I first tested AI tools in 2019 to automate repetitive parts of my workflow. It seemed like the perfect solution: Let the code execute the manual stuff I was too bored to do. However, I quickly discovered hidden costs to everything I did. My automation script needed a server to live on. The server needed maintenance and monitoring. And if the backend APIs changed, my script would no longer work. AI today has similar overhead costs, but at a far greater scale. For instance, Sam Altman recently tweeted that saying “yes” and “please” to ChatGPT cost tens of millions of […]

I was running social media for an organization when TweetDeck hit the market. That dashboard with mentions, DMs, lists, and trends was the neatest piece of technology. I left it running in a tab 24/7 in between using it to plan our posts and stay abreast of our audience’s needs. As I look at AI and how it’s influencing marketing and social media, it hits me just how far we’ve come. AI is already changing how I think about connecting with my audiences, creating content that reaches them, and competing in an extremely crowded online space to get my message […]

I love the Back to the Future series, especially Part II where we see “the future.” Of course, the most famous part of our promised 2015 was the Mattel Hoverboard. A decade later, and I’m still waiting to glide down the sidewalk on my hoverboard. The pattern of excitement, overpromising, and then reality isn’t relegated to the movies. Because I’m a marketer, AI tools have flooded my working world with the promise of revolutionizing my department and company. The latest push centers on agentic AI. I’ve found AI agents helpful in some capacities — saving me time, automating repetitive tasks, […]

I have seen things I wouldn’t have believed even a few years ago. ChatGPT drafting content strategies from a three-sentence prompt. Grammarly solving my Oxford comma woes across an entire manuscript. I have yet to watch C-beams glitter in the dark. But I’ve witnessed AI reshape how I work — and it’s only just begun. One area I find most compelling is agentic AI. Right now, AI agents sit squarely in the “next generation” of AI tools: developing quickly but not quite ready for the limelight. Still, Deloitte’s latest State of Generative AI in the Enterprise report urges companies to […]

I grew up a Nintendo kid (and yes, that includes the original NES console and Duck Hunt Zapper). For those who remember the Nintendo GameCube, you know a memorable brand experience. How could anyone forget this nine-second clip of branding brilliance? Whenever I think of “branding,” I go back to my memory of the GameCube boot-up screen and the feelings of joy and anticipation it evokes. That makes a brand work — the experience behind the logo. But getting your brand experience right is incredibly hard for any marketing team. Logos, visual identities, copy, websites, social media — “brand” requires […]

When you hear the word agent, what do you think of? A real estate agent, an insurance agent, or even an FBI agent? Far beyond an assistant following rote instructions, an agent has the power and ability to make things happen on your behalf. Wouldn’t it be great if we had technology that could carry out independent tasks and take work off your plate? Autonomous agents are rapidly becoming a reality, capable of completing tasks for humans ranging from mundane to complex. In 2024, just 1% of software included autonomous agents, but by 2028, that number may rise to 33%. […]

Over the last year, I’ve seen AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT transform from cool tech novelties into total game-changers. These technologies are no longer nice-to-haves — they’re critical for any organization looking to stay competitive. Of course, implementing new AI-powered tools is often easier said than done. In this article, I’ll share some common roadblocks, including a few I’ve encountered as HubSpot’s senior director of global growth. Then, I’ll share some tips and tricks for becoming an AI champion on your marketing team. By the end of this post, you’ll have the tools you need to drive effective AI […]

AI agents are like the backstage crew at the concerts we attend: Operating independently on the backend to deliver a smooth experience on the user end. They power many of the tech we use – and have for a while – but haven’t gotten that visibility until recently. In this article, we’ll break down real-world examples of how AI agents are used across industries. AI Agent Examples in Real Life 1. Recommendation Engines Every time you sift through recommendations on your Netflix, you’re seeing AI agents at work. AI agents take action without constant human intervention by recognizing patterns and […]

When HubSpot’s Global Events Team had its first kickoff planning session for INBOUND 2024, they weren’t sure about the creative direction they’d take. One thing was clear though: Given how huge AI has become in the last few years, they knew they’d incorporate it somehow. I connected with the team to learn more about the important role AI played in pre-production – from creating eye-catching visuals with Midjourney to targeted agendas with Claude. Creating Fresh Interstitials Prior to INBOUND 2024, the team kept the onsite interstitials pretty consistent year-over-year, sticking to static visual imagery and light animation. It was time […]

We turned our standard nurture email flow into an AI-driven conversion powerhouse. Here’s what we did, what worked (and what didn’t), and what we learned along the way. When our marketing team began discussing how to strategically incorporate AI into our workflows, we knew we wanted big results. But here’s the thing about big results: They don’t come from trying everything at once. With limited resources and unlimited possibilities, we needed to hone in on which AI applications would deliver the biggest impact. Email marketing seemed like a natural starting point for us. We’d been running optimization tests on our […]