Holding Human in the Age of AI: A MarCom Leader’s Guide to the Machine Era.

Over the past decade, technology has steadily reshaped how people communicate, create, and collaborate. The rapid rise of generative AI is accelerating that shift even further. As more tasks become automated, there is growing concern that critical thinking, creativity, and the distinct perspectives that make individuals valuable contributors can begin to erode.

For marketers and business leaders, this moment presents both opportunity and risk. AI can dramatically increase efficiency and open new possibilities for innovation. At the same time, overreliance on automated systems may unintentionally reduce the very qualities that help organizations connect with audiences, build trust, and stand out in competitive markets.

In this thought-provoking session, Dan Mushalko, Executive Producer and Facilitator at the Innovative Leadership Institute and founder of Mushalko’s Radiophonic Laboratory, explores how AI is reshaping the workforce and influencing personal and professional identity. Drawing on nearly five decades of experience in marketing, communications, and media, he brings together insights from science, technology, and storytelling to examine how organizations can adopt new technologies without losing the human perspective that drives creativity, innovation, and meaningful connection.

Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the cultural and professional implications of AI adoption, along with practical perspectives on how leaders and marketers can embrace emerging technologies while protecting the uniquely human qualities that make their work effective.

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, April 8
• Time: Doors Open + Networking 5:30 pm // Session starts at 6:00 pm
• Location: COhatch Westerville, The Garden Room // 240 S. State Street
• Fees: AMA Members $10 // Non-members $15 // Students $5
  

About the Speaker

Dan Mushalko is Executive Producer and Facilitator for the Innovative Leadership Institute, where he creates media content and teaches the Institute’s leadership framework, including courses at James Madison University. With nearly five decades of experience in marketing, communications, and media, he began his career writing advertising copy while working on a physics degree, launching a professional path that bridges science, technology, and storytelling.

He is also founder of Mushalko’s Radiophonic Laboratory (MRL), a creative studio focused on making science and emerging technology accessible to organizations and the public. Doc serves as executive producer and editor of the Innovating Leadership: Co‑Creating Our Future podcast and is co-author of the book Innovating Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. A futurist, writer, and longtime marketing strategist, he helps leaders navigate the intersection of AI, science, and the very human teams they lead.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher American Marketing Association Columbus Chapter