AI can synthesize massive amounts of information in seconds. This means “relevance” itself may be up for grabs, and business leaders will have to think differently about the future of their authority strategy.
I sat down with Rusty Shelton, my longtime partner and co‑author of Authority Marketing and The Authority Advantage, to talk about thought leadership and the technology leaders must embrace to remain trusted voices in their industries.
We discussed the urgency of establishing your digital presence before artificial intelligence takes an even stronger hold. We also talked about using new media tools and personal authenticity to differentiate yourself.
The whole fascinating conversation underscored how vital it is to take action right now.
Why Authority is More Important (and Complex) Than Ever
Rusty and I first met through a mutual friend and bonded over a college football game in Dallas—a small detail that shows how real relationships can spark professional synergy.
Nine years and two co‑authored books later, we remain convinced that authority is the single most powerful tool a leader can use to accelerate trust, open doors, and strengthen relationships. Yet the way leaders build that authority keeps evolving.
Once upon a time, you could rely on old‑school media or your job title to signal credibility. Now, in a hyper‑fragmented digital world, those signals aren’t enough. People crave experts who feel human, who display authenticity, and who offer unique insights that AI alone can’t manufacture.
Rusty was an early pioneer in harnessing digital platforms for authority building. When we met, I was immersed in book publishing but needed a deeper strategy for unleashing the online dimension of our authors’ thought leadership.
Rusty showed me that a well‑produced book is just the starting gate; the real race happens on digital channels, whether it’s your personal website, targeted social platforms, or carefully chosen media appearances.
AI and the New Gatekeepers
The rise of AI has many business leaders both excited and uneasy.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen how AI‑driven search tools can simplify how we find information, but Rusty points out a downside: once chatbots or digital assistants become our go‑to resource, we don’t rummage through multiple search results ourselves.
Instead, the AI “decides” what to present, effectively controlling whose expertise is recognized. In other words, while AI may look like a democratizing force on the surface, it can actually narrow the field of recognized experts.
Today, if you want to learn about an unfamiliar topic, you probably hit Google and choose from a page of results. But an AI chatbot or digital assistant might give you just one or two “official” sources. The algorithm is what picks those sources, not you.
Rusty believes this shift makes it more urgent than ever to build an online presence that can’t be ignored, so you’re the name the algorithms highlight. If you’re absent now, becoming recognized later—once AI has chosen its preferred authorities—could prove significantly more difficult.
Authenticity: Your Best Insurance Against AI Overload
There’s no shortage of content or conversation between social media, YouTube, and mainstream publications. AI stands poised to crank that volume even higher by generating endless articles, blog posts, and summaries.
So the crucial question becomes: how do you stand out when people can get generic answers from a bot?
Again, the simple answer is authenticity. Nobody else can be you, so leaning into your personal quirks, viewpoints, sense of humor, and even vulnerabilities can set you apart from algorithmic sameness.
Rusty often references the Joe Rogan effect. Despite Rogan’s wide range of interests and sometimes controversial takes, millions tune in precisely because he’s unabashedly himself. That’s not to say every leader should mimic Rogan’s style, but it underscores the point that your personal flavor—your experiences, personality, values—is what connects people to you in a way AI can’t replicate.
Information alone, stripped of that human presence, just isn’t compelling enough for most audiences.
Conduct a Brand Audit Across Multiple Platforms
A practical step Rusty recommends is to audit how you appear on different search and AI tools. Go to perplexity.ai and type “Tell me about [Your Name].”
If it returns results for some other person who shares your name—or returns incomplete or outdated info about you—recognize that you have work to do. A brand audit can reveal whether your LinkedIn profile, corporate bios, personal website, and media appearances are painting a consistent, current picture of who you are and what you do.
It can also reveal that AI will fill the gaps with guesswork or ignore you if you’re not actively shaping your digital identity.
Updating your online presence may feel like a chore, especially for time‑strapped CEOs and founders. But it’s now part of your baseline credibility. If people are referred to you and find a half‑empty LinkedIn profile or a website that references a role you haven’t held in two years, you’ve immediately introduced friction into the relationship.
The more friction there is, the easier it is for them to move on to someone else.
Personal vs. Corporate Branding in a Skeptical Market
There was a time when business leaders thought branding was all about the corporate identity. They’d hide behind a logo and rely on big institutional messaging to project credibility. That doesn’t cut it anymore.
Audiences want to see and hear from actual human beings, not from brand statements or carefully sculpted corporate speak. Rusty shared how major corporations are discovering that their “hidden gem” in marketing is the personal brand of their executives and subject matter experts.
For an executive or a physician who might want to pivot fields (maybe from medicine to leadership), the shift can feel tricky. You worry people won’t take you seriously in the new arena. But here’s what I recommend: “Use every piece of the cow.”
If you’re a doctor, that “Dr.” prefix unlocks certain instant credibility. Why waste that brand asset? Blend it into your new message rather than pretend it doesn’t exist.
Why Podcasting Remains a Powerhouse
It might sound paradoxical to call podcasting “the future of authority” when podcasting itself is no longer a novelty. But sometimes, a platform’s staying power underscores its value.
According to Rusty, about one‑third of Americans over age 12 listen to podcasts weekly, while another third do so monthly. That is a tremendous reach. For leaders, the real benefit goes beyond just building an audience of listeners.
Podcasts can serve as a relationship‑building tool: you can invite clients, mentors, or even prospective partners to join you for an episode, instantly creating a deeper connection.
The best part is how this library of episodes then populates search engines (and presumably AI tools) with proof of your engagement. When your name is typed into perplexity.ai or Google, someone can find 20 episodes where you interviewed respected experts.
That’s instant credibility, much stronger than a static resume.
Relationship‑Building and Ethical Influence
The word “authority” sometimes carries an aftertaste of ego. But Rusty and I champion a different view: if you have valuable knowledge, you have a responsibility to share it with a wider audience in an ethical way.
That means representing yourself honestly—no padding your resume with false claims—and aiming to educate rather than simply self‑promote. It also means focusing on genuine relationships, whether by featuring co‑authors or quotes in a book or inviting guests to your podcast. That approach cements goodwill, fosters collaboration, and gives others a reason to forward your message with credibility.
When executed in an honest, audience‑focused manner, authority building becomes less about trying to impress and more about accelerating trust and creating opportunity. And let’s not forget: authority is the gateway to better relationships, bigger partnerships, and new customers.
If you’re not building it intentionally, you risk letting technology or more deliberate competitors define the narrative for you.
Putting It All Together
Authority in the digital age—particularly in the looming AI era—requires personal investment. It’s not enough to stand behind a corporate logo and hope your job title will carry the day.
The leaders who succeed will be those who lean into their distinctiveness, create content that resonates with authenticity, and keep their digital footprint accurate and up‑to‑date. That’s where momentum builds.
Use your biggest credentials—whether it’s “Dr.” or “Founder of X”—to strengthen your new message. The longer you wait, the more AI (or your competition) might make those decisions for you, deciding whether you show up in those crucial search results at all.
Rusty and I have seen the path to authority change multiple times in the nine years we’ve worked together, but the fundamentals remain the same: trust, authenticity, and relationships.
What does shift is how you get there, which means you need to stay agile and be willing to adapt. AI may well rewrite how people discover or consume information, but the leaders who build real, human connection will rise above the noise.
And that, in the end, is why authority has always been—and will remain—a deeply human story.
You can hear Rusty and I go deeper into the future of authority on the Build Your Authority podcast.