Being a reader who works in the content marketing industry is kind of like being a shipbuilder who goes on cruises all the time. It’s tough to stop thinking about the inner workings, even when you’re off the clock.
But every once in a while, I come across something that’s so good, it rips me out of my content marketing mindset. Here are some of the most recent pieces that took me from shipbuilder to someone who’s just relaxing by the saltwater pool:
I’m Reading:
Understanding technology has always been a fascination of mine — I caused my family’s computer to crash when I was only six years old — and the emergence of artificial intelligence is one of the latest things to catch my attention.
One of the things that interested me most about Kevin Kelly’s article is the idea that Google is using all of its user data to create a vastly intelligent platform that could be used to simulate human intelligence and behavior. It makes perfect sense, though, considering every interaction people have with Google’s network is training the system on what humans think is most correct or accurate.
As complex computations become cheaper and faster, data is gathered at unprecedented levels, and improved algorithms allow computer scientists to analyze information like never before. This is one trend to keep an eye on.
I’m Watching:
I don’t have cable at home anymore, which has greatly improved my viewing habits. “How We Got to Now” is a BBC/PBS show that takes an innovation (most recently, I watched one about glass) and explains how it’s sparked the creation/advancement of different industries and led to subsequent breakthroughs over time.
I highly recommend checking out the show on-air or online. It’s a “guilty pleasure” show without the guilt, and it will cause you to think about common items and concepts in a much more profound way!
I’m Listening To:
Just in case you thought I didn’t have any guilty pleasures, one of the programs I listen to religiously is “Today Show Radio” on SiriusXM. When I’m not jamming out to turn-of-the-century music from Matchbox Twenty or the Goo Goo Dolls, this is my morning go-to.
I’m typically not ready for anything hard-hitting during my commute, so this is a great way to wake up and find out what people are talking about — and get a few laughs in the process. It’s essentially the audio broadcast of the “Today” show, but if you’ve ever watched it, you’ll be able to picture Al Roker in your head pretty accurately.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the content you’re consuming. Leave a comment or tweet at me!
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