#39: Are Marketers Finally Going to Ruin Everything?

Today, I'm an investor and entrepreneur. But we all have our first loves that light up our brains when we think about them. Mine is marketing. Since I stepped into this new path in life, I have been able to think about marketing in a completely new way. I have a new vantage point that gives me the perspective to synthesise my marketing knowledge with other experiences.

When time allows, I like to sit silently, stare into the abyss, and just think. To the casual observer, they'd think I've lost my sanity. But in reality, I'm pondering the big picture, trying to think about my stance on different subjects. As the owner of a company with a remarkable AI team, one subject that has been on my mind lately is:

"How will AI impact the future of marketing?"

In this essay, I'm going to work through the array of questions that have been swirling around my mind for the past year. I don’t have the answers to all, if any. I’m not sure anybody has right now. But I think they’re questions we need to be mindful of as we navigate the coming weeks, months, and years.

#1: How does "infinite labour" change the way marketing is created and delivered?

The concept of infinite labour represents perhaps the most transformative shift in marketing's history. AI enables us to convert capital directly into computational power, which can then perform virtually any type of creative or strategic work. 

When you can direct unlimited resources toward marketing efforts, the game fundamentally changes. Imagine creating not just a handful of ad variations but billions of personalised versions, each perfectly tailored to its audience. Every piece of content, every message, every interaction can be optimised in real-time based on performance data.

In my experience, AI is currently able to 10x a single person's output in certain roles. Other roles, less so. But it’s clear that we’re close to a reality where the output of an entire (smaller) department is only limited by your ability to deploy the campaigns.

#2: Will Marketing and Sales converge into one "mass-personalized" function?

So, the previous question, where marking is infinitely scalable, leads me to this thought.

The traditional divide between marketing and sales exists primarily because of resource constraints. We invented marketing as a broadcast medium because one-to-one sales interactions were simply too expensive to scale. But AI is about to shatter this limitation spectacularly.

Picture launching a campaign by deploying millions of AI sales companions – virtual agents that can engage in genuine, personalised conversations with consumers worldwide. These AI agents won't just relay messages; they'll understand cultural nuances, speak every language fluently, and provide perfectly timed follow-ups. They'll build relationships, make tailored recommendations, and offer concierge-level service at scale.

When every customer can have their own personal sales assistant, the distinction between marketing and sales becomes increasingly meaningless.

#3: Which existing marketing channels will vanish, and what new channels will emerge?

Marketing channels have always emerged alongside shifts in consumer behaviour – from newspapers enabling print ads to phones creating telemarketing opportunities. I believe AI will not only add new channels but fundamentally reshape how people consume and interact with information.

As language models generate endless content, traditional SEO strategies may become obsolete – when every search result is algorithmically optimised, how do you stand out? 

The shift to voice and chat interfaces as primary computing paradigms will demand entirely new marketing approaches. AI companions may become the dominant channel, with brands finding ways to integrate their messages into these digital relationships, whether through direct product promotion or more subtle, sponsorship-style recommendations.

I think the game will change from deploying ads towards creating entirely new forms of value-driven interactions.

#4: Does authenticity become the new currency in a world of perfect AI-generated content?

So what happens in a landscape saturated with AI-generated perfection? I’m sure we’ve all looked at the perfectly crafted pixels of an AI-generated image, been turned off by its lack of character… or “soul”.

In this instance, I think authenticity will initially emerge as a powerful differentiator. When every ad features flawless visuals and perfectly crafted messages, consumers will increasingly seek genuine human connections. We already observe this phenomenon in social media, where corporate accounts with immaculate messaging receive minimal engagement while authentic voices thrive.

The rise of AI will amplify this dynamic. Brands that maintain their human element – complete with occasional typos and imperfect messaging – may forge stronger connections with their audiences. This shift toward authenticity creates an interesting paradox: AI systems will inevitably learn to mimic human imperfection, leading to an arms race between genuine authenticity and manufactured genuineness.

So, at that point, where everything digital is a game of smoke and mirrors, I think there will be more demand for scenarios where authenticity cannot be faked – in-person communication.

#5: How does ultra-fast feedback (the 'OODA loop') reshape campaign strategy?

