#596: The impact of AI on marketing and consumer expectations with Melissa Waters, CMO at Upwork

Today, we’re going to talk about the evolution of consumer technology and the impact of AI on marketing with Melissa Waters, Chief Marketing Officer at Upwork. Melissa has been instrumental in some of the most significant industry shifts, from digital music at Pandora to ridesharing at Lyft and more. Today, she'll share her insights on the intersection of AI, consumer expectations, and branding. Melissa has been the driving force behind some of the most significant consumer technology behavioral shifts, from the rise of digital music at Pandora, to ridesharing at Lyft, to telehealth at hims & hers and social media at Meta. With Melissa being at the forefront of these industry shifts, she can share her expertise on how AI is reshaping consumer expectations and how the marketing and branding industry is pivoting in response. RESOURCES Upwork website: https://www.upwork.com Wix Studio is the ultimate web platform for creative, fast-paced teams at agencies and enterprises—with smart design tools, flexible dev capabilities, full-stack business solutions, multi-site management, advanced AI and fully managed infrastructure. https://www.wix.com/studio Attend the Mid-Atlantic MarCom Summit, the region's largest marketing communications conference. Register with the code "Agile" and get 15% off. Register now for HumanX 2025. This AI-focused event which brings some of the most forward-thinking minds in technology together. Register now with the code "HX25p_tab" for $250 off the regular price. Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company