Welcome to an audio-led edition of Unmade.

Today’s AI-centred edition of the Unmade podcast features an interview with Arpit Jain, global president of Publicis Groupe’s AI engine Marcel.

While most holding companies have been increasingly reluctant to talk about how they are using generative AI as the risks around intellectual property and confidentiality began to outweigh the buzz, Publicis has enough points on the board to talk about its achievments.

Publicis earned drew widespread scepticism, and even derision, back in 2017 when it announced it was withdrawing from entering awards and redirecting the budget towards developing a new AI operating system, Marcel.

Six years on, Publicis has been vindicated, with Marcel now functioning as the organisation’s operating system. Marcel connects 80,000 Publicis employees and enables them to connect over an intranet of sorts that is optimised by artificial intelligence.

The name is a tribute to Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet, who founded Publicis in 1926.

In today’s interview, Cat McGinn, curator of Unmade’s AI-focused event HumAIn talks to Arpit Jain, global president of Marcel.

In the conversation, he explains how Marcel works for staff and clients and also tackles the question of how AI will change the evolution of the workforce in the communications industry.

A mechanical engineer by trade, Jain spent 12 years at Publicis before the Marcel era, with roles spanning technology, strategy, product management and client services. he returned to the organisation in 2021 to take the helm of the Marcel project.

Despite concerns expressed elsewhere, Jain argues for optimism about jobs, workflow and creative output.

“My philosophy is, how do you take advantage of it? This is all created by humans. Technology is created for your benefit. We are enabling everyone to learn. See how it helps you to be a better version of yourself and do your job better. It’s in our hands to use this to our benefit and learn new skills.”

"It will create tons of new jobs. You need to give it time. It’s not going to happen overnight. Keep learning new things and keep using it to your benefit - that’s what we’re doing at Publicis Groupe.”

Find out more about Marcel here.

Today’s podcast was produced by Seja Al Zaidi and edited by Abe’s Audio, the people to talk to about voiceovers, sound design and podcast production.

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