Machine Living

Artificial Intelligence: ‘You can’t ignore it’

In this series of articles, video productions, and podcasts, we tap into a community of creators to try to make sense of how we make our way in the age of AI. One theme is constant and timeless: adapt, or risk fading away, in a world where machines increasingly influence our way of living.

By Will Frampton
Owner and Director at McLeod Media

• Episode 2: Mike Petchenik, media relations pro, voice actor and former broadcaster

The next in our series of conversations around Artificial Intelligence, speaking with fellow creators and producers, features Mike Petchenik. A broadcast industry veteran with local and national Emmy awards to his credit, Petchenik transitioned from a career on-camera to ownership of a media relations and media production company.

Mike Petchenik

After 20 years of reporting for TV newsrooms across the country, Petchenik developed a mindset that so many other reporters find themselves with: absolute pragmatism. As reporters, we see hard realities and trends and how they are likely to make impact.

In that vein, Petchenik sees a clear reality as it relates to artificial intelligence.

“If we don’t embrace it, if we don’t acknowledge its existence, we’re being ignorant to what’s going on in the world,” he said. “You can’t ignore it.”

This is the future that has often been hard for creators and producers to accept: the idea that parts, or even the majority, of what they do could be taken over by a machine.

As Petchenik explains in this episode, we are seeing clear instances of how AI can be leveraged by producers in a repeatable, effective way, while still keeping the human creative touch as a central piece of the process.

We thank Petchenik for his taking part in this series, and for bringing thoughtful perspective to how producers and creators can live alongside AI.

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