Scaling Creativity with AI: Meghan Keaney Anderson on Aligning Talent and Technology

Meghan Keaney Anderson is Vice President of Marketing at Jasper, an AI platform that accelerates the writing process by helping writers overcome barriers like hitting a creative wall or struggling with writer's block. With a career that includes a CMO position at Wunderlust and just shy of a decade in HubSpot marketing leadership, Keany Anderson brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective to her front-row seat to AI's rapid evolution and intense impact on content marketing and writing. 

Meghan Keaney Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at Jasper

I recently sat down to chat with Keaney Anderson about future of work trends as part of my research to produce Season 1 of The Lever with Drew Fortin. This show highlights how the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and Web3 will shift the paradigm of humans at work for the better. I wrote this article based on my notes and transcripts from the interview. You can also watch a video of my interview with Meghan Keaney Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at Jasper, below.

How AI Empowers Growth and Success in Content Creation

Keaney Anderson, a thought leader in content creation, emphasized the profound impact of AI on creative and marketing professionals. In exploring the potential of AI as a tool for conveying ideas effectively and efficiently, she highlighted the removal of barriers that have traditionally hindered the widespread dissemination of concepts. By streamlining the composition process, AI enables content creators to allocate more time and energy towards original research, interviews, and innovative angles, ultimately enhancing the quality of their work.

In recognizing the transformative nature of AI, Keaney Anderson predicts a shift in the job market. While new roles will emerge, existing positions may undergo change or experience slower growth. However, the notion of AI completely replacing human workers is fundamentally flawed. Despite AI's advancement and growing capabilities, it lacks human judgment, core ethics, lived experiences, and genuine expertise. Consequently, content produced solely through AI lacks depth, regardless of its eloquence.

"No matter how good AI gets, and it's going to get good, it will always be absent of human judgment, core ethics, a grounding and intent lived experience and genuine expertise." - Meghan Keaney Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at Jasper

Instead, Keaney Anderson views AI as an accelerant for human potential. Comparable to how digital cameras revolutionized photography without supplanting photographers, AI amplifies human abilities, fostering efficiency and creating space for novel ideas. She emphasized the vital role of managers and business leaders in recognizing the indispensable value of human input within the equation of AI and content creation.

Embracing Human-Driven Roles in the Age of Marketing with AI

Keaney Anderson contemplated the evolving landscape of her field and the significance of different roles in light of transformative technologies. Amidst the AI buzz, Keaney Anderson challenged the notion that the "hot new job" will be a prompt engineer, emphasizing the exponential growth of AI capabilities that will render extensive engineering around prompts unnecessary.

Instead, Keaney Anderson highlighted the enduring value of some of the oldest professions in the book. The role of the editor, the seeker of compelling stories, the evaluator of content, the fact-checker, and the guardian against misrepresentation and bias become even more crucial in the era of AI-assisted content creation. These roles infuse human judgment into AI-generated content, elevating its quality and meeting ethical standards.

"I think that the jobs that are going to become more important are actually some of the oldest jobs in the book. The editor, the person who goes out and finds the stories, the person who sort of evaluates is there, who fact checks, who looks for things like misrepresentation and bias." - Meghan Keaney Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at Jasper

Furthermore, Keaney Anderson believes that skills rooted in critical thinking, creativity, and connecting information will be paramount in the future job market. Encouraging young adults to embrace studies in the humanities, Keaney Anderson underscores the importance of independent thinking and the capacity to communicate and provide constructive feedback in a relationship-driven context. While AI may simplify tasks, it is the responsibility of humans to ensure that it also enhances the overall quality of work.

In this age of technological advancement, Keaney Anderson urges professionals to recognize the unique and irreplaceable contributions they bring to the table. By embracing human-driven roles and leveraging the power of AI, businesses can achieve unprecedented growth and success.

The Urgency of Ethical Standards and Regulation in AI Technology

Keaney Anderson emphasized the need for ethical standards and regulation in the rapidly evolving field of AI. From her extensive experience, Keaney Anderson underscores the importance of maintaining human judgment and critical thinking alongside AI advancements.

"I think there is a risk of over-reliance on AI or any of these automated tools that we use them and shut off our brains because it's easier." - Meghan Keaney Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at Jasper

In her analysis, Keaney Anderson acknowledges the potential risks associated with over-reliance on AI and automated tools. She raises concerns about using AI in crucial decision-making processes such as mortgage applications, healthcare treatments, insurance coverage, and even search algorithms. Keaney Anderson urges individuals not to accept AI-generated results blindly but rather engage in critical thinking and perform a gut check to ensure the correctness and fairness of the outcomes.

Recognizing the accelerated pace at which AI technology progresses, Keaney Anderson highlights the necessity for swift action in establishing safety protocols and regulations. She parallels the early days of the internet and social media, where the absence of prior discussions around potential societal impacts led to unforeseen consequences. With AI's amplifying nature, Keaney Anderson stresses the need to learn from past mistakes and lay the groundwork for the responsible development of AI.

Keeney Anderson emphasized the significance of human adaptability and learning, even as AI technology advances at an unprecedented rate. She encourages professionals from various domains to actively engage in the ongoing dialogue surrounding ethical AI practices and incorporate critical thinking into their daily work. By embracing the complexity of AI and recognizing its limitations, Keaney Anderson believes that humans can leverage the power of this transformative technology while preserving the core values of integrity and responsibility.

