Artificial intelligence (AI) will mediate with brands on behalf of consumers, and people will form personal relationships with AI.

Machine learning has become one of the hottest topics in marketing circles in 2018, as organisations strive to understand what it can do and how it works. But as with most emerging technologies, there is limited experience in market against which to make decisions.

Alibaba Group is powering ahead with a range of AI research and initiatives in a bid to realise its vision: To make it easy to do business everywhere and anywhere.

Organisations that don't adjust their business models to deliver shared value, and put product ahead of customers, will not fare well in the future. This is the opinion of Suncorp's Mark Reinke, who is leaving the organisation after 14 years. After almost unheard-of career longevity with a single business, Reinke knows a thing or two about business transformation. And this will place him in great stead as he leaves his current role as advisor to Suncorp’s CEO to pursue his own projects.

CMO is delighted to announce the first speakers for CMO Momentum, our annual conference dedicated to Australian CMOs, marketing, customer and digital leaders, returning to Sydney on Wednesday 4 July.

All the latest martech and adtech news this week from Hubspot, Oracle, Tealium, Medallia, MuleSoftand more.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. And while brands are in varying stages of maturity with AI projects and strategies, there’s one common principle: The nascent technology needs to meet customer expectations in a simple and useful manner.

Marketers with blind faith in adtech and martech are at risk of putting advertising in front of people who were going to buy anyway and waste time and money on useless personalisation activities.

​Can businesses use personalisation to increase profitability while also being ethical? This was the subject of the talk led by professor Tiberio Caetano, co-founder and chief scientist of Ambiata, at CeBIT 2018 today.

Sydney Water’s move to hatch an innovation lab is helping reframe problems and forms a key part of the utilities’ overarching CX strategy, according to customer experience solutions manager, John Isben.

​In its latest shot over the bow of Australia Post’s delivery monopoly, Sendle has launched its first-ever brand campaign. The launch comes after Sendle successfully trademarked ‘Post Without The Office’ after Australia Post took them to court.

​It is often said smell is the most evocative senses, readily resurfacing memories and feelings. But with marketers generally limited in their ability to reach the olfactory organs of most consumers, other senses can still be used to great effect.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and target specific consumer groups via social media insights and loyalty data has seen Australian chocolateria, San Churro, chalk up 6.6 per cent return on investment and a predicted $500,000 in additional in-store spend.

The AANA and Advertising Standards Bureau will join forces at a board level in a move the pair say will future-proof and streamline Australia’s self-regulatory system for advertising while still retaining the independence of the complaints body.

Forrester APAC vice-president and research director, Michael Barnes, is convinced CX leaders need to “fundamentally change” the core operating principles of their organisations in order to become a more customer-centric entity and be the engine of growth.

Diageo Australia has announced its African innovation director is set to take up the reins as local marketing and innovation chief following the forthcoming departure of Adam Ballesty.

Kmart has successfully adopted a customer-centric approach and recognises CX is the company’s engine of growth.

Macquarie Bank’s decision to merge client experience (CX) with employee experience (EX) into one function has proven a landmark move that’s accelerated the bank’s customers capabilities and bolstered internal engagement.

All the latest martech and adtech news this week from Pitney Bowes, Hootsuite, Genesys, engage:BDR, Invigor, OneTrust, dataxu, and more.

Tom Mouhsian, principal analyst (CX), APAC, at Forrester, discussed the CX-led transformation of Prudential Singapore at Forrester's CX Sydney 2018 Forum today.