Marketing in the Age of Alexa

Over the next decade, as artificially intelligent assistants like Alexa and Siri become the main channel through which people get information, goods, and services, the way companies acquire, serve, and retain customers will radically change. Because the bots will have deep knowledge about individuals’ habits and preferences, they’ll be able to anticipate a consumer’s needs even better than the consumer herself can. They’ll ensure that routine purchases flow uninterrupted to homes and constantly scan and analyze complex offerings like insurance and data plans for the best deals. And the more AI assistants satisfy consumers, the more trust in them will replace trust in brands.

Marketing will soon become a battle for AI assistants’ attention, says Dawar. Brands will focus on influencing AI algorithms and compete for placement on the assistants’ platforms. In return, brands will be able to get data on consumers from the platforms. That’s something companies will need in this new world, because AI assistants’ never-ending reassessment of purchases will force businesses to keep producing new tailored offers and innovations for customers.