A few days ago, I had a very AI-on-AI conversation.Not with ChatGPT. Not with Claude or Perplexity. But via the AI scheduling system from Maybe* — a company doing some interesting work in the AI x marketing space. Awkward or not, it got the job done, and that job was to connect me with Nigel, who was standing in for Polly, to talk about the future of marketing.
And not just in a vague “what's going to happen in five years” kind of way. Maybe* is doing something a little different.
It was great to meet with Nigel and hear that his company selected 400 global marketing professionals, strategists, and technologists to contribute their perspectives for a white paper coming out in April. A white paper that aims to reflect where we are now with AI in marketing — and where we might be headed.
I was lucky enough to be on that list. Which meant I got to share a few thoughts (read: rants) on AI, the collapse of traditional agency models, ethical dilemmas, and why most marketing stacks today look like spaghetti code held together with Canva templates and caffeine.
Here’s what came out of the conversation — and why it matters.
1. Let’s Be Honest: AI Is Eating Marketing
One of the first things I pointed out during the chat was a prediction from DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis.
He said, “marketing has about ten years left before AI changes everything.”
That was eight years ago.
Spoiler alert: He wasn’t wrong. If anything, it’s happening faster than expected. The AI tools I use today would have looked like sci-fi back then. I run a lean operation now with no human staff — just AI “automated interns” (around 80+ at last count). And they’re not just helping me manage admin. They’re writing content. Creating ads. Drafting strategies. Filtering data.
AI isn’t coming for marketing. It’s already in it.
If you’re still catching up on the tools and trends shaping this shift, grab my latest book Marketing With AI. It’s not fluff. It’s practical, tool-based, and designed for real marketers trying to keep up.
2. Marketing Agencies Are in Trouble (But Don’t Panic... Yet)
As a former agency owner, I’ve seen how agencies operate from the inside — and how vulnerable they are right now.
Why? Because the competition isn’t just other agencies anymore. It’s tech companies. Platforms. Even AI tools that can do creative, data segmentation, reporting, and optimisation — often better and faster.
Agencies are stuck with overcomplicated tech stacks, shrinking margins, and clients who now expect Netflix-level personalisation in their email campaigns. Add to that the fact that most agencies haven’t adapted their hiring or processes to include AI-first thinking, and you’ve got a pressure cooker situation.
But it’s not all doom. There’s still space for agencies that lean into AI, restructure around speed, and learn how to use these tools properly. That’s exactly what I teach in the AI Marketing Course — it’s built for marketers and agency folk who don’t just want theory, but a way forward.
3. Welcome to “Marketing Without Marketing”
Here’s something I shared in the meeting that seemed to land well:
“We’re moving into a world of marketing without marketing — where people don’t even realise they’re being marketed to.” (Dan Sodergren)
Let that sink in.
Because that’s the direction AI is taking us. Micro-targeted, predictive, always-on campaigns that respond in real-time to customer intent. Ads that feel like content. Sales nudges that feel like conversations.
Search itself is shifting. When AI agents begin doing the searching for us (which is already starting), the entire discovery phase changes. So what happens when your customer never visits a website? Never clicks an ad? Never fills in a form — because the AI agent did it all?
This kind of shift is going to be disruptive. But it’s also pretty exciting for marketers who learn how to build for it.
4. Creativity Still Matters — But It’s Changing
Some folks think AI will kill creativity. I disagree.
It’s going to force us to redefine what creative work means. Humans will still play a huge role — but more as directors and curators rather than hands-on executors.
Because soon, generating a beautiful campaign idea might take seconds. But choosing the right one? That’ll still need human context, insight, and emotional intelligence — at least for now.
For those struggling to get the best out of AI tools creatively, I’d recommend my Prompt Engineering Course. It teaches how to speak AI’s language so it gives you useful ideas — not just robotic responses.
5. Bigger Questions: Ethics, Leadership, and Free Time
Toward the end of the conversation, we moved into the deeper stuff.
Should we be using AI to deepfake celebrities into our ads?
Should AI be solving marketing problems… or bigger ones like cancer or climate change?
Personally, I believe marketing is just the training ground. The real value of AI will come when we apply it to human-centric challenges. That’s where I think leadership needs to focus.
The tools we’re building today could free up time, enhance creativity, and reduce burnout — but only if we implement them ethically. That’s part of what I dive into in both The Fifth Industrial Revolution and A Leader’s Guide to the Times of AI.
And if you’re leading a team in the AI era — you’ll need to rethink everything from culture to capability. That’s the reality of future work.
What’s Next?
MaybeTech’s initiative is impressive. 400 leaders. Multiple industries. Real conversations about where we go from here. When the white paper drops in April, I’ll be sharing it via my newsletter and LinkedIn, so make sure you’re following along.
And if you want to:
- Book me for a keynote → www.dansodergren.com
- Connect with me on LinkedIn → @Dan Sodergren
- Read more of my work → Newsletter
…you know where to find me.
Final Thought
AI isn’t the future of marketing. It’s the present.
And if you’re still waiting for a sign to dive in — this is it.
Let’s stop theorising.
Let’s build.
Let’s use the tools we’ve got to create better work, better systems, and (hopefully) a bit more time to enjoy life outside of the inbox.
See you in the future.