction but is now political reality: Albania has just appointed the world’s first AI government minister.

Diella, Albania's first AI Minister is making headlines across the world. She isn’t a person but an AI system, presented as a virtual woman in traditional Albanian dress. Her portfolio? Public procurement. That means evaluating and awarding all government contracts, with the ambitious mission of making Albania’s tendering process “100 percent corruption-free.”

The backstory matters here. Albania has long struggled with corruption, and its Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has tied Diella’s role directly to the country’s bid to join the European Union by 2030. Procurement reform is one of the biggest sticking points.

If you want to learn even more about AI, then my new book AI Playbook is the perfect AI SIX podcast companion. 

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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It’s finally here. AI Playbook, my fourth title, is now in the hands of readers. 

AI Playbook kept me grounded most of the year. After-dinner writing was my dessert. I'd wash up, and pull up my seat at my breakfast bar. Three to four hours most evenings since January and on September 12th my fourth book made its appearance. I wrote more personal anecdotes in this book (my fourth - see my other titles here) and I enjoyed that style of writing. I think you will see some heart among the business heath. 

It's a solitary pass-time - writing. But I really enjoy it. It centres me and it reminds me of my 'why' and why I do love empowering marketing and comms professionals and leaders alike. But I can't let it interfere with my day job - the business of serving my clients. So that's why I took to the high stool for most week-day evenings. 

I had a wonderful time at the launch, and I thought I'd share some of the voices with you in today's episode.

Get your copy! 

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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From journalism to policing comms and AI-powered social intelligence, this week's long-listen guest is Christine Townsend. 

From Kent in the UK, and now living in Texas, Christine has an impressive communications career. We've known each other for six years, and it just so happened that we were both in Vegas for the 3CMA conference. 

Enjoy this conversation and be inspired about how AI-powered insights can change how you deliver public sector comms.

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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A Letter to Listeners from Las Vegas.

It's the city of bright lights and big bets. I've taken a bet on AI Playbook, spent two years writing and researching, practicing and teaching AI before committing to words on a page. 

This book is a gift to communications and marketing professionals across the world. If you read this book and put it into practice you will be in the top 5% of your peers globally. 

So, get your copy and join my army of AI for Good. 

Enjoy my sign-off from Vegas! 

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

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I can now say 'I did Las Vegas!'

It was a breathtaking experience taking to the stage in the Planet Hollywood Hotel in front of 820 government comms pros at the 37th Annual 3CMA conference. 

Delivering the conference keynote, I brought the audience through the teachings in AI Playbook and also sold out the copies I had taken to Vegas, for what I'm calling the 'soft launch'.

As I type, I'm on my way home and am 35,000 feet in the air over the Atlantic Ocean having left Boston two hours ago. 

So here's my audio diary of taking on a Vegas stage! 

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector. 

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is coming to you from Las Vegas, where at 8:30 yesterday morning, 80 government communications professionals turned up to my workshop on Powering Your Social Media with AI.

This morning I will present for a second time as the keynote speaker at the 3CMA annual conference attended by over 800 local government communications professionals. This is my biggest stage ever and I get to share the insights from my new book, AI Playbook.

In this episode I share three takeaways from the workshop on AI-powered social media communications for local government. 

Want to go deeper on AI? 

📖 Buy AI Playbook

📩 Get my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Human in the Loop. 

🎓 Level up with the CPD Accredited AI Playbook Diploma

 📞 Let's talk about AI training for your team: digitaltraining.ie or publicsectormarketingpros.com if you are in government or publics sector.