The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

What if your next customer isn't a person, but an AI agent acting on their behalf? And what if that agent is evaluating your brand on a purely logical, data-driven basis, completely devoid of the emotional hooks your marketing has always relied on?

Agility requires not just adapting to changing customer behaviors, but also redefining who—or what—our customer even is. It demands that we build operational and strategic frameworks that can cater to both human emotional drivers and the cold, hard logic of machines.

Today, we are at Forrester CX in New York City...

What if the most common point of failure in your digital customer experience: the 'no results found' page, could become your greatest opportunity for conversion and discovery?

Agility requires not just adopting new technologies, but fundamentally rethinking core customer interactions, like search, that have remained static for far too long. It demands a shift from rigid rules to responsive, intelligent systems that learn from and adapt to customer intent in real time.

Today, we're going to talk about the evolution of on-site search. For years, it's been a functional, yet often...

Most leaders think about AI as a tool to analyze data or assist with tasks. But what happens when your AI becomes an autonomous agent, not just providing insights but actively orchestrating complex processes on its own?

Today, we are at PegaWorld 2026 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and, we're going to talk about moving AI from a theoretical concept to a practical, value-driving reality. Specifically, we’ll explore:

- The transition from predictive AI to agentic AI, and what that means for orchestrating complex customer journeys.

- The architectural an...

What if the marketing funnel, the foundational model we've relied on for decades, is fundamentally flawed and actively misleading us about what our customers actually want?

Agility requires not just reacting quickly, but reacting with intelligence, which is impossible when your customer data is telling you the wrong story.

Today, we're going to talk about the shift from legacy metrics to a more intelligent, unified view of the customer. Specifically, we'll cover:

- Why traditional funnel metrics can obscure true customer intent and what to focus on instead.

...

What if the biggest barrier to your company's transformation isn't your legacy technology, but your legacy thinking about it?

Today, we are at PegaWorld 2026 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and, we're going to talk about the immense challenge and opportunity of enterprise modernization. Specifically, we'll cover:

- Translating a massive technology initiative into tangible improvements in the customer and partner experience.

- The practical steps required to make an enterprise 'AI-ready' by bridging the gap between legacy systems and modern cloud platforms.

- How transforming core operations c...

We're told AI will revolutionize marketing, but many leaders are finding it just creates more content chaos and operational risk. Is the answer more AI, or a fundamentally different approach to how AI is managed?

Today we are at PegaWorld 2026 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and, we're going to talk about:

- The shift from generative AI for content creation to agentic AI for end-to-end campaign execution.

- How to orchestrate multiple AI agents to move from a marketing brief to a live, personalized campaign in...

Nearly every marketing leader has been told to "do more with AI" — and many of them are now sitting on a pile of pilots, a growing bill, and not much to show their CFO. So why is it that adoption of AI in marketing is so high, while the number of organizations actually getting predictable returns from it is so low?

Agility requires the discipline to reimagine how work gets done before automating it — because pointing AI at a broken process just produces a faster broken process.

Today, we're going to talk about:

How many marketing leaders can confidently tell their CEO which specific AI use cases are actually driving revenue right now, and which ones are just running up the bill as experiments?

Agility isn't just about adapting to new tech like AI. It's about building the solid data and operational models that let you connect those innovations directly to business growth.

Today, we are here at CRMC 2026 in Frisco Texas, and we're going to talk about:

- Moving beyond campaign metrics to directly link lifecycle marketing programs to revenue.

...

What if the future of marketing isn’t about creating better campaigns, but about designing intelligent agents that render campaigns obsolete?

Agility requires not just adapting to new technologies, but fundamentally re-architecting our operating models to harness their potential.

Today, we’re going to talk about the move from personalization to agentic experiences and what that means for enterprise marketing.

We’ll cover:

- How “agentic experiences” are moving beyond simple personalization to fundamentally change the economics of customer acquisition and retention.

- The shift in talent and techno...

As brands invest billions in AI to personalize the customer experience, are they inadvertently creating a more transactional, less human relationship with their most valuable customers?

Agility requires not just the rapid adoption of AI-based solutions, but the wisdom to know when and how to apply them to enhance—without replacing—the human element of the customer relationship.

