You Were AI Pioneers All Along: Revelations from Our Minicon 2025 Presentation
- Alex Colley
- Sep 17, 2025
- 4 min read
Yesterday's presentation to the dynamic women of Digital Women Kansas City's Minicon 2025 was absolutely unforgettable. It was inspiring to share our "Marketing Carol" framework with a room full of professionals who aren't just curious about AI—they're already leading the charge.
What struck us most wasn't just the enthusiasm for learning about AI, but how sophisticated this audience already was. Our live polls revealed that 54% use AI daily for content creation, and 33% consider themselves advanced users who "dream in algorithms." These women aren't waiting for permission to innovate—they're already doing it.
The Ghost of AI Past: We Were AI Pioneers All Along
One of the most eye-opening revelations from our presentation was helping attendees realize they've been using AI far longer than they thought. From 2015-2025, we lived through what I call "The Decade We Didn't Realize We Were Already Using AI."
Healthcare professionals thought they were simply moving to electronic health records, but were actually training machine learning algorithms that analyzed patient data patterns. Epic's sepsis prediction models? That was AI working behind the scenes.
Education leaders believed they were just finding better college matching systems, but tools like Big Future were using predictive analytics and machine learning to track personalized suggestions.
Marketing teams assumed they were organizing email lists more efficiently, but Mailchimp's send time optimization was powered by behavioral prediction engines aggregating massive amounts of data.
The audience poll results were fascinating: 54% of attendees use AI daily for content creation (we called them "AI wizards"), while 33% rated themselves as "advanced" users who "dream in algorithms." Only 6% identified as beginners - this group of women ai pioneers is clearly ahead of the curve!
The Ghost of AI Present: The Uncomfortable Truths
During our live content creation demo, we showed just how quickly AI can generate marketing campaigns when given three simple inputs: service/product, target audience, and brand tone. The speed was remarkable, but it highlighted some uncomfortable truths about where traditional approaches stand today:
While you're manually writing course descriptions, competitors are generating 1,000 variations and testing them all
While you're sending quarterly patient newsletters, they're sending daily personalized health insights
While you're posting the same content everywhere, they're creating platform-specific, AI-optimized content
While some organizations are still debating AI adoption, competitors are already using AI in ways that create significant advantages. The statistics we shared painted a clear picture:
The Ghost of AI Future: Beyond Current Imagination
Looking ahead to 2026-2035, we explored possibilities that stretch beyond current thinking:
Near Future (2026-2028):
Smartwatches that detect Alzheimer's markers and auto-schedule assessments
Every website visitor seeing a completely unique, personalized experience
Virtual tutors providing 24/7 individualized instruction
The New Reality (2033-2035):
24/7 AI doctors with 99% accuracy
AI tutors that understand learning styles better than students themselves
Predictive trend creation rather than reaction - actually creating cultural moments rather than responding to them
We even had fun imagining new job titles by 2035: AI Empathy Engineer, Predictive Wellness Communicator, Quantum Privacy Medical Officer, VR Learning Environment Designer, and Human-AI Collaboration Specialist.
The Ghost of AI Ethics: Our Responsibility
Perhaps the most important part of our presentation focused on ethical AI use. We outlined Four Pillars of Ethical AI:
Transparency: "No More Marketing Ghosts" - Disclose AI use and clearly identify chatbots
Privacy: "Respecting Customer Wishes" - Data minimization, clear consent, easy deletion
Fairness: "AI for All, Not Just the Few" - Diverse training data, bias audits, inclusive design
Human Agency: "Keep Human in Human Marketing" - Human oversight, customer choice, creative collaboration
We walked through ethical dilemmas that many organizations face today. These scenarios sparked rich discussions about how to navigate AI's power responsibly.
From Scrooge to AI Champion
The transformation journey we outlined - from skeptical "Scrooge" to AI champion - isn't just about adopting new technology. It's about thoughtfully, ethically, and courageously embracing change that can genuinely improve outcomes for the people we serve.
At dameSpeak, we use AI for ideation and brainstorming, experimentation to increase speed and reduce guesswork, and organization to centralize data and automate workflows. But we never lose sight of the human element that makes marketing truly resonate.
The Power of Women Supporting Women
What made this presentation even more special was the audience itself. The collaborative spirit of women inspiring each other created an energy you simply can't replicate virtually. The poll results showed this wasn't just a room of AI curious individuals - it was filled with professionals already pushing boundaries and leading in their fields.
Events like Minicon 2025 demonstrate why female-focused networking is so crucial for both personal and professional growth. The authentic sisterhood and professional camaraderie in that room reminded us all of what we've been missing and why in-person connection remains irreplaceable.
Looking Forward
The future of AI is being written by professionals like those who attended Minicon 2025 - women who choose to embrace change thoughtfully, ethically, and courageously. Whether you're a "Skeptical Scrooge" demanding proof, a "Curious Cratchit" eager to learn, an "Enthusiastic Advocate" championing AI, or a "Confused Bystander" trying to understand what's happening, there's a place for everyone in this transformation.
The key is starting where you are and moving forward with both ambition and ethics as your guide. Because while AI will continue to evolve at breathtaking speed, the human insight, creativity, and collaboration that drove the conversations at Minicon will always be irreplaceable.
Thank you to Digital Women Kansas City for the opportunity to share "A Marketing Carol" at Minicon 2025. The energy, engagement, and insights from this incredible group of women made this one of our most memorable presentations to date.
Ready to explore how AI can transform your marketing while maintaining ethical standards? Reach out to learn more about dameSpeak's approach to thoughtful AI integration.
