Dr. Tola Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi shook the Marketing Edge National Marketing Stakeholders’ Summit with her bold prediction about the future of marketing.

In her session, she stressed that the greatest stories will never come from AI alone. Instead, they will emerge when humans and technology work side by side. Speaking on the theme AI Integration: Leveraging New Technologies to Achieve Business Objectives, she mapped out a clear plan for companies to harness AI and unlock growth.

She reduced her thesis to a simple but powerful formula: “Human strategy + AI execution = precision + scale.” According to her, AI is not a rival but a “business side-kick.” It acts as a smart assistant, spotting details even the sharpest human eye may miss. The real strength, she argued, comes when human creativity fuses with AI’s speed, data analysis, and flawless execution.

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Her talk moved from theory to practice. In retail, AI is transforming customer journeys by making them personal and seamless. She pointed to Sephora, which uses cameras to guide shoppers with tailored beauty tips, and Lowe, which deploys similar systems to detect empty shelves in real time. “AI in retail,” she explained, “is about creating a seamless shopping journey that makes customers feel valued.”

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She also highlighted manufacturing as a case study. A company using AI for quality control and predictive maintenance reduced waste by 30% and raised production speed by 40%. The integration did more than boost numbers. It freed employees to focus on creative, non-repetitive work, which made them happier and more productive.

Yet, she did not ignore the hurdles. She flagged challenges such as data privacy concerns, high costs of implementation, skills gaps within teams, and the complex process of integration.

Even with these barriers, her conclusion was firm. AI is a vital tool, but not a substitute for human insight. The businesses that thrive will be those that co-author their future—blending human vision with AI precision to tell stories that resonate and endure.