• The real threat may lie in its use by governments

• “I’m very worried that the same kinds of abuses that are occurring in China could trickle into our system”

Back in 1957, the journalist Vance Packard published his book called “The Hidden Persuaders,” revealing how advertisers used consumer motivational research and other psychological techniques, including subliminal tactics, to manipulate expectations and persuade Americans to buy certain products.

Now fast forward 62 years and we’re in the age of artificial intelligence, called A-I for short.

Artificial intelligence is hard at work, changing us. Sophisticated AI algorithms can scrape, log, and cross-reference who you are and how to best exploit your emotional hot buttons in fractions of a second.

Have we not learned anything since Vance Packard’s book? Or are we blowing things out of proportion, as some accused Mr. Packard of doing?

To answer that question is our CVBT Audio Interview Podcast guest, William Ammerman, author of the new book, “The Invisible Brand: Marketing in the Age of Automation, Big Data, and Machine Learning.”