Five years ago, if we had said that in-person transactions would be outdated soon, you wouldn't have believed us. Today, any other reality seems impossible. AI is everywhere in our daily life--mobile phones, homes, transport, cars, music, and the list of real-time applications goes on. Even entertainment is heavily powered by artificial intelligence. Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube have some of the most powerful recommendation engines out there, and they're the best examples of AI done right.

Think about your buyer journey today – versus just a few years ago – and it's probably a much longer complicated affair, with more steps and opportunities to capture data. That's a daunting prospect, but it's also great news for sales and marketing teams – provided they have an effective strategy in place to combine marketing communications and automation. In partnership with Smart Insights, we've created a report titled'Win more customers with an integrated marketing communications and automation strategy.' It's a must-read for business owners, CMOs, marketing and sales directors and managers, as well as marketing technologists like CIOs who are responsible for integrating their marketing applications and data. Download the guide for the full deep-dive or read on for a quick overview.

The past decade has seen artificial intelligence develop from a mere fantasy to a fully integrated part of a marketing strategy, for brands that look to differentiate and improve their customer experiences and online strategies. Take Farfetch for example, which utilized RFID-enabled clothing racks and digital mirrors to allow its customers the choice of size and colour before directly checking out online. This particular use of AI shows the seamless integration of online and offline experiences, and proves that this technology has no end to the benefits and creativity it can bring for a brands engagement efforts. Found at the core of AI technology is data and analytics, allowing brands to streamline digital ads and offer a personalized customer service. This can result in a significant lift to brands engagement efforts and empowers them to fully engage with customer at every stage of the purchase lifecycle.

Football season is finally back, and that 75" HD flat screen you've had your eye on for ages is on sale. You've entered your payment details and are all ready to hit "Complete checkout"… but then you notice the delivery options. With order processing time, will your new TV arrive before the kickoff game? You spot a chat icon in the corner of the screen and click to ask about your potential delivery window. In just a few minutes, you find out the TV will definitely arrive in time, with no extra rush shipping fees. You place the order and start daydreaming of taking in all that pulse-pounding gridiron action in stunning HD.

High-touch, multichannel engagement is within every brand's reach, but it requires putting AI in the driver's seat. Join leading Forrester analyst Rusty Warner for a VB Live event that will bust common myths around AI in marketing, and provide practical tips for fully integrating customer data and AI into your cross-channel marketing. Gartner warns brands that customer experience is the new battlefield for competitive advantage. Is your brand up to the challenge? Everywhere your customer goes, they're connected, and they're leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for marketers to follow -- data that reveals essential behavioral information on everything from their intents to their interests, their buying actions today and their purchasing plans for tomorrow.