On the frontline with Fred - reflections on AI, SalesTech and what comes next

AI... it’s the buzzword of our time. Whether you’re at a conference, on a client call, or just grabbing a coffee, it’s almost impossible to have a conversation without someone dropping the AI word. And for good reason—artificial intelligence is not just another fleeting trend; it’s fundamentally reshaping the way we do business.

Over the past month, I’ve been reflecting on AI’s rapid rise, particularly its role in marketing and sales technology. A statistic that stood out to me was a point raised by SAAS First , which said, "It costs up to 30x less to deploy an AI chatbot than human agents." Fascinating (and a little concerning) to think about how technology is increasingly replacing human interactions... and also how it is opening endless doors to more scalable, cost-efficient and highly personalised engagements. I think the real challenge will be to strike the right balance between automation and authentic 'human-to-human' conversations. Another headline that caught my attention was LinkedIn’s recent crackdown on data scraper tools like Apollo.io and Seamless.ai. It’s a reminder that while AI brings incredible power, it also raises complex ethical questions around privacy and data use. LinkedIn sends a clear signal it won't tolerate unauthorised data extraction, and other providers using similar methods could be next. I've been asked about tools like Lusha and Surfe e, both of which are ISO certified. Surfe is ISO27001 certified and GDPR compliant, while Lusha holds ISO27701 certification, aligning with both GDPR and CCPA standards.

As LinkedIn enforces stricter regulations on data scraping, businesses should rethink their reliance on these tools and explore solutions that comply with platform guidelines while still delivering the value you'd expect.

Speaking of AI’s mind-boggling capabilities, Meta's latest advancements in brain-to-text technology are pushing the boundaries of what's possible. In tests with human volunteers, a system using non-invasive magnetoencephalography (MEG) achieved up to 80% accuracy in decoding typed sentences from brain activity! Imagine a future where AI anticipates your needs before you even articulate them. Exciting? Maybe... and also rather disturbing, raising questions about consent, privacy and data ethics?

In such a fast-moving world of tech, one thing is clear to me: adaptability is key.

Technology should now be at the heart of every sales and marketing strategy, driving smarter, faster, and more personalised interactions. The best tools will do a lot more than just storing data or automating tasks - they integrate seamlessly, leverage AI to optimise workflows, and provide real-time insights that help businesses stay ahead.

We are in an exciting era, but one that moves at lightning speed. Success depends on staying agile, balancing technology with human oversight and future-proofing your approach.