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What are AI agents? How can they help your business scale.

The History of Automation and How It Applies to You

I work with a lot of engineers, and they never give simple answers. If you asked them how something works, they will start at the beginning—sometimes way back at the beginning. Many engineers believe that if you don’t understand the roots, you will never really grasp the branches. I get it. As a researcher and an organizer of information, I tend to zoom out and look at where an idea or tool came from before I talk about what it does today.

That’s how I find myself explaining AI to my teens. Instead of just saying, “Oh, it’s like an assistant that predicts what you need,” I feel compelled to give them some history. Because when they see the progression, they understand not only how it works, but also why it’s such a big deal.

Think about automation as a story that’s been unfolding for over 60 years. Once upon a time, everything was paper. Filing cabinets, ledgers, handwritten notes. If you wanted to find something, you had to know where it was tucked away, or hope someone else remembered. Then came computers—giant machines at first—that let us start digitizing information, one keystroke at a time.

Eventually, computers shrank and landed on every office desk. Suddenly, every worker became a data entry clerk, whether they realized it or not. Your files weren’t just paper anymore—they were files on a machine that sat right in front of you.

The next leap was cloud computing. Now, your files weren’t trapped on a single computer. You could grab them anywhere, on any device. This was revolutionary, because information was no longer a “place” you had to go—it became something you could carry with you.

And now, here we are with AI agents. The big difference? Instead of you digging through files, scheduling meetings, or crunching data, the machine does it for you—and not just reactively, but proactively. It predicts your next step, offers solutions, and sometimes even takes action before you realize you need it.

This is the story I want my kids to see. AI isn’t magic, and it didn’t just appear one day. It’s the next chapter in a long history of human attempts to make work easier, information faster, and decisions smarter. When they see that, they don’t just use the technology blindly—they appreciate it, question it, and maybe even imagine where it could go next.

Real life applications of AI – explained for teens

Automation and Your Teen: Connecting the Dots

When I talk about the history of automation with my kids, I can see their eyes glaze over at “filing cabinets” and “mainframes.” Fair enough—they’ve never touched a filing cabinet, and the closest they’ve come to a “mainframe” is probably Minecraft.

So let’s bring it into their world.

Take Snapchat, for example. Every time they open it, the app predicts which friend they want to message first. That’s automation. It’s the system quietly watching their behavior and surfacing what’s most likely next. Same with Spotify—it builds playlists not just from the songs they choose, but from the patterns it notices. AI is acting like a DJ who knows their mood before they do.

Google Docs? That’s cloud computing with automation baked in. Their work saves instantly, changes are tracked, and the system suggests edits without them hitting “save” or “spellcheck.” Compare that to the old world of paper and typewriters, and it’s clear why teachers say “no excuses” about lost homework now.

And then there’s their phones in general—face ID unlocking, autocomplete texts, suggested replies, even reminders about leaving for practice on time. These are all micro-automations, little invisible agents that reduce friction in their daily lives.

The point I want them to see is this: they are swimming in automation already. AI isn’t some future sci-fi thing—it’s embedded in their friendships, their music, their schoolwork, and even their chores (Roombas, anyone?). Understanding this makes it less intimidating. Instead of asking, “Is this going to replace me?” they start asking, “How can I use this to do more of what I want, faster?”

And that’s where the real empowerment lies. Automation, at its best, doesn’t take over your life—it gives you back time to live it.

AI agents take data from across the cloud and make powerful connections and predictions

And now? We’ve entered a new era. Using networked technology, AI agents (or bots) can search across all that connected data, make inferences, and even predict outcomes. Instead of just storing information, we’re building systems that can act on it.

This is the world our kids are stepping into. For six decades, we’ve been entering data into computers and then into the cloud. Today, we’re building bots that use this data to automate tasks, generate insights, and make predictions.

It feels like a massive shift—because it is. And if you’re raising teenagers who will graduate into this changing landscape, it raises the big question: How do we help them prepare for careers that don’t even exist yet?

Not every kid will be a techy, but they need to know how tech can help them scale

But here’s the good news: not every kid needs to go into tech to thrive in this new world. What matters is understanding how AI agents can support whatever path they choose. Teens who wants to be a fitness coach, landscaper, therapist, artist, or even enter the medical profession – they can use AI to automate scheduling, marketing, bookkeeping, and client communications. It’s an incredible time in history to build an independent business—and AI agents are the tools that can make that possible. Even if your child isn’t “the tech,” they’ll benefit from learning the basics of business and seeing how automation can free them up to do more of the work they love.

What Are AI Agents?

