AI + Your Brand

Hey there,

A question has come up with clients twice this week that I wanted to share: How do you leverage AI without compromising your competitive edge?

At the $500M+ level, your team's collective expertise is your goldmine whether you have proprietary data or just damn good thought leaders.

But here's the catch we're all thinking about — the same AI tools that could help you scale that expertise are the ones that make your security team nervous. And they should be: a Fortanix survey found that 87% of security leaders have experienced data leakage in the past year through AI tools, with sensitive business information being the most common type of exposure.

What I find fascinating is that the companies winning the AI reputation game aren't the ones making the splashiest announcements – they're the ones thoughtfully protecting and enhancing their brand through AI adoption. The leaders are focusing on three key elements:

1. Brand Authority: Carefully selecting AI applications that reinforce their market expertise (rather than diluting it)

2. Brand Trust: Developing clear boundaries around how their intellectual property interacts with AI

3. Brand Security: Partnering with enterprise-grade tools that protect their market reputation

Working with enterprise clients, I'm seeing a clear divide: Companies that treat AI as a brand strategy question (not just a technology one) are building significant moat over competitors.

Quick little thought exercise: What if your brand became synonymous with responsible AI leadership in your industry? How would that transform your market position? Or would it not?

I'm pulling together a small roundtable next month with CMOs who are tackling this challenge. We'll be sharing real approaches that are working in the enterprise space – no vendors, no pitches, just practical strategies.

Let me know if you'd like details. Space is limited to keep the conversation focused, but I'm hoping it includes marketing, brand, and business leaders across sectors, sizes, and varying stages of AI adoption.

Either way, remember this: The goal isn't to be the most innovative with AI – it's to be the most strategic about protecting and scaling what makes your business and your brand unique.

Lauryn

P.S. If you can't make the roundtable but want to discuss your specific AI brand challenges, I have a few slots open next week and the following for one-on-one conversations. Hit reply and let's get on your calendar.