From Gator to AI Tech Innovator: Maddie Kidd’s Journey from UF to IBM
This is the third in a series of profiles of CJC alumni who are working with artificial intelligence.
By Allison Jiminez, UFCJC graduate student
In a world where generative artificial intelligence is changing the way we view the communications industry, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) alumna Maddie Kidd knows a thing or two about the impact it can have.
After graduating from UF with a Bachelor’s in Public Relations in 2021, Kidd never would’ve imagined she’d immediately land a dream role with a massive tech company like IBM in New York City. Her journey from UFCJC to IBM demonstrates how putting yourself out there and embracing different opportunities can lead to discovering exciting new roles, and for Kidd, that role was communicating about the power of AI.
Her story began with the experience she gained from classes and extracurricular activities at UF. She served as vice president of philanthropy for Pi Beta Phi sorority, joined The Agency at UF as an operations manager, became a Journalism and Communications Ambassador, and worked as a social media intern with the UF Athletic Association. Additionally, having an outside concentration in statistics helped her find an interesting analytical niche.
“I think that’s something really cool that CJC offers,” she said. “They require you to take this outside concentration that might not necessarily be related to public relations or journalism. It provides the edge that you need to be able to help you decide what you want to do in your career.”
Kidd knew she wanted to work in tech with IBM. Her first exposure to the company came in her junior year during a UFCJC Public Relations Department agency and company tour in New York City. “We toured multiple companies – including IBM. After speaking with many communications professionals and learning about the business, I thought IBM might be a company I’d be interested in working for.”
Fast forward to today – five years later – and Kidd now serves as a paid social media specialist at IBM, with a stretch project focused on AI external relations project management. Her primary responsibility is to help IBM communicate the power of AI and the company’s role in the development of powerful AI products.
In her role, she supports paid social media priorities, discovers new media opportunities, and ensures teams across corporate affairs are equipped to tell AI-for-business stories, a big focus of IBM’s company strategy.
AI is a Friend, Not a Foe
While many conversations in the communications industry discuss AI replacing some workers, Kidd sees AI as an enabler, not a replacement. AI can help take over the tedious tasks communications professionals don’t necessarily enjoy doing and empowers them to take on more high-impact roles. “I think if anything, it’s going to make us significantly better at our jobs and will free us up to do more of the things we actually enjoy doing.”
Still, she acknowledges that there is work to be done to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of generative AI. “We’re not quite yet at a place where AI can operate completely autonomously.” AI governance is critical. “AI tools are only going to become more advanced, and because of that, we want to make sure that right now we’re working to get the proper guardrails and governance in place.” That’s why companies like IBM have policies and procedures to ensure that AI is used responsibly and ethically.
Breathing Life Into AI
In a short amount of time, Kidd has had the opportunity to spearhead multiple high-profile projects. One of her responsibilities was taking on the role of paid editorial lead and collaborating with major media outlets like VOX Media and The Washington Post to drive the conversation around AI, like “How Open-Source AI Drives Responsible Innovation,” why AI is “A Force for Good,” and how “The Future of AI is Open.”
She also helped to coordinate a fireside chat with IBM Chief Commercial Officer Rob Thomas and restaurateur Danny Meyer on AI in the restaurant industry for NYC TechWeek, an event that connects industry leaders and startups in New York City.
Giving Back
Earlier this year, Kidd hosted CJCxNYC students at the IBM office in NYC, and organized a panel of recently hired professionals, who shared their experience working at IBM, followed by a tour of the Innovation Studio where students were able to learn about and interact with IBM’s technology.
Kidd’s advice to those just starting out in their career is to actively participate. This includes company networking opportunities or happy hours. Showing up to things and making connections with people in person can help you stand out to your managers, and even your company’s leadership. “There will also be a lot of times in your career where you’re going to handle difficult situations and you won’t always know the answer,” she said. “The best way to navigate that is by being a very proactive communicator and consistently keeping stakeholders informed about your progress. It’s inevitable that you’ll run into roadblocks, but how you approach those situations really sets you apart.”
Looking to the Future
AI will become increasingly critical in communications, both in streamlining tasks and educating consumers and businesses. Kidd’s career journey demonstrates how professionals can rise to the occasion and use AI to enhance their productivity and improve communication as we know it.
Posted: December 3, 2024
Category: AI at CJC News, Alumni Profiles, College News
Tagged as: AI, AIatUF, IBM, Maddie Kidd
