Many top managers are convinced that AI is an indispensable competitive tool. According to a recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value, 75% of CEOs believe that competitive advantage depends on who has the most advanced generative AI.
Following the AI guidelines from the top management, marketing and commerce leaders are now intensively researching AI solutions and considering how they can use them to improve the customer experience. AI has the potential to increase the productivity of companies while providing new digital experiences at every stage of the customer journey.
However, marketing and commerce teams are still at the very beginning. Despite big plans for the future, over 76% of executives are still working on or planning their AI roadmaps.
Why you need a connected ecosystem
Most marketing and commerce teams are familiar with generative AI, where models create content such as text, images or videos based on patterns learned from their training data. Marketing teams already use it to create new content or adapt product listings and other existing content to make them more suitable for customers in a specific location or market segment. Other forms of AI use machine learning algorithms and statistical models to process historical data and make predictions about customer behavior.
However, AI tools of all kinds are most effective when they are fully integrated into the same connected ecosystem. For example, you can use AI to analyze engagement data and predict which types of creative will be most effective—and then incorporate those insights into new creative briefs. Alternatively, you can use AI to quickly generate numerous content variations and then test them in real time.
Proven ways to use AI in a connected ecosystem
A set of connected AI tools spanning both marketing and commerce technology stacks can be transformative at every stage of the customer journey, enabling marketing teams to:
1. Improve your marketing strategy and planning
AI helps companies design and optimize marketing campaigns, media planning, and commerce strategies to deliver better customer experiences and higher conversion rates. AI makes it possible to understand the impact of individual campaign elements, such as content assets and ad design, on key success metrics such as conversion rate and average order value. This information can then be used to design personalized campaigns that span multiple channels and include content tailored to individuals and segments.
Marketers can also use AI to adjust content strategies in real time in response to key engagement and sales metrics.
2. Hyper-personalize customer experiences
AI helps marketing and commerce teams go beyond simple segmentation and achieve true one-to-one marketing. For example, some AI tools can recommend tailored experiences based on customer profiles and preferences that are continuously updated as customers interact with new touchpoints. And others can create thousands of image and content variations that bring recommendations to life.
3. Speed up content creation
Using AI, marketing teams can develop insightful content roadmaps and then build them out in record time to produce exactly the kind of fresh, relevant content that customers want to see. AI can analyze historical engagement data for different types of content assets, identify trends, and suggest which types of content are most effective at each stage of the customer journey. AI then accelerates the entire content lifecycle, from ideation to copywriting and design to reviews and approvals, and finally to delivery and content activation.
4. Link and orchestrate customer journeys
AI helps marketers create effortless and consistent customer journeys. The latest AI tools can analyze massive amounts of data to identify the most effective touchpoints and interactions and which ones are most effective for different market segments. When used in real time, they can guide customers through personalized journeys that increase engagement and conversion rates. On top of that, other AI capabilities can optimize the content and communications that support those journeys based on real-time engagement data.
5. Scale asset variations for rigorous market testing
AI can help marketing and commerce teams test numerous content variations and experiences to identify those that customers are most likely to engage with. It can identify opportunities to reach new customers, either by engaging in new channels or by sharing content around a specific topic.
For example, AI can create a wide range of content variations tailored to different audience segments and preferences. This ability to scale asset variations ensures that every customer receives a personalized experience, regardless of their specific needs or location. Additionally, AI can determine in real time which variations are most effective and continuously refine the content strategy for optimal results.
It is already happening
More and more companies are already achieving real results by using a range of AI tools in their tech stacks. These early adopters include companies using Adobe’s Martech stack, which includes both predictive AI models like Adobe Sensei and generative AI models like Adobe Firefly.
For example, legendary camera manufacturer Canon USA relies on predictive AI built into Adobe Commerce to enable personalized customer journeys. Niche customers—such as professional night photographers or wedding photographers—can now easily and quickly find the products they’re interested in. They’re dynamically directed to related products, accessories, and content that help them meet business needs and increase the likelihood of a purchase.
“It’s about personalization – providing customers with the most relevant content through the channel they prefer,” said Michael Lebron. Senior Director and Head of Front Office Applications at Canon.
IBM, meanwhile, recently leveraged Firefly’s generative AI capabilities to streamline its creative processes. By integrating generative AI directly into its workflows, the IBM team was able to generate 200 assets and over 1,000 marketing variations in just minutes, rather than days or months. Not only did this campaign exceed benchmarks by achieving 26x higher engagement, but it also effectively reached valuable audiences, with 20% of respondents identified as C-level decision makers.
A Martech stack with integrated connected AI
One of the biggest challenges in adopting AI is that the tools that are best suited for your business or industry aren’t always part of a single platform. Even if you use a collection of best-in-class AI tools, you may need to build many custom connectors if the software you choose doesn’t offer flexible APIs.
Adobe’s Martech and Commerce stack is designed to make it easy to combine AI tools in two ways. First, it is fully integrated and has built-in native AI models like Firefly and Sensei.
This allows companies to start using AI-powered workflows within familiar Adobe tools.
“Our tech stack includes both generative and predictive AI, enabling a two-way flow of information between the two that accelerates results,” said Patrick Toothaker, senior product marketing manager for Digital Experience at Adobe.
Second, it is designed to easily exchange data with other systems through well-documented APIs. The API Mesh for Adobe Developer App Builder enables companies to connect their Adobe marketing solutions with Adobe Commerce, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Point of Sale (POS), and other key systems. Additionally, Adobe has an extensive network of technology partners who have pre-built integrations for virtually every Adobe solution, from commerce to marketing and beyond.
The future of AI is now
A fully integrated, AI-powered ecosystem like Adobe’s can help companies transform every stage of the customer journey. It can provide insights into customer behavior, anticipate customer needs, and help creative teams quickly create personalized content to meet those needs in real time.
By integrating AI into their workflows now, marketing and commerce teams can deliver exceptional customer experiences, stay ahead of the competition, and achieve significant operational efficiencies. Working with companies like Adobe and its technology partners that allow you to easily connect AI-powered solutions via API is a great first step.
