Here’s a new episode of The Reddy Rundown, crafted so you don’t have to frantically follow everything in the AI news space wondering what you’re missing as an exec in 2025 trying to keep up.

I’m Shawn Reddy, CEO of AI Advantage Agency. At the core, I’m a marketing architect. My obsession isn’t just campaigns — it’s systems. The tools we pick, the workflows we design, the way we integrate AI into our funnels — that’s where leverage gets created.

This week, the headlines weren’t just tech updates; they’re signals of how fast marketing, distribution, and discovery are shifting. If you’re not mapping these shifts into your own systems, you’ll spend more, convert less, and compete on outdated rules.

Let’s break down the stories reshaping marketing right now — and what they mean for your strategy.

1. GEO Is the New SEO — And $20M Just Backed It

Bluefish raised $20M to dominate a concept I’ve been tracking closely: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Instead of ranking for keywords on Google, GEO optimizes where your brand shows up inside AI-generated answers — whether in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity.

This is the new discovery layer. People are shifting from “search” to “ask,” and if your systems aren’t designed to surface your brand inside those answers, you’re invisible.

My take: By 2026, GEO will decide who gets seen. Funnels built for traditional SEO are going to bleed acquisition costs unless we adapt fast.

2. A Tamale Shop Just Outsmarted Madison Avenue

An LA-based tamale shop went viral by pairing ChatGPT with bold storytelling. Their quirky 46-second ad — a guy falling from a plane told to land in their shop — drove 22M+ views and real-world foot traffic.

This is the playbook shift: speed + risk tolerance now beat budget. Small teams with no spend are outmaneuvering enterprise campaigns using AI to test creative velocity.

My take: Creative velocity is the moat. The brands producing and testing 10x faster are going to own attention.

3. Virtual Salespeople Are Beating Humans

China’s e-commerce market is exploding with AI avatar livestreamers. One avatar selling Brother printers drove a 30% boost in sales, pulling in $2,500 in just two hours — and it never took a break.

This isn’t about replacing humans. It’s about scaling consistent selling power without scaling cost. Imagine pairing human reps with AI agents that pre-qualify, nurture, and sell 24/7. That’s the future of outbound and inbound.

My take: Expect this to hit U.S. TikTok Shops, Instagram Live, and even B2B demo flows faster than we think.

4. The Authenticity War: AI Influencers vs. Humans

Brands are leaning into AI influencers for cost, speed, and perfect messaging. But younger audiences are pushing back. Overproduced AI personas lack the imperfections that build trust.

This is the trust paradox: AI gets you reach, but authenticity still drives conversions.

My take: The winners will run hybrid campaigns — AI for scale, humans for depth. Automation without humanity leaves your brand hollow.

5. Developers Say AI Will Replace Most Marketing Roles

A new survey found 74% of senior developers believe AI will take over most or all marketing functions. That doesn’t mean marketing dies — it means the role changes.

Manual campaign management and copywriting are getting eaten by multi-agent workflows. The new job isn’t pushing buttons; it’s architecting the systems where humans and AI co-own growth loops.

My take: If you’re not designing automated funnels where AI handles 80% and humans drive the strategic 20%, you’re already behind.

6. Morgan Stanley’s $16 Trillion AI Forecast

Morgan Stanley projects AI will unlock $16T in enterprise value by 2026 — with nearly $500B a year from agentic AI alone.

This isn’t hype anymore. This is the next economic wave. Marketing isn’t a downstream function; it’s one of the primary battlegrounds for where this value will be won or lost.

My take: Your GTM systems aren’t support functions. They are the business model now.

What This Means for You as an Exec

Shift What to Do Now GEO dominance Start optimizing for AI engines — answers, not rankings.

Creative velocity Use AI to test 10x more content in 10% of the time.

AI-powered sales Deploy virtual agents alongside human reps to scale reach.

Trust layer Balance AI scale with human storytelling to drive conversions.

Systems > campaigns Stop running campaigns; start architecting self-optimizing funnels.

The Reddy Rundown Toolbox

A curated set of AI tools, systems, and strategies from this week’s Rundown — with exact marketing plays you can deploy today.

1. Bluefish — GEO Optimization

Bluefish GEO Tools Use it to: Track where your brand ranks inside AI-generated answers and adjust your content and landing pages to influence positioning. Exec advantage: Early movers dominate AI discovery.

2. Runway Gen-3 + Pika Labs — Creative Velocity Stack

Runway Gen-3 | Pika Labs Use it to: Rapidly spin up 10+ short-form video variations for ads or content testing. Exec advantage: Produce and test faster than competitors while slashing costs.

3. Synthesia + HeyGen — AI Sales Reps

Synthesia | HeyGen Use it to: Deploy AI avatars for demos, live selling, or 24/7 personalized onboarding. Exec advantage: Scale reach without scaling payroll.

4. Beacons AI — Hybrid Influencer Campaigns

Beacons AI Use it to: Automate influencer sourcing and attribution, combining AI personas with human creators. Exec advantage: Balance AI scale with authentic storytelling.

5. Perplexity Pro — Market Intelligence at Speed

Perplexity Pro Use it to: Run AI-powered research loops on competitors, buyers, and market trends — then feed insights into campaigns. Exec advantage: Faster decisions, smarter positioning.

6. Jasper + Copy.ai — Always-On Ad Optimization

Jasper | Copy.ai Use it to: Continuously generate and test new ad copy variations, integrated directly into GHL or HubSpot. Exec advantage: Remove creative bottlenecks without adding headcount.

7. Relevance AI — Agentic Growth Pipelines

Relevance AI Use it to: Automate multi-agent campaigns — from lead qualification to personalized outreach and booking. Exec advantage: Future-proofs your GTM systems before your competitors catch up.

Final Word

AI isn’t a trend anymore — it’s the terrain. From how customers discover you, to how you sell, to how you build trust, everything is shifting under our feet.

The takeaway: Your marketing systems are your business systems now. If you’re not architecting for AI-native funnels, you’re not just falling behind in marketing — you’re falling behind in growth.

Looking for a community of like-minded individuals who are interested in AI and Entrepreneurship? Join our free community here to get started: The AI Advantage Community Thank you for reading! -Shawn