AI Appreciation Day: What it means for the future of customer engagement

In celebration of AI Appreciation day this year, we speak with marketing, technology, innovation, data and AI leaders to unpack what the next wave of innovations have in store for customer engagement, unlocking deeper insights and optimising great customer experiences.

How innovative application of AI is solving fragmented data issues

Customer data issues like fragmentation, poor quality and identity confusion have really hindered business and marketing performance over the years. According to Billy Loizou,  APAC Area Vice President at Amperity, AI is now changing the equation by making sense of the data that already exists and unifying it accurately. 

"One of its biggest impacts we see lies in identity resolution. Instead of relying on rigid rules, AI can detect patterns across billions of records to unify customer profiles with far greater speed and accuracy. It reduces manual effort while improving precision," he explains. 

"AI also improves data quality by learning from the data itself, flagging inconsistencies, filling gaps and adapting to behavioral changes. This leads to more trustworthy, actionable datasets over time."

Amperity recently launched its Identity Resolution Agent and Chuck Data, two AI-powered innovations designed to help enterprises unify customer records at scale and accelerate time-to-insight.

The Identity Resolution Agent uses machine learning to dynamically match and merge fragmented customer data, while Chuck Data is an AI assistant that lives in the terminal and enables data engineers to build customer tables, resolve identities and tag PII using natural language prompts - without manual coding or orchestration.

"Where data lives in disconnected systems, AI acts as a bridge, linking touchpoints across channels that traditional systems couldn't connect. It enables real-time personalisation by matching signals in the moment, not days later," Billy adds.

Importantly, AI reduces the operational drag of data work. Teams can shift their focus from stitching data together to actually using it – turning a seemingly static infrastructure into a real-time strategic asset."

Unlocking deeper customer insights and reporting with gen AI

Another great example of gen AI deepening the impact of customer data insights and discovery for business is the latest innovations from Nexxen, a global, flexible advertising technology platform with deep expertise in data and advanced TV.

They recently announced their newest advancement, nexAI: the introduction of generative artificial intelligence ("AI") to the Nexxen Data Platform, including a UI assistant within its proprietary insights tool Nexxen Discovery. With this advancement, nexAI enables clients to quickly turn complex consumer data into clear, actionable audience profiles and campaign planning for seamless activation.

The integration of generative AI natively into Discovery allows users to generate polished, compelling audience reports - complete with brand share of voice, sentiment analysis, audience interests and strategic recommendations - based on just a few inputs.

"The Nexxen Data Platform has always been powered by advanced machine learning to help our clients navigate the fragmented media landscape. With the introduction of generative AI and the nexAI Discovery assistant, we're taking that foundation to the next level - turning complex datasets into clear, strategic guidance in an instant," said Karim Rayes, Chief Product Officer, Nexxen. "This is about removing friction from the entire workflow, enabling advertisers and agencies to move from insights to activation faster, smarter and with greater confidence."

"Our clients are continuing to lean into data and technology to navigate the fragmented media landscape, and nexAI meets this evolving need," said Karim Rayes, Chief Product Officer, Nexxen. "By integrating AI across our unified platform – and leveraging our existing data to inform these capabilities – we're not just adding features; we're fundamentally transforming the way campaigns are run and inventory is monetised." 

 AI integral for optimising customer experiences

Recent research from The Australian Loyalty Association (ALA) highlights the growing tension between personalisation expectations and customer comfort with data use:

• 46% of members expect brands to know their preferences - suggesting a gap between expectation and delivery.
• 58% are happy to share their data in exchange for more relevant offers.
• 53% remain concerned about the volume of data loyalty programs hold on them.
• 75% prefer communication via email, with only 35% open to texts - and just 68% wanting SMS used for urgent updates only.

ALA Founder and Director Sarah Richardson says AI is undoubtedly a powerful agent of change in the loyalty ecosystem as it evolves to accelerate processes and customer experience outcomes, strengthen personalisation and shape wider strategic decision-making. 

"As AI tools become more sophisticated, the pressure is on loyalty leaders to stay informed about technology advancements to maintain their competitive edge. The 2025 event is set to provide loyalty professionals with practical guidance and fresh thinking during a pivotal moment for the industry, to better adapt to shifting consumer behaviours and cultivate lasting customer loyalty."

So topical is the issue, that the ALA recently announced the future of retail AI, personalisation and customer loyalty will be the major topics of industry discussion and debate at its the upcoming 2025 Asia Pacific Loyalty Conference from 29–31 July 2025 at QT Resort, Gold Coast.

Key themes will focus on disruption and innovation at every stage of the loyalty journey - from building a customer data strategy to designing seamless, value-led member experiences. Sessions will look at predictive analytics, machine learning, and how brands can harness new technologies while staying aligned to customer trust. 

Accelerating customer purchase journeys AI assistants

According to Sangeeta Mudnal, Chief Technology Officer of pioneering GenAI platform Glu, AI-powered assistants from Google, Meta, and Perplexity are redefining how consumers engage with brands, creating an entirely new canvas for creative expression. These developments aren't merely technical innovations but rather a fundamental reimagining of the creative producer's role.

In fact, Microsoft reports that its AI assistant Copilot has accelerated consumer purchase journeys by approximately 30%, while partnerships like OpenAI and Shopify's integration of purchasing within ChatGPT conversations hint at commerce experiences embedded directly in conversational flows. 

"As AI assistants increasingly mediate the relationship between brands and consumers, we're witnessing a profound shift in how creative work is conceptualised, produced, optimised, and delivered," Mudnal says. With the rapid rise of these industry trends platforms like Glu.ai are now showcasing a deep commitment to customer-centric innovation, while being dedicated to helping eCommerce merchants seamlessly adapt and thrive in this new era of AI-facilitated eCommerce.

Are brands unlocking the true potential of AI innovation?

It is clear that brands are moving quickly to adapt. But recent research suggests there is still enormous potential for brands to unlock the true power and potential of GenAI.

According to the Digital, Marketing & eComm in Focus 2025 report, produced by digital, data and eCommerce advisory & consultancy Arktic Fox in collaboration with recruitment firm Six Degrees Executive:

• 59% of brands are experimenting with or scaling efforts around generative AI and AI more broadly to drive personalisation efforts.
• Half of brands are experimenting with GenAI for content generation, and almost a quarter (24%) are scaling up efforts.
• Nearly half (49%) of brands are experimenting with using AI for insights generation, with 19% scaling up.   

However the research revealed the opportunity for growth in the AI space remains considerable. Currently, more advanced levels of AI adoption are typically confined to larger companies. Just 13% of leaders believe their organisation is advanced in leveraging predictive analytics, with these mostly being brands with revenues in excess of $100 million.    

"While adoption is growing, most brands still face barriers to unlocking AI's full potential," says Teresa Sperti, Founder and Director at Arktic Fox. "Only 14% have a mature, unified customer view, despite it being a key investment area. Without strong data foundations, efforts to use AI for personalisation and experience delivery will fall short. 

"Based on what we are observing in market, AI utilisation is still being driven by efficiency based plays and whilst some brands are scaling their efforts more sophisticated use of AI | genAI for experience delivery is still an opportunity for most."