AI as a Growth Lever - Potential for Smarter Customer Value

Industry leaders from automotive, retail, and enterprise technology explored how AI can unlock faster, more personalised CXs, but only when supported by the right skills, connected data, and a clear business purpose.

A recent report suggests that 24% of respondents feel AI created more coordination work, 22% reported lost context during handoffs, and 20% saw requests routed incorrectly.

Spenser Skates discusses the evolution of digital analytics, why retention should inform product strategy, and how AI agents are poised to automate insights, experimentation, and product optimisation at scale.

Behind every great customer experience is an engaged employee. Anastasiya Golovatenko, Account Director at Sherpa Communications, explores how leadership, purpose, and everyday behaviours shape the EX–CX connection, and why happier teams consistently deliver better business outcomes.

AI adoption is accelerating, but without strong data, processes, and strategy, it falls short. Marketers must prioritise fundamentals to unlock meaningful value from AI investments and integrations.

Mason Tay shares how brands can scale globally by balancing localisation, data-driven personalisation, and community-led growth while navigating fragmented markets and diverse consumer behaviours.

Martechvibe’s Asked and Answered: There’s been some debate about whether brands need to be ubiquitous in their messaging strategies. So, we asked the brains behind South Africa’s leading brands to share their thoughts on connecting more meaningfully with customers…

New research finds that only half of marketing and finance leaders measure how marketing is driving business outcomes, and 71% believe AI-powered marketing tools prioritise short-term performance over long-term brand growth.

As Ramadan 2026 unfolds amid uncertainty, brands are discovering that loyalty is no longer driven by messaging. Instead, consistent actions, reliability, and meaningful customer experiences are shaping deeper emotional connections.

AI has erased the gap between zero and “good enough,” but in doing so, it is pushing brands towards sameness. As synthetic creativity floods the market, marketers must prioritise messy, emotional, human storytelling to stand out and rebuild real connections.