Navigating the Human-AI Relationship: Aligning Incentives and Measuring Outcomes

The importance of trust and aligned incentives in the era of AI are important to Keaney Anderson. Recognizing the polarized reactions towards AI as either something to fear or a magical solution, she emphasized the need to view AI as a tool that should be put in its rightful place - a valuable asset situated in the middle ground.

The current tension between employees and corporations stems from a misalignment of incentives at a person-to-person level. While individuals can establish trust with one another, businesses often prioritize operational efficiency over human judgment, experience, and impact. This misalignment raises concerns among employees that efficiency-focused incentives may overshadow their well-being, as the latter is easier to measure. To address these concerns, Keaney Anderson stressed the importance of education on both sides and a comprehensive understanding of what AI is and is not.

"It's either this thing is scary, and I don't want anything to do with it, or this thing is amazing, and it's magic, and it's going to change everything for the better. The reality is it's just a tool, and it should be put in its place as just a tool somewhere in the middle." - Meghan Keaney Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at Jasper

In this rapidly evolving landscape, Keaney Anderson proposed a reevaluation of success metrics and approaches to employee training. Rather than measuring every little step along the way, she advises measuring outcomes as the ultimate indicator of success. Drawing parallels to the transition to remote work, where the emphasis shifted from monitoring hours worked to evaluating output, Keaney Anderson advocated for a similar mindset in the hybrid automated human world. By focusing on the quality and substance of work produced, businesses can discern the value added by human input and ensure that AI tools enhance rather than replace it.

Furthermore, Keaney Anderson underlined the heightened significance of editors in this new paradigm. Editors play a crucial role in understanding and upholding standards of good content strategy, including evaluation of research quality and substance. Their expertise allows them to spot instances where AI-generated content falls short and guide writers toward conducting original research or incorporating reputable studies. Subjective evaluation and the ability to discern what constitutes good content are skills that will be increasingly valued and invested in.

Building a Collective for Success Fractional Employees and Freelancers

Keaney Anderson shared her opinions on possibly building a company comprised entirely of fractional employees and freelance workers. While acknowledging the challenges, she highlights the potential for success by focusing on key elements that make a team great.

According to Keaney Anderson, creating a successful company requires intentionality. It involves investing in effective communication, fostering a shared culture, and promoting accountability. She suggested allocating dedicated time for connection, discussion, and strategy development to harness the power of fractional employees and freelancers rather than solely relying on back-and-forth exchanges. This deliberate approach ensures that the team's essential elements of skill, culture, and experience are cultivated.

Recognizing the value of a collective working towards a common goal, Keaney Anderson emphasized the power of assembling a diverse group of experts. She believes cultivating a strong sense of community among fractional employees and freelancers can create something remarkable. While acknowledging the advantages of long-term employees, she suggested that similar benefits can be attained through intentional collaboration among fractional workers.

In considering the needs of employees, Keaney Anderson highlighted the importance of flexibility, which makes fractional and freelance work highly attractive. However, she also stressed the significance of fundamental aspects such as healthcare, skills development, fairness, and negotiating power. Keaney Anderson envisions a future where the freelance and fractional workforce can enjoy flexibility and security, facilitated by innovative initiatives like freelance networks offering healthcare coverage, professional development opportunities, and equity participation.

Businesses can build a cohesive and successful collective by harnessing the potential of fractional employees and freelancers while addressing their fundamental needs. Through intentional investment in communication, culture, and the human contract, companies can unlock the power of this dynamic workforce, driving growth and achieving remarkable outcomes.

A Future of Career Development with Freelance and Fractional Work

We closed our time together, discussing the implications of freelance and fractional work on the future of career development. Keaney Anderson spoke of the evolving landscape of work and the potential benefits of freelance and fractional employment. She acknowledged the trade-offs between traditional career tracks within companies and the freedom that comes with taking ownership of one's career path.

In her analysis, Keaney Anderson highlights the appeal of freelance and fractional work, where individuals can curate their professional journey by picking and choosing experiences from various sources. This approach allows for a well-rounded skill set and personal growth. While the market currently shows a surge in freelance and fractional work adoption, Keaney Anderson acknowledged the need for further study to understand the potential routes this trend may take.

As the market evolves, Keaney Anderson refrained from making definitive predictions about whether freelance and fractional work will become the new way of work. However, she was interested in studying and understanding the underlying factors driving this shift. The changing dynamics of work present opportunities and challenges, and Keaney Anderson recognized the importance of closely monitoring this trend to identify its long-term impact.

By embracing the potential of freelance and fractional work, individuals can gain more control over their career development, allowing for greater flexibility and the opportunity to cultivate a diverse skill set. As the future of work continues to evolve, it is crucial to study and understand the implications and possibilities of this emerging trend.

Want to hear more from Meghan Keaney Anderson?

• Catch Meghan in episodes 2, 3, 5, and 6 of Season 1 of The Lever with Drew Fortin
• Watch my full-length interview with Meghan Keaney Anderson, Vice President of Marketing at Jasper, on YouTube
• Follow Meghan Keaney Anderson on LinkedIn