AI has quickly become one of the most talked-about topics in business, but many organisations are still struggling to work out where it actually fits into their day-to-day operations.  

Some see AI as a magic solution. Others have experimented with it a few times but haven't found a practical way to make it part of how they work.  

The reality sits somewhere in the middle. The businesses seeing the biggest results aren't necessarily using the most advanced AI tools. They're simply finding ways to use AI to work smarter, move faster and get more from the people they already have.  

This session explores how small businesses and lean marketing teams can use AI to compete with organisations that have significantly larger budgets, agencies and internal resources. Rather than focusing on technical concepts or complex AI workflows, the session introduces a practical framework built around four key pillars: Clarity, Creation, Authority and Speed.  

Together, these pillars show how AI can help businesses better understand their customers, create more marketing from a single idea, build credibility in their market and react faster than larger competitors.  

The session also explores what I call "The Marketing Gap" — the shrinking advantage traditionally enjoyed by larger organisations. For the first time, small businesses now have access to many of the same capabilities that were once reserved for companies with dedicated marketing departments, creative agencies and specialist teams.  

Delivered by Helena Rudd, Marketing Director of The Rudd Group, the session is based on real-world experience using AI within a small marketing team responsible for multiple brands, products and business divisions.  

Through practical examples, live prompts and lessons learned along the way, attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how AI can become a genuine competitive advantage, helping small teams create better marketing, make faster decisions and compete more effectively in an increasingly AI-powered world.