DIGITAL CORE, HUMAN LAYER: THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL RETAIL INNOVATION
🚀 AI & The Future of Marketing?
On this week’s episode of 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, Renee Hartmann and I had the pleasure of speaking with author, strategist and educator, Carl Boutet on AI and the future of marketing.
Carl has been involved in this space for a long time and has some perspectives that go well beyond the current frenzy taking place around how AI is going to change the world. He was going deep into this space long before it was en vogue.
While Carl is clear that AI will change the way organizations operate, he also cautions against the blind spots that brands, companies and individuals have currently. Carl’s position is ultimately one of balance and that AI offers both tremendous up-side and challenges …but that the current period (the honeymoon) is where great gains can be made.
In speaking with, and reflecting on Carl’s perspectives…
𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗥
𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗧𝗼 𝗢𝘂𝘁-𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗻𝗲𝘀
While AI might level the playing field for smaller organizations - if these smaller companies do not move quickly - the larger companies will pull further ahead.
As Carl points out, for now (at least) there is a window where a smaller retailer may have access to some of the same insights as the big guys (eg. Walmart) …through Chat GPT.
The early stages of new tech offer ‘democratizing moments’ (more so now that DeepSeek has shattered the hold of the “AI Five”)
…BUT in creating leverage with AI, the companies with the best data will ultimately flex over smaller ones.
𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮
According to research from Gartner (and by Elon Musk), AI is gobbling up all human-produced data.
In Gartner’s study, 60% of all data is already synthetic and by 2030, synthetic will be all that Gen AI consumes.
In this situation, the AI version of reality and the human one may become wildly different (or …humans might just blindly follow).
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲
AI is enabling companies to scale up marketing, messaging and move more effortlessly into new markets/segments.
BUT, a lot of what’s being delivered is SPAM, and is quickly overlooked, dismissed and ignored by audiences who are drinking from a firehose of nonsense.
Over the past decades, the world of marketing has become obsessed with performance (over brand). AI fits hand-in-glove with the current fixation on performance ads and programmatic.
The blind spot here?
While expectations are that AI ads will return massive gains, it's more likely that early gaffs with AI will trigger a breaking point …where marketing moves back in favor of “brand.”
In this scenario, it will be human skills (of storytelling) - supported by AI - that will help companies produce memorable, compelling breakthroughs.
🚀 Listen to the full episode on Commerce Beyond Borders. Available on Apple Podcasts & Spotify.
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Commerce Beyond Borders - Decoding the Future of Commerce & Retail
Hosted by marketing, retail and ecommerce vets, Renee Hartmann & Chris Baker, “Commerce Beyond Borders” offers global audiences a pithy glimpse into key strategies for success.
Each episode focuses on two key questions:
”What’s one thing in commerce and retail that most people are overlooking?”
“What’s something you know is happening right now that few others in the industry can see?”
…Maintaining a sharp focus on mission critical insights and actionable strategies for senior managers.
DATA VISUALIZATION
AND DASHBOARDS
Totem works with a range of brands globally on business intelligence solutions.
Our clients rang across industries; from retail/fashion to beauty, from travel to finance.
Business intelligence and data visualization projects for our clients address critical issues including:
Sales performance, marketing ROI, and social media optimization.