Steve Roop Embraces the Future as AI Transforms Marketing

By Robert White, Editor-In-Chief

As the conversation around artificial intelligence continues to evolve, few voices in the marketing space are offering as grounded and insightful a perspective as Steve Roop. As AI Content Director at Littlefield Agency—a 45-year-old marketing firm based in Tulsa—Roop stands at the intersection of innovation and practicality, helping B2B clients navigate a fast-changing digital frontier.

Roop has worn many hats during his 13-year tenure at Littlefield, but his latest title reflects an undeniable shift in the industry. “There are probably hundreds of new AI directors at agencies now,” Roop says with a laugh. “It’s a signal of how seriously we all have to take this. AI isn’t going away—it’s becoming essential.”

The role of AI in marketing has been a polarizing subject. Yet Roop doesn’t subscribe to the doomsday narrative. Instead, he sees artificial intelligence as a creative amplifier. “AI won’t replace us,” he explains. “It’s a tool that changes how we do our work—not why we do it. It saves time, improves accuracy, and lets us focus more energy on human connection.”

This perspective is what makes Roop a compelling voice in conversations about the future of AI—and it’s why his thoughts on the recent OpenAI-Jony Ive partnership are making waves. With design visionary Jony Ive (formerly of Apple) joining forces with OpenAI, speculation is high that they’re developing a next-generation AI device. For Roop, this collaboration represents a seismic shift.

“This is huge,” Roop says. “We’re talking about two forces—OpenAI and Jony Ive—who have already changed the world once. Together, they could reinvent how we interact with AI daily. Think about an experience that’s less transactional and more emotional. That’s what’s coming.”

He points to the idea of screenless, intuitive devices—something closer to a wearable digital companion than a smartphone. “We’re moving beyond keyboards and prompts. Imagine a device that learns your behavior, anticipates your needs, and responds to you in real time. That’s where we’re headed.”

But even with all the excitement, Roop maintains a healthy skepticism. “The hype around tech doesn’t always deliver. Google Glass, VR—they’ve all had hurdles. But if anyone can design a truly human-centered AI experience, it’s Ive.”

At Littlefield, Roop is already implementing AI in practical, transformative ways. From cleaning up massive data sets for CRM migration to using generative tools for content planning, his team treats AI like a highly-skilled assistant—not a replacement for human creativity.

“We had 13,000 messy contact records to clean. What would’ve taken an intern all summer took AI a couple of days—and it got almost all of them right,” he recalls. “That’s not a gimmick. That’s real value.”

Yet, Roop is clear: AI isn’t ready to write the campaigns or shoot the videos—at least not at Littlefield. “We still believe that emotion, humanity, and storytelling are the heart of good marketing. AI can guide us to better insights, but it’s not crafting the message.”

As for the broader picture, Roop believes the next five years will define how AI weaves into everyday life—from marketing to medicine to education. “We’re entering a new kind of digital revolution. It’s not about replacing humans. It’s about enhancing the human experience.”

And that enhancement, he believes, will become more personal and embedded into our lives than ever before. “Think AI in your fridge, in your car, on your lapel. Think of it knowing your health patterns, helping with grocery lists, scheduling appointments, supporting you through your day.”

Steve Roop is more than a director of AI content—he’s a connector between the tech and the human, the data and the story. And as AI becomes more integrated into the physical and emotional spaces we live in, voices like his will be the ones guiding the way.

🎧 Be sure to listen to the full behind-the-scenes conversation with Steve Roop on the Savoir Faire Audio Experience.