Guy's 'What's Coming Up'
A bi-monthly(ish) lighthearted insight into the world of PII's publisher Guy Ullmann's latest going's on, together with updates about PII and details of ‘What's coming up‘ in each issue
Hello and welcome to my Spring WCU!
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time flies – one minute, I’m writing my first WCU of 2025 and the next, Spring is knocking at the door!
I hope your first quarter has been a good one and that your order books are filling up nicely for the year ahead. With a wave of industry events just around the corner, I know many of you are in full-on prep mode – but don’t forget, us media folk are here to help drive visitors to your stands and shine a spotlight on your latest innovations!
I’ve been keeping a bit of a low profile lately, but that’s only because I’ve been working on something pretty exciting behind the scenes. It’s still under wraps for now, but I’ll be sharing more in the coming months. Those who’ve had a sneak peek have confirmed what I suspected all along – this could be a very interesting project! If you’re the impatient type, feel free to drop me a line for a little teaser. 😉
On the personal side, I’ve been making the most of my weekends, escaping into nature with my totally bonkers partner-in-crime. We even managed a little getaway to the vibrant and historic city of Seville – just in time to witness its epic annual marathon, which was quite the spectacle!
So, grab a cuppa, settle in and enjoy my latest ramblings. And in the spirit of St. Paddy’s week 
, I should mention – we’ve got a fecking brilliant issue coming up too…!
It’s been a period of trekking, waterfall chasing and even a muddy walk through a love tunnel – Didn't think I'd ever be saying that in my WCU! 😉 We both love the great outdoors and exploring new places, but I made a mental note never to let Francesca do any veg shopping alone, I explain all in the captions….
The highlight of my year so far was our quick weekend get-away to Seville. The sun Gods were on our side, so we managed to do all the touristy things without rushing, whilst enjoying the local delicacies and having an absolute whale of a time! It was just what I needed.
AI + Robotis = .....
I keep one eye on the progression of Robotics, which I find fascinating as much as I do terrifying, as these latest videos demonstrate, it's advancing rapidly, since the first standing robot forward flip, to doing a dance routine that even I in my prime would be proud of – and I have some moves I have you know!
EngineAI — the world's first humanoid robot to perform a front flip!#EngineAI #humaniodrobot #forwardsomersaultintheair #worldfirst #AI pic.twitter.com/rb70CQuWOm
— EngineAI (@engineairobot) February 23, 2025
📡 When Robots Dance Like "Axe Gang": EngineAI Redefined Robot "Soul" 🕺
— EngineAI (@engineairobot) March 16, 2025
After last month's viral "robot front-flip," 🔥we're back with new moves—merging advanced robotics and Hong Kong cinema flair, sparking "encore!" from fans and engineers alike. pic.twitter.com/9IymvwaE7j
With a combination of Robots and AI, I can’t help but think that we are setting ourselves up for something terrible, in fact I read a very scary comment last week:
The average college graduate in the US has an IQ between 115-120.
Harvard graduates, (which represent the top 0.1% of the population), have an IQ between 140-150.
And the world’s biggest geniuses?
Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla had estimated IQs between 160-190.
Chris Hirata was 210 and he worked at NASA by the age of 14.
Kim Ung-Yong was 220 and worked at NASA by the age of 8.
So where does AI land on this scale today?
As of March 2025, AI has an estimated IQ based on test results of 180 which is at the “genius” level, and far beyond that of any Harvard graduate.
At current progress rates, the IQ level of today’s AI models is increasing by 40 points per year, which will put AI beyond any form of human intelligence by the end of this year.
If it doesn’t already know how to, I’m pretty sure by the time it reaches an IQ of 250 it will be able to think for itself without the need of humans, now that is truly terrifying.
Nice Try, But ‘Earned Media’ Isn’t a Free Lunch
I always try to keep a positive outlook, but there’s a term I’ve been hearing more and more often that doesn’t quite sit right with me: “earned media.”
Let’s put it into perspective. Imagine walking into a Ferrari store and claiming that, because you can drive their car faster than anyone else, you’ve earned a free set of tyres.
Would they hand them over? Probably not.
Now, what if you actually bought a Ferrari and asked for an extra set as spares? You’d have to be persuasive, but there’s a chance they’d consider it.
And if you committed to purchasing six Ferraris throughout the year? Well, at that point, they’d likely roll out the red carpet and deliver them to your door.
So why do some agencies and marketing executives, who have never worked with us, use the term “earned media” as a way to reframe what is essentially free exposure?
It almost feels like a marketing buzzword that’s caught on, perhaps popularised by industry influencers. But in reality, media is truly earned when there’s an investment – whether that’s in time, trust, or budget.
I’m always happy to provide earned media — when we’ve genuinely earned your marketing partnership.
Simple as that.
What's Coming Up in the April edition of PII...
We have an absolute feature-fest in our April edition – I'd bet my bottom dollar that no other process-related publication comes close to this kind of schedule – or works with two such high-profile columnists like we do – which really help ‘draw-in the crowds’
– How Carbon Capture can help to optimise energy use across industries
– The use of AI in automation, and how it can improve compliance, health & safety and process management
– Exploring the latest advancements in water treatment solutions tailored for sectors such as food & beverage, energy and chemicals.
– The issues of safety and quality in food production
– Navigating pH Measurement
Solids Handling & Process Supplement
– Regulatory Compliance in Dust Hazard Management
– Powder Blending Tables
– Radar Measurement: Precise Level Monitoring and Fill Level Control
– ATEX and DSEAR Compliance
– Critical Control Points, Part II
If you missed our February edition, you can flick through what was quite an emotional issue for me. (click the square in the bottom right to open full screen)
Book in
I course would love to hear from you for any enquiries, please drop me a line for advertorial/advertising via the form opposite or email me on: guyullmann@piimag.com
Final booking/copy date: March 28th
And finally....
A shameless plug....
In addition to PII, as you may know, I own a fast growing Website/app design/development agency, where I also offer a host of support services to ‘lighten your load’.
Our latest project, www.herbalcacao.com, has been such a great success, that the client has already commissioned the next stage of the project – a bespoke portal for her B2C clients.
Since the re-launch, the site is now a whopping 70% faster than before, which has no doubt led to the 500% increase in traffic and 40% increase in sales they've received since the re-launch.
They are one happy customer 🙂
If you have any design, development or support requirements, drop me a line – guy@ullmatech.co.uk
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