Today, we're going to talk about:

- The growing disconnect between what AI-powered loyalty programs deliver and what discerning consumers actually value.

- Practical strategies for using AI to understand non...

What if the biggest risk of AI in marketing isn't about job replacement, but about creating more fragmented, siloed work?

Agility requires more than just adopting new tools; it demands a fundamental rethinking of how teams collaborate and orchestrate work. When a technology like AI promises to accelerate individual tasks, true agility means ensuring that acceleration translates into collective momentum, not organizational friction.

Today, we're going to talk about moving beyond the hype of AI experimentation and into the reality of its operational impact on marketing teams. We’ll explore what happens when AI...

To keep up in a changing market, are you building a responsive brand, or are you constantly playing catch-up?

Agility requires more than just quick reactions; it demands a proactive understanding of evolving customer needs and emerging technologies. It also means building adaptable processes and systems that can flex with market demands.

Today, we're going to talk about navigating the complexities of modern business strategy in a world of constant disruption. Specifically, we'll explore how Chief Strategy Officers can balance long-term vision with the need for near-term execution, particularly in the face of...

Is the relentless pursuit of measurable ROAS fundamentally at odds with building long-term customer trust in a privacy-first world?

Agility requires marketers to move beyond legacy attribution models and embrace a more dynamic approach to measurement and monetization. This is especially true in the rapidly evolving mobile ecosystem, where the rules of engagement are constantly being rewritten.

Today, we're going to talk about the new playbook for performance marketing in the mobile app ecosystem. We'll explore how to drive growth and measure return on ad spend in an environment defined by signal loss, look...

Twenty-five years ago, the goal was to build a website as a digital "single source of truth." In an era of AI agents and hyper-personalized realities, is the very concept of a single, universal brand "truth" now an obstacle to creating a truly relevant customer experience?

Agility requires not just adopting new channels and technologies, but fundamentally rethinking the role of content and data in a constantly shifting landscape. It's the ability to move from managing a static digital property to orchestrating a fluid, dynamic relationship with your audience.

Today, we're going to talk...

What's the hidden tax your organization pays every time a creative asset moves from a design tool to a marketing platform, and how can you shorten the time to gain important insights about how your campaigns perform?

Agility requires more than just speed. It demands that we eliminate the friction between our systems and processes so teams can move from concept to customer with minimal translation errors and maximum impact. It also means that we need to find the best ways to understand campaign performance without requiring everyone in marketing to be a data scientist.

In an era of relentless pressure for quarterly growth, is it even possible for a large brand to stay true to its core mission, or is compromising a brand’s values just an inevitable part of achieving scale?

Agility requires more than just reacting quickly to market changes. It requires a resilient, long-term mission that acts as a north star, ensuring that every pivot and experiment builds enduring value, not just short-term gains.

Today, we're going to talk about the tension that every marketing leader feels: the conflict between the relentless demand for me...

In an era of relentless pressure for quarterly growth, is it even possible for a large brand to stay true to its core mission, or is compromising a brand’s values just an inevitable part of achieving scale?

Agility requires more than just reacting quickly to market changes. It requires a resilient, long-term mission that acts as a north star, ensuring that every pivot and experiment builds enduring value, not just short-term gains.
Today, we're going to talk about the tension that every marketing leader feels: the conflict between the relentless demand for measurable, short-term re...

When digital payments can feel like a commoditized utility, how do you build a brand that’s seen not just as a processor, but as a strategic partner?
Agility requires more than just speed; it demands the ability to innovate within complex regulatory frameworks while simultaneously building and maintaining unwavering customer trust.

Today, we're going to talk about the unique challenge of building a resonant brand in the highly competitive and technical world of FinTech. We'll explore how to translate complex capabilities into a compelling narrative that builds trust and drives growth.

To...

What if the most valuable customer acquisition channel you're ignoring is the one you’ve always written off as just a discount tool?

Agility requires not just adapting to new customer behaviors, but fundamentally re-evaluating long-held beliefs about which channels drive growth and which ones are merely a race to the bottom.
Retailers are making big moves into the cashback ecosystem.

Today, we're going to talk about the shifting economics of customer acquisition and how they are causing many brands to rethink their channel strategy. To help me discuss this topic, I'd li...

