The Producers Room

At our recent roundtable, Athena from Beacon Thought Leadership joined us to explore a big question for producers and content leaders: how is AI changing the way we build authority and influence?

Athena reminded us that strong thought leadership rests on three pillars, and research is the one feeling the most pressure right now.

AI as an amplifier
AI can unlock new data, speed up analysis and surface patterns no team could find on their own. But when everyone has access to the same tools, what makes your work stand out?

Athena’s view: the differentiator remains human perspective. Empathy, curiosity and critical thinking are still what carry weight.

The skills gap
Many organisations are putting budget into AI platforms, but far less into reskilling their people. That leaves teams uneven, with some experimenting and others only just starting out.

Athena suggested using AI to free up time, then reinvesting that time into developing advisory skills and literacy. Without that, the “Deep Research” button starts to feel like a threat rather than an opportunity.

Experimentation, not automation
We also explored the practical side: anonymising client transcripts, testing plugins and creating clear internal guidelines. Athena’s advice was to build a culture of experimentation while keeping a critical eye on quality and use.

The takeaway
AI doesn’t remove the need for human skill. It raises the bar. Producers, researchers and thought leaders now need to show the value of their judgement and their ability to learn faster than the tools.

Your turn
If your work touches research or thought leadership: do you see AI more as a booster, or as a risk to the role itself?