Knowledge Workers Freak Out Over AI (511)

This week on This Old Marketing, Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose unpack two seemingly separate Wall Street Journal stories that are actually deeply connected.

First, they dig into the WSJ article declaring that companies are now "desperately seeking storytellers." The irony is not lost on Joe and Robert. Storytelling in business is nothing new. Brands have been building audiences, publishing content, and creating narratives for decades. So is this really a new trend, or is the Wall Street Journal simply waking up to what marketers and creators have known all along?

They explore why the term "storyteller" is suddenly everywhere on LinkedIn, what companies really mean when they use it, and whether this shift represents real change or just a shiny new label for old work.

Next, the conversation turns to another WSJ piece highlighting the growing anxiety among white-collar workers. Layoffs, AI fears, fewer job openings, and slower hiring cycles are reshaping how knowledge workers feel about stability and career growth. Joe and Robert break down the data and argue that the real risk is not losing a job, but tying your identity to a single role or employer. Flexibility, curiosity, and the ability to adapt are becoming the most valuable skills in the modern economy.

In news, the co-founder of DraftKings launches a creator-led systems company designed to capitalize on the window of opportunity before AI-generated content floods the market. Joe and Robert discuss why productizing creators and building owned systems may be the smartest move right now in the creator economy.

Winners, Losers, Rants, and Raves

• Marketing Loser: In-N-Out, for taking "Order 67" off the menu rotation and confusing loyal fans everywhere.

• Joe's Winner: Tom Scott, for building a smart, thoughtful web presence that directly addresses AI scrapers and the future of content ownership.

• Joe's Rant: The growing push to integrate prediction markets into the mainstream financial system and why this could have serious unintended consequences.

• Robert's Rave: A tradition unlike any other. Robert closes the show with his annual holiday poem.

As always, Joe and Robert bring perspective, skepticism, and a little holiday spirit to wrap up the year.

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