Actionable Impact with Jeff DeMarrais: Bridging the AI Velocity Gap

Jeff DeMarrais, SVP and Chief Communications Officer at Cognizant, shares insights on how corporate communicators can stop defending legacy PR methods and start using AI to unlock measurable business value. Having spent his career driving communication strategy across tech and media powerhouses—from NBC and GE to IBM and Cognizant—Jeff is at the forefront of bridging the “velocity gap” between enterprise AI investment and actual business outcomes.

In this episode, Jeff joins Andrew Bleeker to discuss why defending traditional PR workflows is the fastest way to get left behind. Together, they explore how Cognizant ran a Guinness World Record-breaking vibe coding event, how multi-agent digital twins are revolutionizing executive communications, and why AI-powered “borrowed knowledge” is actually creating more demand for entry-level talent rather than replacing it.

In this episode:

Closing the AI Velocity Gap: Why enterprise leaders must shift from casual experimentation and “token maxing” to structured implementation that delivers clear ROI.

Building Digital Twins and Custom Agents: How Cognizant uses multi-agent systems to replicate authentic executive voices and proprietary tools like “Fortune Teller” and “Agency in a Box” to identify media white space and scale PESO comms models.

The Russian Nesting Doll Metric: Why traditional clip packs are just “data exhaust” and how to link media coverage to message pull-through, quarterly business reviews, and budget growth.

AI-Enabled Early Careers: Why capturing enterprise institutional memory allows recent college graduates to bypass years of routine data gathering and perform higher-level strategic tasks on day one.

Personal Sandbox Experimentation: Why communicators should test tools on low-stakes personal projects—like Jeff’s automated fantasy football blog—to build coding confidence and ask better questions of tech partners.

Disclaimer

Actionable Impact (the “Podcast”) is produced by Bully Pulpit International (“BPI”) for informational purposes only.

The content provided is intended to highlight practical ways technology is transforming corporate communications. It does not constitute professional, technical, or legal advice, nor does it create a consultant-client relationship between you, BPI, a guest or their organization.

Guest Views & Commercial Disclosures 

The views and opinions expressed by guests on the Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or endorsement of BPI. BPI is not responsible for the accuracy of information provided by guests. Please be advised that BPI may have commercial relationships with companies, organizations, or individuals interviewed or discussed on the Podcast.

Accuracy & Liability 

Because AI systems and the regulatory landscape for new technologies change rapidly, BPI makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information discussed. BPI and its affiliates disclaim all liability for any actions taken or not taken based on any or all contents of the Podcast. You should consult with your own technical and legal advisors before implementing organizational changes.