Our Story

Paul Roetzer began studying artificial intelligence in 2011, exploring its potential to transform marketing, business, and society. Through his learnings, he became convinced AI would be the most transformative technology of our lifetime, reshaping industries, jobs, the economy, and society at a pace few were prepared for.

Marketing AI Institute began in 2016 as an internal project at Paul’s marketing agency. We started with a simple blog and newsletter to explore how AI might impact our work and our clients. It quickly became clear there was a massive gap in AI knowledge, especially in marketing and business leadership. If we could make AI understandable for ourselves, we could make it understandable for others.

That curiosity grew into Marketing AI Institute, a media, events, and education company that today reaches more than 100,000 subscribers. In 2019, the first Marketing AI Conference (MAICON) took place, and in 2021, we raised $1 million to expand our mission: to make AI approachable, accessible, and actionable for marketers and business leaders.

In 2022, The Artificial Intelligence Show podcast relaunched, quickly rising in the ranks to the top 1% of podcasts worldwide. Each week, Paul Roetzer and Mike Kaput research dozens of AI news stories, delivering insights, opinions, and advice to business professionals in a relatable, pragmatic way.

In 2023, we launched SmarterX as a sister company to Marketing AI Institute, broadening our focus beyond marketing to educate and consult with enterprises across all departments and industries, and to provide research and advisory services.

As AI awareness grew globally, we recognized the urgent need for practical, structured education. In late 2022—just weeks after the public release of ChatGPT—we launched our first Piloting AI course series. The program evolved rapidly:

2024: Piloting AI, 2nd edition, alongside the launch of our new Scaling AI series

2025: Piloting AI, 3rd edition, Scaling AI, 2nd edition, and the debut of AI Fundamentals

All courses now live within AI Mastery Membership, alongside live classes, workshops, and exclusive training.

Through these initiatives, SmarterX has grown into the parent company of Marketing AI Institute, AI Academy, and The Artificial Intelligence Show—three brands united by a laser-focused goal: to prepare leaders, teams, and organizations to thrive in the AI-powered future of work.

Our Beliefs

AI Academy by SmarterX is built on SmarterX’s core beliefs: We believe AI will rapidly transform businesses, industries, jobs, the economy, education, and society. The vast majority of professionals and leaders are not yet prepared for this change. We believe a smarter version of any business can be built through a responsible, human-centered approach to AI. We believe the future of every organization will be AI native, AI emergent, or obsolete. And we believe AI education and training are the foundation for success in every organization.

The AI Literacy Project

The AI Literacy Project is our global initiative to democratize AI education and empower AI transformation. We are committed to helping every professional understand what AI is, how it works, and why it matters; providing free and low-cost educational resources to accelerate AI literacy for all; and partnering with organizations that share our vision to expand access to AI learning at scale. Our mission is simple: Accelerate AI Literacy for All^TM, so individuals, companies, and communities can thrive in the age of AI.

AI Academy 3.0

AI Academy is our education platform designed to help leaders move from AI awareness to AI mastery. In August 2025, we launched AI Academy 3.0—a completely reimagined learning experience featuring a new AI Fundamentals course series, updated existing content, live learning experiences with direct access to instructors, interactive case studies, and more, including professional learning journeys that connect AI capabilities to your unique role, industry, and goals.

Whether you’re just starting your AI education or scaling adoption across your enterprise, AI Academy gives you the skills, strategies, and confidence to lead AI transformation responsibly and effectively.

Our Goal

Our goal is to equip you and your organization with the AI knowledge and practical skills you need to compete and thrive in the years ahead. We aim to inspire action, empower innovation, and prepare you for the extraordinary opportunities and challenges of the AI era. We want you and your business to be AI-forward.

Meet the people making it happen on our SmarterX Team Page.