For the last two decades, the primary question for marketers has been "How do we rank on Google?" What happens when the primary question becomes "How do we become the answer for an AI?"

Agility requires not just adapting to new tools like AI, but fundamentally rethinking the systems and organizational structures that support them. It’s a shift from optimizing channels to engineering a connected growth engine for the entire business.

This show is brought to you by Moburst, an award-winning digital marketing agency leading how brands succeed in the age of AI...

If AI can now execute an entire marketing campaign from a single prompt, what is the new primary function of a marketing leader?

While agility often requires adapting to new tools, it can also require fundamentally rethinking the operating model of a marketing organization. It’s about reallocating your most valuable resource—your team’s strategic thinking—to where it can have the greatest impact.

Today, we're going to talk about the shift from AI as a tool to AI as an autonomous agent. We'll explore how these "agentic" AI systems, which can independ...

I would like to recommend a new podcast called The Interface from the BBC. It's the BBC's fiercly informed, fast and funny take on how technology is impacting all of us. I have become regular listeners and hope you enjoy it too!

What if the biggest obstacle to delivering a world-class customer experience isn't your technology or your strategy, but the very way your teams are structured and enabled to work?

Agility requires creating an internal environment that can fluidly adapt to—and even anticipate—the needs of the external customer.

Today, we're going to talk about: the often-overlooked foundation of successful business transformation: the human experience.

We’ll explore:

What if the biggest obstacle to delivering a world-class customer experience isn't your technology or your strategy, but the very way your teams are structured and enabled to work?

Agility requires creating an internal environment that can fluidly adapt to—and even anticipate—the needs of the external customer.

Today, we're going to talk about: the often-overlooked foundation of successful business transformation: the human experience.

We’ll explore:

As a leader, you often spend so much time on the strategies and tactics that keep your brand growing that it’s difficult to keep up with what’s going on in the background with the platforms and the companies behind them.

That’s why I’m always glad to talk with our guest today, who is both focused on the business of CX as well as the business behind CX and the SaaS platforms driving so many customer experiences. I’m excited to talk again with our Resident Expert on the CX and MarTech platform landscape...

As a leader, you often spend so much time on the strategies and tactics that keep your brand growing that it’s difficult to keep up with what’s going on in the background with the platforms and the companies behind them.

That’s why I’m always glad to talk with our guest today, who is both focused on the business of CX as well as the business behind CX and the SaaS platforms driving so many customer experiences. I’m excited to talk again with our Resident Expert on the CX and MarTech platform landscape...

With the half-life of professional skills shrinking every year, is the traditional model of corporate learning and development fundamentally broken, and what role should employers play in the new era of continuous education?

Agility requires a workforce that can adapt and acquire new skills as quickly as the market changes. This means the old models of education and professional development must be re-engineered for a world that demands continuous learning integrated with professional life.

Today, we're going to talk about the evolution of higher education, specifically how online programs are being redesigned from...

With the half-life of professional skills shrinking every year, is the traditional model of corporate learning and development fundamentally broken, and what role should employers play in the new era of continuous education?

Agility requires a workforce that can adapt and acquire new skills as quickly as the market changes. This means the old models of education and professional development must be re-engineered for a world that demands continuous learning integrated with professional life.

Today, we're going to talk about the evolution of higher education, specifically how online programs are being redesigned from...

Most leaders see Marketing Ops as the team that keeps the trains running on time, essentially the plumbers of the marketing department. But what if I told you they’re actually positioned to be the architects of your company’s most durable competitive advantage?

Agility requires moving beyond the transactional nature of campaigns and technology. It demands building a durable, responsive ecosystem around your brand, one that can listen and adapt not just quarterly, but constantly.
Today, we're going to talk about how to reframe the marketing operations function from a cost center or tactical exec...

Most leaders see Marketing Ops as the team that keeps the trains running on time, essentially the plumbers of the marketing department. But what if I told you they’re actually positioned to be the architects of your company’s most durable competitive advantage?

Agility requires moving beyond the transactional nature of campaigns and technology. It demands building a durable, responsive ecosystem around your brand, one that can listen and adapt not just quarterly, but constantly.
Today, we're going to talk about how to reframe the marketing operations function from a cost center or tactical exec...

