The marketing technology sector is shifting, with companies racing to integrate artificial intelligence (AI).
HubSpot's recent unveiling of 'Breeze,' an AI-powered platform, exemplifies this trend. Digital channels are increasingly saturated, prompting marketers to use AI-driven tools for task automation, content personalization and data analysis.
"AI can analyze users' data better and take into account browsing history and past purchase data to help users find the best product for their search faster. This helps businesses increase sales," Keith Skelly, Head of eCommerce at marketing firm Dark Horse, told PYMNTS.
As PYMNTS previously reported, generative AI is entering the advertising sector with the potential to revolutionize content creation. A June report by investment firm Andreessen Horowitz suggests this technology could transform commerce by helping marketers create personalized campaigns at scale across fragmented digital channels.
HubSpot introduced Breeze at its INBOUND 2024 conference. The platform aims to address growing challenges that go-to-market (GTM) teams face in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
"We want to make it exceptionally easy to not only use agents but build and distribute them on our network," said HubSpot Co-Founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah in a news release. "Just as Apple said 'there's an app for that,' we say: 'there's an agent for that.' We're excited to develop HubSpot's agent ecosystem, and we invite developers to come build the next-generation customer platform with us."
Breeze's suite of AI-powered tools includes Copilot, an AI companion designed to simplify work processes, and four specialized Breeze Agents focused on content creation, social media management, prospecting and customer service. These are complemented by over 80 AI-driven features embedded across the platform.
HubSpot said its new Breeze Intelligence tool expands the company's AI capabilities. The firm added that this new feature taps into a database of over 200 million profiles to automatically populate company and contact information in its customer relationship management system. HubSpot also said that Breeze Intelligence will help businesses identify potential buyers more effectively.
Many AI-powered marketing tools have emerged in recent years. Google's Performance Max uses machine learning to optimize ad performance across multiple channels. Salesforce's Einstein AI provides predictive lead scoring and automated customer segmentation. Adobe's Sensei AI enhances content creation and personalization in its Creative Cloud and Experience Cloud platforms. Persado's AI generates and optimizes marketing language for different channels. IBM's Watson Advertising suite offers AI-driven audience targeting and content optimization.
Observers say AI integration is reshaping customer service and the overall buying experience.
"AI is faster at answering customer service questions and offers a tailor-made response based on a visitor's previous interactions, something a human agent cannot. This improves customer satisfaction," Skelly noted. He added that AI-powered chatbots now provide "24/7 customer support on both eCommerce and lead gen websites, allowing for better customer satisfaction and improved conversion rates."
HubSpot said its research indicates that 70% of companies need help with disconnected data, hindering their ability to provide seamless customer experiences. AI-driven data unification and analysis could offer more personalized and efficient service.
Regarding ad spend optimization, Skelly pointed out: "Automated bidding strategies help us to maximize the efficiency of a client's budget on each ad campaign. We can set targets for either ROAS or CPA in order to achieve our clients' goals."
Early indicators suggest benefits for businesses integrating AI into their marketing technology stacks. HubSpot claims that 89% of customers with a unified platform use it daily across marketing, sales and service functions, leading to 107% more leads generated, 35% more deals closed and a 28% increase in ticket resolution.
This move toward an open AI agent ecosystem could accelerate innovation in the marketing technology sector, potentially leading to more specialized and efficient AI tools for businesses of all sizes.
The integration of AI into marketing technology is an ongoing trend. Companies like HubSpot continue to innovate and expand their AI offerings as the marketing technology landscape evolves. Businesses that effectively harness AI in their marketing, sales and customer service operations may find themselves with an advantage in an increasingly digital-first economy.
"Today's consumers value speed and convenience; AI offers both," Matt Hasan, CEO of aiRESULTS, told PYMNTS. "It's about creating a seamless experience. AI can anticipate customer needs by analyzing past interactions, offering personalized recommendations and upselling opportunities that enrich the shopping experience."
