In a World of AI, Is Friction the New Feature?

In this episode, Eric Hultgren is joined by Bart Thau, Vice President of Marketing at Advance Travel and Tourism, for a thought-provoking conversation about the evolving role of AI in digital marketing and what it means for those working in the travel space. They explore a couple of recent headlines out of Google’s AI division and unpack what marketers should pay attention to (and what they shouldn’t overreact to). From the acceleration of AI compared to Moore’s Law to how large language models are reshaping the customer journey, the duo covers a lot of ground. Eric also shares how he’s using tools like ChatGPT in unconventional ways to improve storytelling—a key skill for any marketer today. The conversation even touches on the surprising return of analog formats like vinyl, film cameras, and Polaroids, and what that could signal about consumer behavior. Whether you’re an AI skeptic, an early adopter, or just trying to keep up, this episode offers a practical perspective and a few good laughs along the way Links: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-claims-ai-overviews-monetize-at-same-rate-as-traditional-search/547838/ https://www.searchenginejournal.com/is-seo-still-relevant-in-the-ai-era-new-research-says-yes/547929/.