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AI use with creators is moving beyond simple tools for transcripts, show notes, image generation, and editing.
In this episode 664 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer, talks with Mike Russell, founder of CreatorMagic.ai and longtime audio producer behind Music Radio Creative, about how new media creators, podcasters, and video producers can begin building their own “AI creator employee.”
Mike explains how AI agents are becoming active collaborators capable of controlling studio lighting, camera settings, thumbnails, content workflows, research, WordPress optimization, and production tasks.
The conversation explores the shift from podcasting as an audio-first medium to a broader video-first creator economy, where YouTube, Apple Podcasts HLS video, AI workflows, and agentic automation are reshaping how content is made, distributed, measured, and monetized.
Rob and Mike also dig into the tension between human-created and AI-assisted media, why “taste” still matters, how creators can avoid generic AI slop, and why the next competitive advantage may come from combining human judgment with powerful AI systems.
What happens when AI stops being just a tool and starts acting like a real creative team member?
Rob Greenlee and Mike Russell explore how AI agents, video-first media, and creator workflows are changing podcasting, YouTube, and the future of new media.
Topic Chapters:
00:00, Welcome to New Media Show #664 with Mike Russell
01:00, Why AI is becoming more than a creator tool
02:00, Building your own “AI creator employee.”
03:00, Using AI agents to control studio lighting, cameras, and production settings
05:00, The growing complexity of being a modern creator
07:00, Why video quality is becoming a bigger creator advantage
08:00, YouTube as the new TV and the move toward 4K content
09:00, Podcasting, YouTube, and the digital replacement for broadcast
11:00, Mike Russell’s shift from audio production to video and AI
12:00, Early YouTube lessons and why creators need to be on camera
14:00, Why video matters now for creators
15:00, Audio versus video consumption and the risk of treating audio listeners as secondary
18:00, Apple Podcasts HLS video, deeper metrics, and YouTube analytics envy
20:00, How streaming video could help podcasting catch up on measurement
22:00, Creator Magic, community growth, and helping creators adopt AI
23:00, Mike’s AI-focused YouTube channel and 200,000 subscriber milestone
25:00, From Adobe Audition expert to AI creator educator
26:00, Why human taste still matters in an AI content world
28:00, Using AI as a creative director, not a replacement
30:00, AI agent experiments, crypto wallets, OpenClaw, and automation
32:00, AI tools versus AI agents
33:00, How agents connect tools across transcripts, thumbnails, analytics, and publishing
35:00, Moving from Zapier-style workflows to agentic AI systems
37:00, OpenClaw, Hermes, and self-healing AI workflows
38:00, Keeping the human layer in AI-generated content
39:00, Training AI agents on your own creative style and back catalog
40:00, Studying successful creators without copying them
42:00, Orchestrating AI tools to create output that feels personal
43:00, How AI models are improving creator workflows
45:00, Prompting for better thumbnail style, text, and simplicity
47:00, The tension between human-created and AI-created content
48:00, AI in communication, negotiation, and personal reflection
50:00, Embodied AI, Tesla, robots, and real-world AI systems
51:00, AI moving into cameras, microphones, appliances, and creator devices
53:00, Polished production versus raw human authenticity
54:00, Where shorts, live streaming, and long-form video each fit
55:00, Human clones, AI-generated versions, and trust labeling
57:00, Will AI-generated content become as good as or better than human content?
58:00, First steps for creators moving toward agentic AI
59:00, Claude, Codex, Gemini, and easier entry points for non-technical creators
01:01:00, How Claude Code can connect with WordPress and audit content
01:03:00, CreatorMagic.ai community and YouTube resources
01:04:00, Why AI agents are becoming practical for everyday creators
01:24:00, AI search optimization, answer engines, and formatting content for discovery
01:25:00, Why creators should direct AI instead of rejecting it
01:26:00, The “AI slop” debate and why humans also create low-quality content
01:28:00, Where to find Mike Russell and Creator Magic
01:29:00, Rob’s closing thoughts on the expanded New Media Show mission
Host: Rob Greenlee
- New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com
- Adore Network: https://adorenetwork.com
- Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com
- Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com
- Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee
- Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee
Guest: Mike Russell, Founder of Creator Magic AI
- Music Radio Creative: https://www.MusicRadioCreative.com
- Creator Magic AI: https://CreatorMagic.ai
- Mike Russell YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MikeRussell
About the Host/Author:
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services.
Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification.
The post How Creators Are Using AI Agents to Work Smarter | Mike Russell #664 first appeared on New Media Show.