Milena Traikovich stands at the forefront of the modern marketing revolution, specializing in the intersection of data analytics and high-velocity lead generation. As a seasoned expert in demand generation, she has spent years helping global brands navigate the complexities of performance optimization and consumer behavior. Today, the conversation has shifted from simple automation to the sophisticated world of “agentic” systems. This interview explores the transformative transition from using artificial intelligence as a creative assistant to employing it as a fully autonomous commercial engine. We delve into the rise of adaptive advertising, the critical necessity of catalog enrichment in the age of agentic commerce, and the growing talent gap that threatens to stall even the most ambitious retail strategies.
Content creation is often the initial entry point for AI, yet many organizations are now moving toward much more complex applications. How is this shifting the traditional role of a CMO?
The landscape has shifted so dramatically that the CMO is no longer just a storyteller; they have become a systems architect. While 67% of organizations are still heavily invested in using artificial intelligence to churn out marketing and advertising content, the real strategic weight is moving toward distribution and real-time optimization. We are seeing 61% of organizations integrate these technologies directly into their digital commerce operations, which is a noticeable jump from the 57% we saw previously. For a marketing leader, this means moving beyond the “creative” bubble and taking ownership of technical execution, such as the 54% of brands now automating their ad placement or the 52% leveraging adaptive advertising. It’s a sensory shift where you’re no longer just launching a campaign and crossing your fingers, but rather managing a living ecosystem that adjusts its own messages and placements based on the immediate pulse of the consumer.
We are seeing a significant rise in “agentic AI.” Could you explain how these autonomous agents are redefining the way brands interact with customers in real time?
Agentic AI represents a fundamental move away from the static, “if-this-then-that” logic of old-school chatbots. Today, about 47% of organizations are either actively using or evaluating these agents, with 20% having already deployed them into their live environments. These systems are unique because they can reason, plan, and execute tasks with a level of autonomy that feels strikingly human. In the marketing sector, 48% of businesses are using these agents to drive personalized advertising, allowing the system to act on real-time data to guide a customer’s purchasing decision without a human having to pull the levers. It’s an incredibly fluid process where the agent interprets the customer’s context, adjusts the recommendation, and closes the loop, effectively turning a browsing session into a guided consultation.
Catalog enrichment and “agentic commerce” were mentioned as emerging trends. How does a brand need to restructure its data to remain visible to these AI-driven systems?
This is where the “under-the-hood” work becomes vital for survival. We are entering an era of agentic commerce where 42% of businesses are using AI for catalog enrichment, which means they are dynamically upgrading their product descriptions, images, and videos to be more localized and relevant. If your data isn’t structured correctly, you become invisible to the 31% of shopping assistants that customers are now using to discover products. Brands have to realize that they aren’t just persuading a human shopper anymore; they are also persuading the AI agent that acts as a gatekeeper. You have to feed these systems high-quality, granular information so they can accurately interpret consumer intent and place your product in the spotlight at the exact moment of need.
Despite the efficiency gains, there’s a growing hurdle regarding the workforce. What does the current talent landscape look like for companies trying to scale these technologies?
It is a bit of a paradox because while 54% of organizations report that AI has significantly boosted employee productivity, the struggle to find people who can actually run these systems is intensifying. The lack of specialized talent has surged to become the top obstacle, with 46% of companies identifying it as a major barrier, up from 31% in the recent past. Even though we see a 52% improvement in operational efficiency and a 41% boost in customer experience, those gains are capped by the human bottleneck. CMOs are finding that they need a new breed of marketer—one who understands the nuances of algorithmic bias and agentic reasoning as much as they understand brand voice. It’s no longer just about having the tool; it’s about having the “translators” who can bridge the gap between business goals and autonomous execution.
What is your forecast for the integration of AI agents in the retail sector over the next two years?
My forecast is that we will move from “assisted commerce” to “delegated commerce,” where the 21% of companies currently planning to implement agents will join the ranks of the early adopters, making autonomous systems the industry standard. By 2028, I expect the focus to shift entirely away from “generative” content toward “predictive” execution, where the AI doesn’t just suggest a product but anticipates the logistics and personalizes the entire financial transaction. We will see the 50% of companies currently using AI for customer service evolve into providing full-scale digital concierges that manage the entire lifecycle of a customer relationship. The competitive advantage will belong to those who can maintain a human “soul” in their brand while letting these agents handle the complex, high-speed machinery of modern retail.
