Meet Your AI Academy Instructors

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The Team Behind AI Academy

Paul Roetzer and Mike Kaput are the voices behind course content at AI Academy. With deep experience in business strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence, they’ve helped thousands of professionals and organizations build AI literacy and unlock real results. As trusted educators, speakers, and advisors, they break down complex topics into practical, human-centered insights—so you can lead smarter in the age of AI.

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About the Instructor


Paul Roetzer is on a mission to accelerate AI literacy and human-centered AI transformation in organizations.

As the founder and CEO of SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute, Paul is the driving force behind some of the industry's leading AI events and content. He created the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON), co-hosts the popular podcast The Artificial Intelligence Show, and is co-author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence.

Through SmarterX’s AI Academy, his work directly helps thousands of professionals and leaders understand and apply AI. His free monthly Intro to AI class alone has reached more than 40,000 registrants since its launch in 2021.

Paul’s entrepreneurial journey began long before the current AI boom. A graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, he founded PR 20/20, HubSpot’s first partner agency, and sold it in 2021 after establishing it as a pioneer in digital marketing.

This unique background as both an agency innovator and AI educator gives him a practical, story-driven approach to helping professionals and leaders reimagine business models, reinvent industries, and rethink what's possible.

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Mike Kaput

Mike Kaput is a marketing and business AI expert, speaker, and author. In his role as SmarterX’s Chief Content Officer, he uses dozens of powerful AI tools daily to increase productivity and performance across hundreds of use cases. And his actionable talks can teach you and your team how to do the same thing.

Mike’s talks help companies of every size in any industry to capture massive productivity and performance gains using practical AI knowledge, use cases, and tools. They also make AI approachable and accessible for professionals at every level and in every function.

The result is that companies in every industry—including The Financial Times, Vimeo, and Vodafone—have come away from Mike’s talks armed with everything they need to start building a competitive advantage with AI.

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