AI in Marketing

Brands are gearing up for a Black Friday shaped by AI agents, focusing on building "algorithmic trust" to ensure their products are recommended by AI tools. Amanda Bailey from VML highlights that traditional shopping frenzies are giving way to AI-driven commerce, where pre-programmed agents monitor deals well in advance. This shift means brands must "speak the language of algorithms" to be chosen by AI, not just discovered by consumers. While 68% of global consumers have tried AI tools like ChatGPT, only 2% currently use AI for purchases, suggesting room for growth. As consumers become more comfortable with AI, they can use agents to track deals and restocks, acting as personal shopping assistants. New tools from OpenAI, like Pulse and Atlas, are expected to boost AI adoption by offering personalized updates and proactive shopping suggestions. Brands are working to make their products more visible to AI by encoding product information in a way that AI can easily process. They are also encouraged to build verifiable brand values and a strong online reputation to gain AI's trust. Authentic reviews and third-party validations can further enhance a brand's legitimacy, helping AI agents filter out less relevant options and spotlight trustworthy brands.

From AI-driven commerce to Google's Agent Payments Protocol, the landscape is evolving.

Google's introduction of the Agent Payments Protocol is reshaping commerce by allowing AI agents to autonomously conduct transactions. This development challenges existing payment systems, which assume human initiation. As AI agents can now compare products and make purchases independently, questions arise about identity, liability, and consent under current regulations. Financial institutions may need to create agent-specific accounts to manage these transactions, ensuring clear boundaries and audit trails. Merchants must adapt checkout processes for machine readability, as AI agents don't interact with interfaces like humans. The industry faces the task of establishing shared standards to prevent fragmentation as agent-driven commerce grows, highlighting the need for foundational changes in the payments landscape.

Turning to CoPlane's AI-native software, automation is transforming enterprise operations.

CoPlane has secured $14 million in a seed round to develop AI-native software that enhances enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems by automating key finance and operations tasks. The software, already in use, reduces manual labor by automating processes like invoice handling and sales order entry. Co-Founder and CEO Chris Sperandio highlights the stagnant nature of back-office improvements, noting that administrative costs still consume 15% of revenue. He aims to offer enterprises in tech, supply chain, manufacturing, healthcare, and finance the same efficiencies enjoyed by top tech firms. Ribbit partner Jordan Angelos notes rising demand, emphasizing the software's ability to transform complex workflows. Early adopter OI Infusion Services reports significant operational improvements.

From enterprise automation to Nvidia's AI integration, industry leaders push forward.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang expressed frustration in a leaked meeting, criticizing managers for not fully embracing AI. He emphasized the importance of automating tasks with AI, assuring employees their jobs are secure despite automation fears. Nvidia plans to continue hiring aggressively, having already expanded its workforce significantly. Huang highlighted the company's growth, including new offices in Taipei and Shanghai, and ongoing construction in the US. Nvidia's recent financial success, with a $57.01 billion revenue last quarter, underscores its position as the world's most valuable company. Despite skepticism from investors like Michael Burry, Nvidia remains committed to AI integration. Huang's remarks reflect a broader industry trend, with tech giants urging employees to incorporate AI into daily tasks.

On the tech side, Nvidia's AI focus contrasts with fragmented CX systems.

David Boice highlights the pitfalls of patchwork customer experience (CX) systems in a Martech Zone article, emphasizing the need for seamless integration. Many companies start with a core system and gradually add tools like analytics, chatbots, and pop-up generators to address specific issues. However, this approach often results in a fragmented tech stack that frustrates customers and leads to significant revenue losses, estimated at $3.8 trillion globally by 2025. Customers today expect smooth, cohesive interactions, and disjointed experiences can erode trust and loyalty. Seamless integration, where systems work together effortlessly, is now essential. It ensures that customers don't face disruptions, like having to re-enter information or seeing irrelevant ads. Internally, integrated systems lead to cleaner data, smarter personalization, and reduced support costs. To achieve this, businesses should consolidate customer identity services and eliminate clunky handoffs. New technologies should only be added if they enhance the continuous customer experience. By focusing on a unified foundation, companies can build a competitive advantage, fostering trust and loyalty while avoiding the pitfalls of a patchwork approach.

From seamless integration to Waymo's autonomous expansion, innovation drives progress.

Waymo is expanding its autonomous driving services to five new cities: Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando. Operations have already begun in Miami, with the other cities to follow soon. The company has developed a reliable AI-driven system, ensuring safety and consistency across different locations. Waymo's approach involves comparing driving performance against a proven baseline and refining its AI to address local characteristics. This process, supported by real-world testing and simulations, aims to improve road safety, with data showing significantly fewer serious collisions compared to human drivers. Waymo is also working with local stakeholders to build trust and understanding, emphasizing a commitment to safety and community engagement as it expands its services globally.

Turning to AI in cooking, the shift impacts traditional recipe creators.

This Thanksgiving, many cooks are turning to AI for recipe guidance, but the results are mixed. AI-generated cooking advice has led to a significant drop in traffic for traditional recipe writers, with some reporting declines of up to 80% in views. This shift is due to AI Overviews, which provide quick summaries without directing users to the full recipes online. However, these AI-generated summaries often contain inaccuracies, potentially leading to culinary disasters. For instance, an AI summary might suggest baking a cake for twice the recommended time, risking a ruined dessert. The reliance on AI for cooking advice has sparked a micro-industry of AI-generated recipes on social media, but these often lack the reliability of traditional sources. While some dishes might turn out bland yet edible, others could pose safety risks, like suggesting microwaving tinfoil-wrapped fish. This holiday season, dusting off an old cookbook might be the safer choice.

Finally, from AI in cooking to AI in Marketing, stay tuned for more insights.

AI in Marketing will return on Tuesday, December 2. Until then, I want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving. To our global audience, I hope the day brings a moment of gratitude and reflection, wherever you are. For those reading AI in Marketing as a LinkedIn newsletter, remember that it is also a podcast — you can listen on the go, wherever you are, on your favorite podcast platform. Just search for AI in Marketing by Stan Berteloot. And if you are interested in how I use AI in my daily work as a marketing consultant, I encourage you to join the upcoming LinkedIn Live session I will host with my colleague Snezhi Torodova, on December 11 at 10 AM EST where we will dive into how AI supports real-world marketing practice.