David Meerman Scott coined newsjacking, wrote the book that redefined B2B marketing, and had a Hollywood film based on his work. Now he's back with a clear take on what AI actually changes and what it doesn't for marketers who want to stay relevant.

In this conversation, David ranks AI against the content revolution he helped spark in the 90s, explains why the middle layer of marketing is disappearing, and shares three underused tactics for getting your brand surfaced in LLMs today.

Key takeaways: 

• Proprietary data is your secret weapon: anonymized internal data is one of the best ways to earn AI citations and build authority
• The middle layer is disappearing: AI is connecting strategy directly to execution, eliminating the managers in between
• Newsjacking still works: real-time content on breaking news is exactly what AI chatbots surface when people search that topic
• Own your real estate: social platforms control the algorithm and own your content — your site doesn't

Resources: 

Check out David’s work: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com 

Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeermanscott 

Connect with Paxton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paxtongray/ 

Looking for an agency that'll be worth the investment? 97th Floor creates custom, audience-first campaigns that drive pipeline and conversions. Get started here: https://97thfloor.com/lets-talk/. 

About David Meerman Scott: David Meerman Scott spotted the online marketing revolution in its infancy and wrote multiple books about it including “The New Rules of Marketing and PR”, with more than 500,000 copies sold in 29 languages from Albanian to Vietnamese.

Now David says the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of superficial online communications. He shows how organizations win by developing fans, the subject of his Wall Street Journal bestseller “Fanocracy” and his new book “The Fandom Playbook” which will be published in late 2026.

He is an advisor to emerging companies, serves on the HubSpot advisory board, and delivers keynotes and masterclasses around the world. He loves to surf, backpack, and dance the Lindy Hop.