AI is transforming marketing fast... but what actually works, and where do humans still win?In this AI for Everyone episode, Harrison Painter sits down with AJ Schneider — CEO of Schneider Communication Group, former President of Wheaton Worldwide, and VP of Communications at AMA Indy — to talk about MARCON Indy, the first major marketing conference in Indiana.

We cover:

• Why MARCON Indy is different from other marketing events

• The gap between AI theory and practice (and how SMBs can use it today)

• Why human creativity and analog touches still cut through in a digital world

• How marketers can balance data-driven insights with trust and connection

👉 If you’re a marketer, operator, or executive feeling the pressure of AI, this conversation will give you clarity and next steps.

📌 Resources:

🔗 AMA Indy: https://www.indyama.com

🔗 AJ Schneider – http://schneidercg.com/

🔗 LaunchReady.ai: https://launchready.ai

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Intro: Why MarCon Indy matters

00:49 – Welcome AJ Schneider

01:44 – Why AMA Indy launched MarCon

02:50 – Theory vs. practice in AI marketing

04:53 – The risks of dumping data into ChatGPT

07:00 – Security, governance, and consistency

09:00 – Knowledge is worthless without human wisdom

11:00 – The danger of skipping fundamentals with AI

13:36 – Old-school sales & handwritten notes as differentiators

15:37 – Content, SEO, and how AI leveled the field

17:06 – Differentiating in a world of AI parity

19:10 – Relativity and the “more to the story” effect in business

21:20 – All-or-nothing adoption vs. patient exploration of tools

24:05 – Where MarCon delivers most value (target attendees)

26:22 – AJ’s focus on helping SMBs with marketing execution

29:03 – Speed round (favorite campaign, overrated trend, future of marketing)

30:46 – Final thoughts: Central Indiana’s marketing talent

32:23 – Outro: Subscribe + attend MarCon Indy