As you race to adopt AI-powered shopping experiences, are you creating a new data black box that will make your customer journey less understood, not more?

Agility requires not just the speed to adopt new channels like generative AI, but the foresight to ensure these new touchpoints don't become blind spots in your customer journey. It demands that our data strategy evolves as quickly as our customer-facing technology.

Today, we're going to talk about the hidden challenge of AI-driven commerce. As major brands roll out compelling shopping experiences on platforms like Google's Gemini...

As you race to adopt AI-powered shopping experiences, are you creating a new data black box that will make your customer journey less understood, not more?

Agility requires not just the speed to adopt new channels like generative AI, but the foresight to ensure these new touchpoints don't become blind spots in your customer journey. It demands that our data strategy evolves as quickly as our customer-facing technology.

Today, we're going to talk about the hidden challenge of AI-driven commerce. As major brands roll out compelling shopping experiences on platforms like Google's Gemini...

When you look at your five-year strategic plan, how much of it is dedicated to defending your current market share versus actively making it obsolete?
Agility requires more than just reacting quickly to market shifts; it demands the foresight and structure to initiate those shifts yourself.

This episode is brought to by CRMC. Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more about CRMC 2026, June 1-3 in Frisco Texas at www.thecrmc.com
Today, we're going to talk about the accelerating pace...

When you look at your five-year strategic plan, how much of it is dedicated to defending your current market share versus actively making it obsolete?
Agility requires more than just reacting quickly to market shifts; it demands the foresight and structure to initiate those shifts yourself.

This episode is brought to by CRMC. Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more about CRMC 2026, June 1-3 in Frisco Texas at www.thecrmc.com
Today, we're going to talk about the accelerating pace...

What's the bigger blind spot for most brands’ digital experience: knowing that a customer is struggling, or understanding why and being able to help them in that exact moment? Agility requires not just identifying customer friction quickly, but having the tools to resolve it in the moment. It’s about shortening the gap between insight and action to create better experiences, faster.
Today, we're going to talk about a strategic evolution in digital experience management: moving beyond passively observing user behavior to actively intervening and guiding users toward success, directly within the product. We’ll explore how this shift is bei...

What's the bigger blind spot for most brands’ digital experience: knowing that a customer is struggling, or understanding why and being able to help them in that exact moment? Agility requires not just identifying customer friction quickly, but having the tools to resolve it in the moment. It’s about shortening the gap between insight and action to create better experiences, faster.
Today, we're going to talk about a strategic evolution in digital experience management: moving beyond passively observing user behavior to actively intervening and guiding users toward success, directly within the product. We’ll explore how this shift...

In an era dominated by high-definition home entertainment and endless digital distractions, what does it take to convince a fan that a live, in-person experience is not just worth their time and money, but is something they can't afford to miss?

Agility requires not just having a plan, but building a system to listen and respond to your audience in real time. It’s about turning feedback from a retrospective report into an in-the-moment action plan.

Following the recent Qualtrics X4 Summit in Seattle, we're going to talk about what it takes to en...

In an era dominated by high-definition home entertainment and endless digital distractions, what does it take to convince a fan that a live, in-person experience is not just worth their time and money, but is something they can't afford to miss?

Agility requires not just having a plan, but building a system to listen and respond to your audience in real time. It’s about turning feedback from a retrospective report into an in-the-moment action plan.

Following the recent Qualtrics X4 Summit in Seattle, we're going to talk about what it takes to en...

In the race for B2B growth, we often prioritize speed over everything else. But what's the real cost when your brand starts to look like a collection of spare parts cobbled together by different teams?

Agility requires a strong, foundational framework to enable speed without sacrificing coherence. It's about empowering teams to move quickly and independently, while still ensuring every customer touchpoint feels like it comes from one unified brand.

Today, we're going to talk about why brand and design consistency is often the first casualty of high-growth B2B environments, and...

In the race for B2B growth, we often prioritize speed over everything else. But what's the real cost when your brand starts to look like a collection of spare parts cobbled together by different teams?

Agility requires a strong, foundational framework to enable speed without sacrificing coherence. It's about empowering teams to move quickly and independently, while still ensuring every customer touchpoint feels like it comes from one unified brand.

Today, we're going to talk about why brand and design consistency is often the first casualty of high-growth B2B environments, and...