Think of an AI agent as a “digital worker” that doesn’t just answer questions like ChatGPT, but takes action on your behalf. For example:

  • Scheduling a doctor’s appointment for you.

  • Running a small online store (managing inventory, marketing, even customer responses).

  • Monitoring financial markets and making simple trades.

This isn’t sci-fi anymore. Creators like Productive Dude on YouTube explain how these agents are evolving week by week. His content shows how accessible this tech is becoming, not just for big companies but for everyday people.

Why Parents Should Pay Attention

When I was starting my career, the focus was on learning Microsoft Office and maybe a little coding. Today, our kids are facing a different reality:

  • Automation is expanding into creative, administrative, and even leadership tasks.

  • Collaboration with AI will be as common as learning to type was for us.

  • Entrepreneurship is shifting—teenagers could run “side hustles” with the help of AI agents before they ever graduate.

How to Guide Your Teen in an AI World

You don’t need to become an AI engineer to prepare your kids. Instead, focus on helping them develop skills that pair well with AI:

  1. Problem-Solving
    AI can execute, but it still needs humans to define the right problem to solve. Encourage your teen to ask “why?” and to think critically.

  2. Communication
    Writing clear prompts, instructions, or project goals is becoming a vital skill. This is just good communication—but applied in a new way.

  3. Ethics & Judgment
    AI agents will follow orders, but not all tasks should be automated. Discuss with your kids the values and guardrails that matter to your family.

  4. Experimentation
    Encourage them to test out tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or even entry-level coding platforms. Comfort with tinkering today builds confidence tomorrow.

Resources to Explore Together

Here are a few websites and tools where you and your teen can start exploring:

  • YouTube – Productive Dude: digestible updates on AI agents.

  • Futurepedia.io – a directory of AI tools.

  • MIT OpenCourseWare – free classes on computer science and AI basics.

  • No-Code platforms like Bubble or Make.com – where teens can build small projects without heavy coding.

For parents who want to understand AI in plain language, I also post regular guides right here on Rachael Hall Creative.

The Big Picture

As parents, our job isn’t to predict the exact jobs our kids will hold. Instead, it’s to equip them with the adaptability, curiosity, and courage to navigate a landscape where AI agents will be co-workers, assistants, and maybe even competitors.

And honestly? That’s something we can learn alongside them.

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Rethinking SEO Strategy

While traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization) remains important, local businesses must now also focus on “AI signals” to ensure visibility. With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, customers are increasingly seeking recommendations directly from AI, which scrapes data from various online sources beyond just a business’s website. To be recommended by AI, businesses need to strengthen these signals through consistent information across all local listings, actively encouraging and responding to reviews, publishing diverse content, implementing structured data (schema) on their websites, and demonstrating community involvement both online and offline. Ultimately, a holistic digital strategy that builds a trustworthy and consistent online presence is crucial for local businesses to thrive in the evolving landscape of AI-powered search.

The evolution of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

For the past decade, I’ve specialized in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)—and I’ll admit, I loved it. I found my niche in building strong website architectures, crafting clean page layouts, and writing optimized copy that aligned perfectly with both UX and SEO best practices. Over time, I became an expert in hyperlocal SEO, helping mid-enterprise businesses dominate regional search results on Google.

The formula worked: targeted keywords, proper schema markup, sticky content, and high-quality copy led users to my clients’ websites, kept them engaged, and ultimately guided them into a conversion funnel. I was good at my craft—and the results proved it.

But the rules are changing.

SEO in the Age of AI:

Why Brands Must Rethink Their Content Strategy

The fundamentals of SEO still matter, but the landscape looks very different today. With large language models (LLMs) powering new forms of search, AI scrapes every detail across the internet to provide users with instant “AI overviews.” While this makes it easier for users to find information quickly, it creates a major challenge for brands:

➡️ Instead of leading your own brand narrative, you’re now at the mercy of generative AI.

AI doesn’t just look at your website—it looks at credible third-party sources like Wikipedia, Quora, Reddit, Hacker News, and social platforms to shape its answers. Hyperlocal AI search results trust regional sites like Chamber of Commerce, news media outlets, and regional influencers. If your brand message isn’t present in those ecosystems, you risk being left out of the conversation entirely.

So what’s the solution?

Brands need to bolster and extend their message far beyond their owned assets. That means:

  • Continuing to use structured data, schema markup, and smart keyword placement on your site.

  • Actively placing content in external platforms where AI is pulling context.

  • Adopting a holistic brand strategy that ensures your narrative shows up wherever people—and algorithms—are looking.

