AI Secrets to Dominate LinkedIn: Al Kushner Reveals How AI Transforms Personal Branding | Ep 3

Hello everyone. Welcome back to Thought Atlas, the podcast where we explore ideas, systems, and stories that helps us understand life, human behavior, and the world around us better. Today, I'm joined by Al Kushner, a LinkedIn growth strategist, an author, and a thought leader working at the intersection of AI, personal branding, and human connection. In this conversation, we're going to explore how technologies reshaping influence identity and the way we connect in the modern world. Al, welcome to Thought Atlas podcast. Thank you. Pleasure to be here. Before we proceed, can you tell us more about yourself? Well, I am an author. My new book is called The AI LinkedIn Advantage. And I wrote this book to help a lot of my clients when it comes to using AI technology and LinkedIn to make their ability on the platform more productive. so hopefully i'll share some insights with your viewers okay what fits drew you to you know draft a linkedin strategy well i would say the linkedin strategy was something that was i've been on the platform for over 20 years and i would say the uh ai technology came about the last four or five years and it really was a game changer for me uh in terms of how it helps you to create content, come up with ideas, even graphics. So it was something that I wanted to share some of my experiences with that to help others be more productive on the platform. Yes. I myself, I thought at some point AI would streamline how we create content, how we manage our social media accounts. But I never thought that at some point it would become a fundamental part of it. why do you think we've gotten to a point where it has not become a fundamental part of you know managing our social brand and all everything has to do with that um i'm not sure you may have to repeat that because we're having some problems with your video there's lag time so i'm not really getting clear okay sorry i apologize sorry i think there's something on the reception anyways what i said was at what point did you realize that ai would be a fundamental part of personal branding when did i realize it well um i would say probably most recently because of the changes and such has really been incredible as a as a work tool i've been using a number of different platforms everybody's familiar with chat gpt of course but there's also uh google gems which has really been helpful and i'd say that technology has really been progressing tremendously and it really is able you're able to create you know ideas and and create you know content that is very effective in communicating with people. Yes. You know that some people see AI as a threat to authenticity. How would you reconcile AI with, you know, actual human expression? Well, the thing to do is you should use it, you know, AI as a tool and not an end-all because it will give you information, but you really need to kind of put it in your own way of thought. I mean, it's just... really coming up with ideas but you can't really use the raw information because it's going to be a dead giveaway and it really does not come across as being authentic so i use it for the research i use it to come up with ideas but i put my own uh you know my own flavor to it which really makes a difference in becoming um authentic that's really is value valuable for people who are listening or reading your content Okay, so essentially you can use the AI to do your research, to do your findings, but when you are drafting everything up for whatever you want to use it for, you should make sure to add your own flavor to it before you make it mainstream, basically. Yeah, exactly, because AI is not perfect and it'll make a lot of mistakes and particularly a lot of hallucinations. So people don't realize that information sometimes the AI spits out is irrelevant or it just, you know. totally off the topic so you really need to be careful with the technology because it's not perfect exactly whilst i was you know doing some research concerning this interview i came across where you said something about ai advisory boards can you please explain this concept and how can one begin to use it um can you repeat that okay sorry i said whilst i was doing my research concerning towards our interview i can i came across some places where you mentioned using ai advisory boards can you please explain what it means and how we can begin to use it all right so we're talking about ai advisory boards am i correct yes yes basically yes okay great so um way i use it is that i look for certain types of information from certain experts in the field and what i try to do is to get the information uh whether it comes to uh having a board of advisors um what i did was i look for experts in the field that i recognize who are better than what i do um marketing and sales and i find out you know example they may have certain books that they wrote or they have certain videos that they had spoke about and i use that information to help the AI develop a persona that is that particular individual and only that particular individual. So let's say you took someone, for example, who do you recognize in sales and marketing that you