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In this episode, Kathy Bloomgarden, speaks with Zack Kass, Global AI Advisor and former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI, about how AI can unlock a more human future. 
Kathy and Zack explore what it means for intelligence to become an abundant resource for good, and how this shift could redefine the future of work, creativity, and human connection. They also discuss the moral imagination, empathy, and optimism needed to guide the next era of technological progress. 
Listen now on [**Spotify**](https://open.spotify.com/episode/7fVtwvq0tm9NUutYn9jzT2) and [**Apple Podcasts**](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unmetered-intelligence-how-ai-can-unlock-a-more/id1877193190?i=1000750344286), or watch on [**YouTube**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69f2pZu0SCE).

_**What’s Next: The Ruder Finn Podcast** is hosted by Ruder Finn Global CEO Dr. Kathy Bloomgarden and explores how AI, innovation, and leadership are reshaping the future of communications and marketing. Featuring conversations with industry leaders, technologists, and healthcare pioneers, the podcast offers forward-looking insights on navigating change in an increasingly AI-powered world._

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Unmetered Intelligence: How AI Can Unlock a More Human Future 

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In this episode of What’s Next: The Ruder Finn Podcast, Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn, speaks with Zack Kass, Global AI Advisor and former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI, about how AI can unlock a more human future. 

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_The article was originally published on [**Campaign Middle East**](https://campaignme.com/should-we-just-wait-for-chatgpts-ads-to-launch-and-buy-our-way-to-the-top/)._ 
If you’re working in a digital comms agency right now, you’ll realise this idea – we can’t just buy our way to visibility – is the 2026 version of the “we need more followers” conversation. 
Today, our clients’ reputations are now in the hands of an ask anything chat box that we can’t control. We see the output, we don’t like it, and our instinct is to apply old logic: buy an ad or stuff some keywords. 
And yes, if you haven’t heard already, to paraphrase Game of Thrones, “ads are coming.”

## **Gold buys the spotlight** 
 

ChatGPT and Perplexity are introducing sponsored citations, enabling you to buy visibility (not validity). Yet there’s a surprisingly common belief that paid media will save organic reputation. 
Sorry to break it to you–in the age of Large Language Models (LLM’s), it won’t. 
It’s key to understand how LLMs work. They don’t read your website like a human does and decide if they like it. They predict the next most likely word, based on patterns they’ve learned from large amounts of text that they have been (and will continue being) trained on over time. 
Buying ads quite frankly ignores the reality these models rely on. AI models don’t just use your website; they pull information from across the web to form their answers. If your brand lives only on your own great website, with no external validation, you’re not worthy of an AI citation. 
Fixing this pain point starts with realisation. The realisation that you cannot optimise an LLM by simply buying a sponsored citation. An LLM is not another Google search. The user reads the answer first, before any ad. Imagine paying for your ad to sit next to a response that isn’t exactly in your favour. Whoops… embarrassing.

## **Only trust claims the throne**
 

You can pay for attention, but not for machine trust. LLMs organise information into entities, people, brands and places.If the model doesn’t understand what your brand is, it won’t risk recommending it in the main text, regardless of your ad budget. So how do we fix this?
 

Here are three tips that we’ve seen prove consistent results: 
**1. Fix your coding first:** AI models can tell the difference between a product and a blog post. If your key selling points aren’t clearly coded, the system can misread your content.
**2. Invest in digital PR:** LLMs feed off high-quality mentions. If the only place that says you are a “luxury leader” is your own ad copy, the AI treats it as a claim, not a fact.
**3. Keep a close eye on hallucinations:** Often overlooked, but this should be a critical part of your comms strategy and reporting. You need to know what the AI thinks is true about you before you advertise.

## **The ads are coming**
 

Yes, it’s inevitable. However, buying paid ads on the likes of ChatGPT or Perplexity is not going to get you and your organisation seen more. It’s not going to fix your problems. 
What will help you, is digging deeper and fixing the roots.

Originally published on [**Campaign Middle East**](https://campaignme.com/should-we-just-wait-for-chatgpts-ads-to-launch-and-buy-our-way-to-the-top/).

Ruder Finn Atteline's Sanya Ijaz explains why buying paid ads on the likes of ChatGPT or Perplexity is not going to brands seen more; what will help you, is digging deeper and fixing the roots.

Should we just wait for ChatGPT’s ads to launch and buy our way to the top?

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Ruder Finn Era, Southeast Asia’s leading integrated communications consultancy, has named Pawares Wongpethkao as Managing Director, Thailand, as the agency accelerates its next phase of growth in one of Southeast Asia’s most strategically important markets. 
Backed by a strong global network and deep regional expertise, Ruder Finn Era is the only communications consultancy with a fully owned, on-the-ground presence across Southeast Asia. 
Since joining the global Ruder Finn network in 2025, the firm has strengthened its Southeast Asian footprint and earned international recognition from PRovoke Media, Campaign, and the Global SABRE Awards, ranking among the world’s top creative PR firms and securing multiple Southeast Asia PR Campaign of the Year titles. 
“Thailand’s high digital penetration, strong e-commerce adoption, and influential stakeholder ecosystem make it a strategic gateway for multinational brands entering Southeast Asia, as well as Thai corporations expanding abroad. At the same time, as brands optimize budget allocation, streamline operations, and prioritize efficiency, there is a growing need for strong local success stories – campaigns that are built for the market and genuinely resonate with local audiences, while delivering measurable impact.” said Anthony Larmon, Managing Director of Ruder Finn Era. “In an Era defined by geopolitical shifts and rising consumer activism, organizations need communications partners who can navigate complexity with precision and cultural fluency.”.

**Acting as Clients’ Cultural Ambassador** 
The “Culture” pillar is rooted in community embeddedness and a nuanced understanding of Thailand’s stakeholder landscape. This foundation powers integrated strategies that align corporate reputation, brand storytelling, marketing, sustainability, crisis management, and internal communications - all under one agency. 
“In today’s environment, where multinational corporations continue to invest in Thailand as a strategic Southeast Asia hub, brands require communications that are both locally grounded and regionally scalable,” said Pawares Wongpethkao, Managing Director, Ruder Finn Era Thailand. 
“In the past, integrated communications often meant working with multiple agencies across different specializations and markets, which could result in fragmented messaging. At Ruder Finn Era Thailand, we act as our clients’ cultural ambassador – delivering fully integrated solutions across PR, corporate communications, crisis, creative, and digital under one roof, with seamless execution across Southeast Asia. We aim to partner with forward-thinking organizations that see communications not merely as a support function, but as a strategic driver of sustainable growth.” Pawares added. 
With over 15 years of experience across corporate and regional agency environments, Pawares previously led Corporate Communications and Customer Experience transformation at Mazda Sales Thailand and served as Deputy Head of Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning at SC Asset Corporation PLC., following Chief Digital Officer role at Vero across ASEAN.
For more information about Ruder Finn Era Thailand and partnership opportunities, please visit [**www.ruderfinnera.com**](https://eracommunications.com/).

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Ruder Finn Era, Southeast Asia’s Leading Communication Consultancy, Appoints Pawares Wongpethkao to Lead Thailand. Strengthening Strategic Communication to Drive Sustainable Business Impact


Unmetered Intelligence: How AI Can Unlock a More Human Future

Unmetered Intelligence: How AI Can Unlock a More Human Future

Ruder Finn

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2026-05-19