We are living through a time that I call The Great Abstraction. Across nearly every role and industry, AI is eating complex apps and processes, and the changes are happening fast:
- Dynamic chat sessions replacing siloed apps
- On-demand metrics replacing static reports
- AI agents automating low-value, time-intensive tasks.
But abstraction is not the same as simplification.
As AI systems incorporate and start replacing traditional app experiences, they demand that business leaders and their employees rethink how they work.
But for people used to doing things a certain way, rapid change is extremely difficult to navigate.
That's one of the big ironies at the heart of the AI era.
While the machines we use to perform work become simpler to use, the job of managing workforces and careers has become a lot more complicated.
THE REWIRING OF THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY
Marketing, and digital marketing in particular, is on the front lines of the disruption.
For the past 20 years or so, the approach to online growth has been relatively stable:
- Establish a web, mobile, and social media presence,
- Apply a mix of inbound and outbound tactics to drive awareness, engagement, and conversions,
- Measure and improve as you go.
But what happens when the web itself starts to shift?
The fact is that the same AI systems that are changing how we work are also redefining the customer journey.
Early in my career, a mentor gave me some good advice:
"Never bet against convenience."
With that in mind, consider the following:
Google already serves 50% of searches with AI Summaries, replacing visits to multiple websites.
Personal shopping agents like Muse give everyday consumers an experience previously available only to the super rich.
Claude Cowork delivers detailed vendor comparisons in 5 minutes, saving days of manual research.
For many observers, including myself, the view is that we're already past "peak website" and "peak app", it's just that not everyone has noticed yet.
SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR MARKETING?
With this in mind, the instinct might be to drop traditional marketing programs and join the AI land rush.
But unless AI adoption in marketing is carefully considered, there's genuine risk of damaging brand reputation and customer trust.
For example, I strongly advise businesses against using AI avatars, full stop.
At the same time, I think it's irrational not to let Claude help with the nitty gritty, like video editing, competitor analysis, and list building.
And here's another irony of the AI era:
The more that websites, blogs, and emails are surpassed by AI chat sessions, generative UIs, and shopping agents, the more essential it will be for businesses to connect directly with audiences by showing up in person, whether at a tradeshow, webinar, or hosted experience.
This steady rise of event marketing and video content hint at what I feel will be the real benefit of AI in marketing.
RESTORING CUSTOMER AS KING
To many, marketing is seen as a black box, but its core principles are straight-forward and immutable:
- Talk to customers to deeply understand their problems.
- Build a product that solves those problems.
- Position and price the product in way that deeply resonates with customers
- Continually validate the value the product delivers.
- Grow by communicating that value creatively and compellingly in the spaces that customers frequent
This is how all successful businesses go to market and thrive.
I believe the greatest impact of AI in will not be simplifying a marketing operations environment that has become overly complex, but allowing teams to focus more on the timeless fundamentals that place customers at the center of the universe.
The road to AI adoption will be different for every business, and it will rarely be straight-forward, but in my opinion the potential benefits make it essential to get started.
If this aligns with how you see things, let's connect.
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