admire? Is there a certain individual that you? I would say Joe Rogan, for example. All right. Well, Joe Rogan, he's great on his podcast. So you may want to develop someone of a personality based on, I'm not sure, the books that he's written. or obviously has a lot of information on his podcast, but you can use that information to help your AI learn about his particular persona. And by using that, you can only have it just focus in on, let's say, Joe Rogan and has his particular information that he has provided, whether it's books or through his podcast or talks, and train it. And once you've done that, then you can create an AI agent based on his persona, and he can be part of your team of advisors. So whenever you have a question regarding marketing or sales, you can ask Joe, hey, what do you think I should do? And we'll come back based on his information of his resources that you provided. Okay, spectacular. So let me see if I understand what Ajax explained to us. Essentially, hello, are you there? I'm here. Okay. So essentially, the people I look up to, maybe in marketing, in sports, or whatever niche I'm pursuing, I would basically take a profile of all of them, then have a couple of AI bots that I would use to watch their profile, watch where they're easy to train those bots. Then whenever I want to do something and I need an advice, I will contact each or any of those AI bots that has the persona of this person I'm looking up to in their niche to give me an advice on what to do, basically. Yeah, exactly. I mean, just imagine if you had, let's say, Joe available at your disposal 24-7. Ask him a question, okay, and the AI will come back with an answer. But a key thing, of course, is to look for those who have, let's say, written multiple books, have a number of podcasts or a number of speaking videos that you can use as a source because it's only as valuable as the information you give the AI. So the more comprehensive it is, the more you'll get accuracy. Thank you. That's actually a very, very brilliant strategy. Honestly, I need to, I think I'm going to add that to what I do currently. So your main focus, your primary focus is LinkedIn, and it is a platform for professionals. Now, what do you think it reviews about human behavior in networking? What has LinkedIn showed you about the way human beings behave when it comes to networking? Well, LinkedIn has grown tremendously since its inception, and I think there are close to a billion users on the platform. So it's really a great tool to connect with people for business to business or in sales to really engage with individuals. And what I like about LinkedIn is that you have to be the real person, unlike other platforms where you can be a... you know, an avatar or whatever, you have to be, your identity has to be revealed. That's really what it is. So it really creates a very important platform of trust. And that really makes a difference in terms of other platforms because it's, you're dealing with the real person and not someone who is not who they say they are. So that makes a difference, at least in my experience, they are very good at weeding out the spammers. Yes, yes. You know, most people, they struggle with creating content consistently. Now, how might they reframe this challenge, not as a burden, but as part of their creative growth process? Well, it's simple. As I mentioned, I mean, AI is great to give you ideas for content, endless ideas. So you can be able to expand upon topics that maybe you've never even thought about or maybe never considered because AI has the ability to create endless amount of ideas. if you provided the right prompts you can use it very strategically now what is one misconception people have about when it comes to content creation that actually limits their potential um i think that they think that ai is the end all and they just use it without even thinking about you know the consequences of it they just take the raw information they put it up there and they think it's okay and they'll find out a lot of times it's wrong and a lot of hallucinations and other things can really damage your reputation so you really need to be careful. So I can believe that the amount of your experience has coached a lot of people when it comes to personal branding. What is the deepest lesson you've learned from coaching so much people? I would say that my experience people really want to be more impactful with their delivery, their message. And I find that they have been, you know, under certain guise that the AI technology could help them with everything. And I show them that it's just really important to use it as a tool, but you really have to fact check what you're doing. And that's crucial. And I explain a lot of this in my podcast that I have. It's called the AI Authority Edge, which drops four times a week. And it talks about AI and LinkedIn. And that's something people can learn more about. Okay. I know LinkedIn is your primary focus, but do you also try to help people with personal branding and other social media platforms? Well, no. I mean, my focus is a bit on LinkedIn because for me, that's the most important platform because the fact is that you can't be a jack of all trades. So if