108: What Merkle's Research Tells Us About AI, Omni-channel, and Digital Transformation with Global Chief Strategy Officer, Holden Bale

In a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly redefining the boundaries of commerce, the latest episode features Holden Bale, the Global Chief Strategy Officer at Merkle, as he explains the effects of AI in both digital and B2B sectors. Holden shares information on how generative AI and large language models are reshaping consumer expectations and market dynamics.  The episode explores the democratization of AI tools, the importance of aligning business and technology strategies, and the challenges businesses face in implementing customer-centric and omnichannel approaches. Throughout the discussion, Holden emphasizes the need for businesses to creatively apply AI technologies to drive growth and innovation in the evolving digital commerce landscape. Show Highlights: Role of AI in agentic and B2B commerce. AI's impact on consumer expectations and omnichannel experiences. Discussion on democratizing AI tools in digital commerce. Importance of aligning business and technology strategies for successful AI-driven business transformation. Exploration of the plateau in e-commerce growth and the necessity of customer centricity, omnichannel strategies, and digital transformation in mature markets. Challenges and opportunities in integrating AI with human expertise to drive business innovation and efficiency. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review," then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second, and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Holden Bale: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holdenbale/  Merkle: https://www.merkle.com/  Learn more about Agentforce for Commerce: https://www.salesforce.com/commerce/ai/  Join the Commerce Cloud Community: https://sforce.co/commerce-crew *** Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know I sent you.