We often say words are cheap. But in today’s landscape, words aren’t just important—they’re currency. Content is king again, not only for human readers but for the algorithms deciding what information gets surfaced and cited.

This blog series will explore how to:

  • Prepare content that boosts AI signals,

  • Position your brand for expanded visibility, and

  • Regain control of your brand narrative in the era of generative AI.

The rules have shifted. The challenge is real. But for those who adapt, the opportunities are bigger than ever.

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How embracing AI with an open mind could help improve career resiliency

Audio Deep Dive and Article Overview

Listen to this 11 minute overview discussing AI adoption and career resiliency

Everyone is talking about AI

Recent conversations within my inner circle keep circling back to the same question: what will our jobs look like in the decades ahead?

From boardrooms to breakrooms to dinner tables, the horizon of work is no longer abstract—it’s personal and hits a bit close to our comfort zone. Adopting AI may seem like a big deal to some of us. But to my youngest children, it’s simply the world they know, and are eager to embrace.

Young minds easily adapt to artificial intelligence tools

My ten-year-old is embracing AI as naturally as previous generations adapted to pencils and pens—arguably even more quickly. He’s my fourth child, started school during the COVID years, and has been raised in a very different environment than my older children. (Mama tried, but Mama’s tired, right?)

Combine that with his innate interest in digital technology, and it’s clear that personality and curiosity play a role in adopting new tools. Young minds are remarkably agile and can adjust quickly, but where does that leave the rest of us?

AI is the new industrial revolution

Artificial Intelligence (AI) shrinks the knowledge gap and levels the playing field. Just as the Industrial Revolution transformed economies, AI is transforming the way we work, produce, consume, and interact.

My most recent project engagement actually focused on forefront AI research. One article I read stood out, stating that (I summarize) after a year-long beta and adoption period, scientists reported being “extremely surprised” by AI’s ability to crack difficult challenges in all areas of research. Some estimated that AI can retrieve and organize information, find correlations, make future forecasts, and automate tasks in that once took decades – now, in under an hour. At any rate, new AI tools are as revolutionary as the first calculator and early computing capabilities.

Some early adopters of AI will scale success

In an article published on MSN.com, Open AI CEO, Sam Altman is quoted, “There’s never been a more amazing time to go create something totally new, to go invent something, to start a company, whatever it is.” Altman suggested that a one-person company could become worth more than a billion dollars, while delivering an amazing product and service to the world.

“If I were 22 right now and graduating college, I would feel like the luckiest kid in all of history,” – Altman

AI presents huge opportunities for those ready to embrace it, but experts warn of serious challenges for older workers who may resist retraining. Some tech leaders, including Anthropic’s CEO, caution that AI could eliminate up to half of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, and that society and policymakers are not adequately preparing for this shift [1 MSN.com]

A front seat to AI research and integrated scientific discovery

Over the past year, I’ve had a front-row seat to some of the most fascinating AI research in the country while interviewing teams at a forefront research laboratory. These multidisciplinary experts—data scientists, computer scientists, software engineers, and high-performance computing experts—are exploring how advanced AI can be applied to incredibly complex scientific challenges.

My role was simply to optimize their research case studies and bring visibility to their work, but the research and innovation I saw was nothing short of astonishing. As impressive as AI already is, it feels like we’ve barely begun to tap its potential. It’s clear the technology already exists to automate—and in many cases “roboticize”—an extraordinary number of jobs.

Will we adapt?

So where does that leave us? Hopefully, in a place of curiosity and courage, ready to embrace lifelong learning, adapt, and grow.

So take a deep breath and say it with me: “No matter our age, it’s never too late to evolve alongside technology. We can and we will adapt to not only survive, but thrive because we are clever, curious, and not done till we’re dead.”

Stay tuned—I’ll continue to unpack this topic as time and bandwidth allow.

Next up:7 sales-marketing tips to help us pivot like the cat

        Sources:

  1. Sam Altman says we’re worried about the wrong part of the workforce when it comes to AI

    MSN Business Insider, Story by bgriffiths@insider.com (Brent D. Griffiths), August 14, 2025

    Article Summary:

    This piece explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the future of work and individual roles, drawing parallels to the Industrial Revolution’s societal shifts. The author emphasizes the adaptability of younger generations to AI, contrasting it with the potential challenges faced by older workers. The text highlights AI’s capacity to exponentially accelerate research and innovation, citing expert observations on its problem-solving abilities. It also addresses the economic opportunities for early adopters and the potential for significant job displacement, particularly in entry-level white-collar positions. Ultimately, the source advocates for curiosity, courage, and lifelong learning as essential traits for navigating this evolving technological landscape.