you can focus in on one particular field and be good at it, you know, that works. Okay. So the reason I ask that question is because of the fact that some people, though there are people that use AI every day with everything, there are people that are still kind of skeptical of AI. They don't even want to go near it, not to talk of using it. What would you say to these people? I would say that their days are numbered, that they are under the illusion that they think can live without AI, and that's really a wrong way of looking at it. It's technology. And the more they procrastinate, the more their competitors will take advantage of it. So that's really what it is. Okay. So this is my last question before we wrap up for the day. You've been to lots of interviews, a lot of podcasts. What is that one particular question that no one has ever asked you? One question. I would say, what do you think about the future of AI technology? And I would say to them that... You need to really embrace it. You have to really realize that it's not going away and it's not a fad. And the more you procrastinate, the more that other people will, you know, your competitors will take advantage of you. So you really need to step up your game, stop procrastinating and check it out because it's really will be a great tool for you and a great asset for your future. Okay, I want to say a big thank you for coming on my podcast, sharing your insights, sharing your experience, and sharing your expertise. It's really been a pleasure and it's been an honor. Also, Al, where can my listeners learn more about your work? Well, yeah, certainly my book is available called The AI LinkedIn Advantage. You can get that available on most retailers. It's also available on Spotify as an audio for those who are listening on audio. Follow me on LinkedIn. You can always follow me, which is a great. the app opportunity and also my website link vantage.com in fact i have a free profile or optimization audit that they can download for free just go to link vantage.com forward slash audit and it'll give you an opportunity to download a free worksheet to help you optimize your profile on linkedin to become more effective Okay, it's really been a pleasure. Thank you so much for coming on the Thought Atlas podcast. For the listeners, if you found this conversation engaging and you've learned a lot today, if there's anything you should take home, yes, very important. If there's anything you should take home today that's very, very important is what Al said about the AI Advisory Board. I believe that's going to make a huge difference in how you bring out your content and how you manage your social media accounts. Al, I want to say a big thank you for coming on my podcast. Have a good day and take care of yourself. Thank you so much. Thank you blessed. Have a good one. Thank you.

Dive into the future of personal branding with Al Kushner on Thought Atlas – the podcast exploring ideas, human behavior, and the world through curiosity-driven conversations.
In this eye-opening Episode 3, LinkedIn growth strategist and author Al Kushner shares how AI is revolutionizing LinkedIn, from content creation to building authentic connections. We discuss the evolution of AI in social media, overcoming procrastination with tech, ethical AI use, and strategies for creators, entrepreneurs, and professionals to thrive in a digital world.
Key takeaways:
•  Why AI is now essential for LinkedIn success and personal branding
•  Practical tips on using AI for content, graphics, and audience engagement
•  Al’s journey from 20+ years on LinkedIn to becoming an AI authority
•  The importance of human-AI collaboration and avoiding common pitfalls
If you’re curious about AI’s role in reshaping influence, identity, and connections, this episode will spark new ideas. Stay tuned for more deep dives!
Subscribe, turn on notifications, and join the journey. What AI tool are you using for your brand? Comment below!
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CONNECT WITH AL KUSHNER 
Website: https://linkedvantage.com/
•  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/al-kushner
•  Book (“The AI LinkedIn Advantage”): Available on Amazon, Spotify Audiobook, and major retailers (search “The AI LinkedIn Advantage Al Kushner”)

CHAPTERS
0:00 - Intro: Welcome to Thought Atlas & Guest Introduction
0:45 - Al Kushner’s Background & His Book “The AI LinkedIn Advantage”
1:14 - What Drew Al to LinkedIn Growth Strategy
1:51 - Host’s Thoughts on AI Streamlining Content Creation
2:23 - When Al Realized AI’s Fundamental Role in Personal Branding
… (Note: Transcription truncated; approximate based on content)
3:00 - AI’s Evolution and Game-Changing Impact on Productivity
4:30 - Overcoming Technical Issues & Rephrasing Questions
5:15 - Ethical AI Use and Human-AI Collaboration
6:45 - Strategies for Creators and Entrepreneurs Using AI
8:00 - Avoiding Procrastination with AI Tools
9:30 - The Future of AI Technology
11:00 - Al’s Advice on Embracing AI
12:35 - Common Illusions About Living Without AI
13:06 - One Question No One Has Asked Al
13:42 - Where to Learn More About Al’s Work
14:37 - Closing Thoughts & Key Takeaway: AI Advisory Board
15:09 - Farewell & Thanks