The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast Rethinking Workflows in the Age of AI
19 snips
Feb 11, 2026 
Stephen Wunker, Managing Director at New Markets Advisors and author on AI-driven organizational design. He explains the octopus model of distributed intelligence and why AI needs workflow redesign. Topics include golden workflows, governance and data foundations, the three hearts of AI-driven organizations, and how to start with prioritized pilots for real impact.
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Distributed Intelligence Over Centralized Control
- An octopus organization runs with distributed local intelligence coordinated by a central nerve ring.
- AI should enable local sensing and acting while preserving contextual awareness across the firm.
Health System Uses Self-Service AI For Messaging
- A health system used a simple AI-driven self-service to let clinical departments draft marketing messages themselves.
- Marketing only reviewed and aligned outputs, cutting back-and-forth and saving significant time.
Stop 900 Pilots — Install Data And Guardrails
- Build a common data foundation and governance before letting dozens of pilots proliferate.
- Assess pilots with clear hypotheses, pre/post measures, and a kill mechanism for failures.