    More articles on building resilience in the AI era:

    This is the final piece in my three-part series on agility in the age of AI. In the first, we explored business agility. In the second, personal agility. Now, we bring it home—how AI will reshape the very roles we hold and the future we’re building.

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Michelle Peterson, CMO at Kendra Scott Jewelry Discusses Retail Growth

Michelle Peterson, CMO of Kendra Scott Jewelry explains that relationship building is key to organic retail growth.

In this podcast, “Prioritizing people with your performance,”  Will Whitham, founder and host of CMO Convo, interviews Michelle Peterson, the Chief Marketing Officer of Kendra Scott Jewelry. Michelle explains how she leverages retail brand strategy, story brand marketing, and user-focused buying experiences to help her team meet key performance metrics and enhance overall retail growth.

Kendra Scott Jewelry uses a mix of engagement platforms.

Kendra Scott Jewelry is based in Austin, Texas, and currently operates over 130 stores nationwide. To enhance retail growth, they use a hybrid of brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and social selling platforms to meet corporate vision and key objective goals.

About Michelle Peterson.

Michelle holds a Master of Engineering/Industrial Management from Kellogg University, an MBA in Marketing & Finance from Kellogg School of Management,  and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University.

Key takeaways from Michelle Peterson’s interview with Will Witham.

✅  Some people within Michelle’s inner circle did not see the alignment between her choice to study psychology in conjunction with industrial engineering.

✅ She unpacks the relationships and dependencies between process performance, product development, and human buying behavior and explains how each study area is important in the product development and sales lifecycle.

✅ By combining psychology and process engineering, Michelle says she can better understand the drivers behind human behavior and provide critical insights to help teams align sales, marketing, and production activities.

✅ The Kendra Scott team created a brand community through “experience marketing.” One example of expanding their brand story includes their mobile  NFL popup trailers where they sell a bespoke NFL line of jewelry to those attending a game.

✅ Another example of enhancing the brand experience is offering their brick and mortar facilities to host in-store baby showers, birthday parties, engagement parties, and VIP special events.

✅ The Kendra Scott brand expanded its immersive experience by creating unique online shopping experiences for targeted demographics and offered a specific jewelry line. For example, they created a unique landing page and ad campaign highlighting “the yellow rose of Texas pendant” available to an engaged Texas audience.

✅ The Kendra Scott brand incorporates its brand story throughout every customer touchpoint by meeting the customer’s where they are and offering products most likely to align to their interests.

✅ The Kendra Scott team treats their guests as royal VIPs, and they see the return in brand loyalty.

✅ Retailers can feel siloed and wonder if an idea is valid. Michelle’s insights inspire small business owners to lean-in and engage with customers throughout multiple touchpoints.

✅  Michelle reminds us that people seek community, a place to belong, and are searching for brands to align and engage with.

✅ The Kendra Scott community engagement teams gain critical and timely feedback by communicating with customers through social media platforms.

✅ At Kendra Scott, they don’t relegate social media to the lowest person on the org chart. Instead, seasoned customer service representatives, brand ambassadors, and sales professionals answer and engage on social platforms and provide important insights useful for stakeholders and decision makers.

✅ This podcast reminds us that our end-users are real people and that people love to interact, feel valued, and be inspired to create.

✅ Michelle described how the Kendra Scott brand actively creates opportunities to engage with their community and drive revenue through authentic relationship development.

✅ At the end of the day, we are relationship builders not commodity pushers.

Thanks, Michelle Peterson and Will Whitham; this conversation gave our team tactical strategies for retail growth.

Click this link to listen to the podcast now: Prioritizing people with your performance.

 

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How to optimize your agency partnership, with Joe Zappa.

If you’ve developed content at scale, you will appreciate this podcast, Making Your Marketing Agency Partnership Worth It, presented by the CMO Alliance. In this interview, Will Whitham, CMO Convo Podcast Host, and Zoe Zappa, CEO of Sharp Pen Media, discuss the pitfalls that can occur when senior content strategists and writing teams are excluded from top-level strategy.

3 primary talking points:

  • The difference between tactical and strategic agency partnerships.
  • How to identify the right agencies for your needs.
  • How to maintain an effective relationship to achieve success.

About Joe Zappa, CEO of Sharp Pen Media.

Joe Zappa is a content marketer, journalist, and academic. He has spearheaded content programs for dozens of businesses and served as Editor of the martech trade publication Street Fight from 2018 to 2023. Joe earned his BA from Brown University and his PhD in comparative literature from Cornell University.