The marketing OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) will compress from months to minutes. AI enables real-time measurement of analytics and brand sentiment, allowing marketers to create, test, and execute new strategies continuously. This acceleration fundamentally transforms campaign management from periodic adjustments to constant optimisation.

There are already AI-driven CRO tools on the market that can make split-second decisions and adjust marketing funnels based on user behaviour.

But take that one step further and imagine launching a major content initiative – perhaps a series of interactive experiences or virtual worlds – and adjusting every element in real time based on audience response.

The traditional campaign cycle dissolves into a fluid, ever-evolving stream of content and messaging, each iteration building on the success of previous versions while adapting to changing market conditions instantaneously.

#6: Do marketing "experiences" turn into interactive products in their own right?

There’s already a clear trend towards this, with podcasts and online shows being created with the sole business purpose being the sale of a product or service. This idea isn’t new.

But the convergence of infinite labour and content generation capabilities will elevate marketing experiences to unprecedented levels of sophistication. A product launch might include custom video games, seasonal television series, or entire virtual worlds – each explicitly created to promote the core offering. The boundary between marketing content and entertainment products will blur significantly.

Consider pausing a promotional video to engage in deep conversation with the characters or exploring side stories featuring your favourite elements of a brand campaign. These marketing experiences will deliver value independently of their promotional intent, creating new forms of engagement that transcend traditional advertising frameworks.

#7: What happens when "global launch" becomes the default?

AI-powered localisation will transform the traditional market-by-market rollout strategy. Every piece of content can instantly adapt to local languages, cultural references, and regional preferences. This capability enables truly simultaneous global launches, where campaigns resonate authentically with audiences worldwide from day one.

As we’re well aware of in iGaming, localisation extends far beyond translation. What if visual elements, cultural touchstones, and even narrative structures can dynamically adjust to maximise impact in each market?

The potential of a simultaneous global presence raises the competitive bar significantly.

#8: How do AI companions and parasocial relationships become the new marketing frontier?

The evolution of AI companions will fundamentally reshape how brands engage with consumers. We already experience parasocial relationships with streamers and celebrities – one-sided emotional connections where we feel like friends despite never meeting. AI companions will amplify this dynamic exponentially.

Every brand could deploy personalised virtual representatives who engage with customers around the clock, building deep emotional connections through continuous, contextually aware interactions.

These AI companions will serve as both interface and influencer, becoming the primary channel through which consumers discover and evaluate products. Some companions will openly represent commercial interests, while others will integrate brand messages more subtly, similar to product placement in entertainment.

The marketing challenge shifts from crafting messages to designing personalities and relationship dynamics that resonate authentically with target audiences while maintaining appropriate boundaries.

#9: Where do trust, ethics, and long-term brand reputation fit into infinitely scalable persuasion?

The unprecedented power of AI-driven marketing brings profound ethical considerations, especially within our industry. When brands can generate unlimited variations of perfectly targeted messages and deploy armies of persuasive AI companions, the traditional balance between marketing effectiveness and consumer autonomy requires careful recalibration. 

Technologies enabling mass personalisation and hyper-targeted messaging must align with evolving consumer expectations around privacy and manipulation.

Brand reputation in this environment depends on wielding these capabilities responsibly. Success requires maintaining a delicate equilibrium between personalisation and privacy, between influence and respect for consumer agency.

The most enduring brands will establish clear ethical frameworks governing their use of AI marketing tools, ensuring that the pursuit of engagement never compromises the fundamental trust between brand and consumer. As marketing becomes increasingly powerful and personalised, I believe the ethical deployment of these capabilities becomes a crucial differentiator in building lasting customer relationships. 

Buyer beware…

One important thing occurred to me as I spun through and explored these questions:

The customer.

We’re already in a world where Silicon Valley has optimised life. Hungry? A few clicks and food is delivered. Want a date? Open up an app. Etc. Etc. Everything is easier and more accessible than ever. Yet happiness scores for 18-25-year-olds–the generation most plugged into this world–are at an all-time low.

As the trend continues towards the ultimate in optimisation, I’m left wondering, how much more can the human brain cope with? When everything is perfectly optimised and everyone has the same level of optimisation, the mental load seems like it’ll be too much to cope with. 

It’s long said that marketers ruin everything. But once we can scale and optimise to perfection, maybe we’re headed to the ultimate version of that statement as we ruin life itself.