When Bots Become Buyers: The Future of Business and Marketing in the Age of ChatGPT
Know your customer.
It’s the mantra for every business owner.
Know their pains, their needs, their wants, their age, their income, their humor, their hobbies.
It’s always been important to know your customer.
But what about when your customer isn’t even human?
There’s justifiable concern about the coming decimation of jobs, yet the impact on businesses themselves will be equally significant. Although AI is primarily used to increase productivity now, we will soon enter the next era: where autonomous agents scour the internet to fulfill goals not previously possible. These agents will quickly become the primary customers for many businesses, even those in industries far beyond the digital realm.
This exploration leads us to strange territories previously found only in science fiction. It may feel scary, even alien, and nothing is certain. However, I believe it will soon become science fact.
This post serves as a brief introduction to a complex and emerging topic, offering a glimpse of what the AI-driven future might hold for consumers and businesses alike.
Buckle up.
A Personal Encounter with the AI Shopping Experience
Let me give you a brief example from my own life. I’m not exactly a fashionista, but now that I’m older, I feel an increasing desire to express myself. When I delve into that urge, I’ve discovered — much to my surprise — that I’m actually quite picky about what I’m looking for. In fact, the main reason I haven’t been more fashion-oriented is simply because there’s so little that truly inspires me.
My partner felt the same way, and together we created mood boards. I spent a week scouring the internet for styles that resonated with my taste, then narrowed it down to a core wardrobe I would love to have.
Unfortunately, I don’t own one piece. I don’t know how to find the clothes they’re wearing, the brands, or even how to describe the style itself.
When I go into stores, they rarely have what I’m looking for, and worse still, nothing seems to fit me properly. I’m too small in some places or too big in others. Since my style revolves around fit, anything that requires more than a hem or simple tailoring is a no-go. So, even if I compromised on color or texture, I’d still be out of luck.
I feel completely stuck, unsure of where to go next.
There’s nothing I’d love more than to give an AI the photos I adore, have it analyze the different pieces, and then scour the internet. It would return with the perfect pieces that fit within my budget and suit my body shape. Additionally, it would support me throughout the shopping experience by finding related items and staying on top of new offerings.
I’ve discussed this idea with quite a few friends, and their excitement matches mine. In fact, for most of them, it would become their primary shopping method. Sure, they’d still go shopping the “old” way occasionally, but more as a form of entertainment than necessity.
In this new reality, the actual customer of e-commerce shops would be my AI agent avatar. The shops that were designed for my agent would get my business and otherwise, nada.
What does it mean to be designed for my AI agent? For starters, the shops would no longer have a UI as the primary means of navigation. My agent would simply tell the store what it’s looking for and receive a variety of options. The e-commerce system itself would be AI-based, resulting in an AI-to-AI interaction.
This approach would offer a much richer data experience than we currently have. My agent, knowing the importance of fit to me, would demand comprehensive information about a brand’s cuts and sizing. Only options with such information would be considered.
The changes wouldn’t end on the consumer side. With detailed data, stores could launch new designs while ensuring proper order sizes to meet demand. There are countless ways, big and small, that AI agents could revolutionize the production side of fashion — and the same holds true for almost every other industry.
Catering to AI Agents: A New Frontier in Marketing and Competition
Things get stranger still.
In this future, market competition still exists. This means stores that learn how to cater to bots would have a competitive edge.
Enter marketing specialists targeting AI agents. What would their strategies look like? What constitutes effective copy for AI? Which communication channels would be best? How would they respond to competition?
How many of the marketing specialists would even be human and how many would be AI themselves? It will be fascinating to find out.
The marketing landscape will need to adapt to cater to AI preferences and decision-making processes. Marketing professionals, whether human or AI, will have to develop expertise in communicating with and persuading AI agents. This may involve creating compelling narratives for AI, determining the most effective channels for AI communication, and understanding how to respond to competition in a world where AI agents drive consumer choices.
The transition to AI-centric marketing will present unique challenges and opportunities, making it essential for businesses and individuals to stay ahead of the curve. As AI continues to reshape our world, those who can successfully adapt to these changes will thrive in the age of AI-driven commerce.
The Rapid Pace of AI-Driven Disruption and its Profound Impact
The rapid advancement of AI has the potential to be as disruptive to society as the Industrial Revolution, but on a much faster timescale. Where the Industrial Revolution took generations to unfold, AI’s impact is expected to occur within years, once we hit the tipping point — a tipping point that may be closer than anyone realizes right now.
Many are focusing on understanding AI from a technical or job displacement standpoint, but they may be missing the bigger picture. AI will redefine the nature of business itself, creating a chain reaction that impacts every aspect of our lives.
Even if your job isn’t directly affected, the way you interact with the world will change, and your actual job functions will be forever altered.
Those on the leading edge will have the greatest opportunity in generations, while others who are only thinking about AI in terms of replacing existing functions may struggle to keep up and eventually get overwhelmed.
And those who deny the possibility of AI and its ability to impact them at all may find themselves suffering a massive shock wave that will be difficult to survive.
Timeless Wisdom in a World of Change
I came to these realizations over 20 years ago when I was taking AI classes at university and considering the implications of their impact. I have been preparing myself for this moment ever since, and yet even I am amazed by how fast the changes are happening.
The speed at which the entire world has turned its gaze towards AI is incredible, with technical advancements occurring in weeks rather than years. Disruption is tantalizingly close.
That said, there is one thing that will never change: our value as individuals and need to bring value to the world through relationships. This is something that no level of automation or technology can ever take away.
In that sense, the ultimate way to navigate the present is the same as it’s always been: “Know thyself.”
Understanding who you are and how you relate to the world around you is crucial. From that place, we can thrive, regardless of the changes in our external circumstances. In this way, while the rise of AI will change everything, it will also change nothing.
This is the conclusion I came to decades ago, pondering the great unknown future that was unfolding before me. I remember the exact instant. I was on a road trip lying in the back seat, while my friends filled up the gas tank. Not as cinematic as a sitting underneath the bodhi tree perhaps, but a moment of enlightenment nonetheless.
Since then I have been preparing for this day. I have studied and contributed to a wide variety of fields essential to AI, but more importantly I have worked within many real world industries so that I would have perspective on how they might change.
Not to change them for the sake of change, but how they could be more supportive of life in this time of great need.
This is a theme I will be exploring in much depth as it unfolds.
The rise of AI as a dominant force in our lives presents both challenges and opportunities. As AI agents become the primary customers for many businesses, the way we do business and market products will change drastically.
The speed of disruption is accelerating, and businesses and individuals must be prepared to adapt quickly to remain relevant and competitive. However, amidst these changes, the importance of human relationships and self-awareness remains constant.
By understanding ourselves and our place in the world, we can navigate the complexities of this new landscape and continue to thrive. It is crucial for businesses and individuals to recognize the transformative potential of AI, embrace the opportunities it presents, and develop strategies to adapt to the rapidly changing world it is creating.