If you want great content, give your development teams context and visibility into your end goals and key metrics.

Most content development professionals will resonate with this podcast and might experience a touch of PTSD as Joe surfaces some of the pitfalls and frustrations that can occur during the content development lifecycle.  Due to political and organizational hierarchies, a massive context gap often exists between portfolio-level vision and goals and what is shared with 3rd-party vendors and providers.

The information gap can create friction within the development teams. The strategist, writers, marketers, and technical experts often possess more insights into customer behavior, dashboard activity, first-party data, and overall marketing trends than the top-level executives. To avoid wasting resources and missing the mark, executive leadership teams should give the development team buy-in and visibility into the top-level goals, objectives, and end-user requirements.

Common problems with strategic and tactical misalignments.

  • Problem: In many cases, the time allotted for research does not align with the nature or requirements to deliver the type of work requested.
  • Reality: Writers and developers are not magicians or mind readers.
  • Solution: Bring marketing and writing strategists to the executive table and give them a buy-in, OR implement frameworks, set expectations, and provide paint-by-numbers instructions to help the development team bridge the gap between end-user requirements and senior-level vision.

 

  • Problem: Disjointed messages, improper funnel strategies, ineffective copy, low conversions.
  • Reality: Development teams need a strategic plan, roadmap, and end-level KPIs and OKRs. Asking content development teams to create content without a strategic blue blueprint is like asking craftsmen to build a house from your imagination. Imagine the frustration and wasted resources that would occur if you hired a team of highly skilled craftsmen but you were unsure of what you wanted to build or what the result would achieve. Your best workers would walk off the project, leaving you with providers willing to take your money but not necessarily the most qualified.
  • Solution: Give visibility and access to the following four things:
    • a) Visibility into the original intent of the highest-level strategy.
    • b) Comprehensive understanding of end-user requirements.
    • c) Access to subject matter experts, C-Suites, product owners – or whoever owns the primary voice of the content.
    • e) A breakout estimate of where you would like the writer to spend their time.

Strategic marketers and writers drive sales and pave the way for optimal customer experiences.

Marketing activities are often classified as a cost center fulfilled by technicians rather than a strategic force for driving customer acquisition, engagement, and conversion. It’s critical to outline project expectations from the onset to ensure all content and marketing tasks are aligned to achieve overarching company goals. A properly executed content plan and roadmap can help your team develop exceptional customer experiences. Here are a few benefits of a properly executed content marketing strategy:

How does a content marketing strategy help my business?

    • Attracts awareness.
    • Builds brand authority.
    • Engages, informs, and educates prospects.
    • Promotes conversion activity.
    • Supports service after the sale.
    • Helps with retention and online brand management.

This podcast discusses the difference between creating a strategy and executing a tactical list.

  • Tactics are assigned at the team level but must be aligned with portfolio-level strategic themes.
  • Executives should create the objective key results (OKRs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) they expect from content marketing, website development, or paid ad campaigns. The plan should define measurable outcomes and assign budget guardrails. Once the content team knows the objectives and budgets, it can help develop the roadmap and submit it to executive leadership for approval.
  • It’s best practice to use proven frameworks to define corporate vision, goals, and expected results and create roadmaps and budgets.
  • Give the content development team the big-picture goal of what the executive leaders expect to achieve through their corporate websites, content marketing, and paid advertising.
  • Set a regular cadence to check content status and ensure keywords, funnels, on-page copy, images, CTAs, triggers, and CRM segmentation lists are set for optimal conversion.
  • Benchmark, analyze, measure performance, and be prepared to tweak content and adjust plans to meet market demands.

4 Tips for capturing your voice to optimize your content marketing.

  • Watch out for the bait-and-switch! Agencies use their top sales talent to pitch and earn your retainer, often sourcing the work to junior fulfillment partners. It’s a good idea to ask for the team lineup before signing up with an agency or provider. The backend producers are the folks who will pull your analytics reports, watch your data trends, and ultimately write on your behalf.
  • Take ownership of your voice. Do the work, show up, help with keyword research ideas, know your competitors, and bring that info to the writing/strategy team. The more you drive the narrative, the more the content will reflect your unique knowledge and expertise.
  • Choose a content strategist/writing partner/writing team who will dig deep into your business to understand your unique value in the marketplace and will work to understand your customer’s needs and buying intent. Find someone to communicate your intent in marketable language to drive engagement and deliver maximum impact.

Would you like a strategic writing partner? Book a discovery call here.

Calendly image to book a discovery session

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