AI is undeniably reshaping the world, making waves across industries, including e-commerce performance marketing. Its rapid rise sparks both excitement and concern—while some eagerly embrace its potential, others worry about the power it might wield. So, should we welcome artificial intelligence with open arms? To explore this question, we sat down with JC Gombeaud, SVP of Marketing at Connexity, to delve into the transformative role of AI and its implications for the future.
Divided sentiment on the growing use of AI in e-commerce and beyond
The adoption of AI is something that has seen a huge uplift in the marketing world. 81% of marketers who use generative AI say it’s effective at assisting them in their role (Hubspot). From streamlining workflows to boosting productivity, its benefits are widely recognized. However, its fast-paced development has sparked concerns about safety and responsible use, highlighting the need for thoughtful application and regulation.
Despite these challenges, excitement around AI continues to grow, and 2025 could see a shift toward broader acceptance as its value becomes increasingly clear.
JC: “I’m excited about AI because I love revolutions—I love moments of change. It reminds me of the early days of the internet. At the time, I was working for a newspaper that was print-only, and the internet posed a massive threat to the industry. But it also brought a chance to reinvent what we were doing. I see AI in the same way. It’s as transformative as the internet was; it’s changing how we work, communicate, and engage with the world. Just as we can’t imagine a world without the web now, in 30 years, people won’t know a world without generative AI. That’s the scale of this revolution.
Personally, I’m already using AI every day. It’s here to stay, and I believe it’s important to embrace it rather than shy away from it. The opportunities it brings are too significant to ignore.”
AI can multiply your work efforts
Within the marketing world, there are plenty of ways the use of AI has impacted people’s work. Data is at the core of digital marketing and advertising to unlock insights, an imperative key to successful content. AI has revolutionised the way we analyse data, enhancing targeting precision and enabling deeper, more actionable insights. At Connexity, we leverage Dynamic Content Optimisation (DCO) to tailor ad content dynamically, ensuring it resonates with the specific audience viewing it. Similarly, Taboola’s AI assistant, Abby, empowers marketers to optimise campaigns with greater efficiency and effectiveness. The industry has entered an era where leading players are not just adopting AI—they’re actively shaping the future by developing proprietary AI tools, driving innovation across the board.
JC: “It’s already impacting things that people don’t see. AI helps you deal with a vast amount of data; we use it to track our traffic and see if there is anything weird going on. If something is picked up, humans will then go in and check the legitimacy of the odd behaviour.
One of the most common questions we hear from publishers and merchants is this: while we have excellent data on what happened during major events like Black Friday or Singles Day this year, what everyone really wants to know is—what will happen next Black Friday? With AI, we can analyse vast amounts of data to uncover trends and start making informed predictions. Over time, as we test these predictions, we’ll gain valuable insights into whether the strategies we’re betting on are truly hitting the mark.
AI is proving to be a valuable tool for content creators as well. While Google SEO can penalise websites that rely on poorly crafted AI-generated articles, readers are often just as discerning. If the content lacks meaning or value, they’ll question why they should engage with it. Instead of replacing human creativity, AI works best as a support tool. For example, if you’ve written an in-depth article about the best phone options, the work doesn’t stop there. You might want to summarise it into a few lines for a newsletter or craft a catchy title that fits the format. Why not use AI to help? It can generate 10 potential ideas for driving traffic to your article, and from those, you’re likely to find at least one or two useful options—or inspiration for your own.
The key to using generative AI effectively is human oversight. Articles should still be written by real people who’ve tested the products and understand the subject matter, and editors must ensure the final content meets quality standards. Think of AI as an assistant—it can amplify your efforts and help streamline tasks, but the balance between quality control and AI assistance is essential. When used thoughtfully, it can significantly enhance productivity and creativity. ”
AI is like having a personal assistant
AI offers undeniable benefits to workflows across the digital marketing field, particularly in improving time efficiency. Conversational AI tools serve as excellent resources for gathering thoughts, planning tasks, and structuring ideas. By simulating human-like communication, these platforms simplify the entire project journey—from initial planning to finalizing details. AI essentially acts as a personal assistant, streamlining work processes by eliminating tedious steps and enhancing productivity.
JC: “As a non-native English speaker, I use AI to correct my grammar and spelling, helping me refine what I write. There’s a Mark Twain quote: ‘I apologize for such a long letter—I didn’t have time to write a short one.’ When I receive a poorly written or overly long email, I feel the sender didn’t put in the effort. By simply pasting a draft into ChatGPT and asking it to summarize or clarify the content, I can produce a more polished version. I don’t always use its output verbatim, but it helps me identify unclear areas in my writing. It’s a great editing tool—if the AI misinterprets something, it forces me to question my own clarity. Sometimes, I believe I have a strong idea, but if the AI doesn’t pick up on its importance and leaves it out of the refined version, I’m pretty sure my reader would miss it too. AI also helps me map out my content. While I often know my destination, I’m not always sure how to get there. It’s even useful for overcoming blank-page syndrome.
Recently, I used AI while preparing for a Salesforce training session. Salesforce isn’t exactly exciting, and I was struggling to get started. I asked ChatGPT to propose a training plan, and it gave me the structure I needed. My rule of thumb is: if I find a task boring, there’s probably an AI that can help me do it. That’s why I’m so enthusiastic about generative AI—it has the potential to eliminate mediocrity. In the era of Gen AI, anything mediocre simply won’t survive.”
Don’t let AI do all the work for you
AI automation is becoming a core tool for campaign management in e-commerce. However, the quality of AI-driven campaigns depends heavily on the level of guidance provided. Both self-service and managed models have their pros and cons, but fully automated campaigns risk producing low-quality content if not properly managed. Neglecting user experience during campaign creation often results in poor outcomes. To use AI responsibly, human oversight is essential. The key lies in striking a balance between leveraging AI technology and incorporating human input to ensure impactful results.
JC : “Some people claim AI can fully automate campaign management, and it probably can—but I won’t let it handle everything. In marketing, differentiation is key. If everyone relies solely on AI, campaigns will all sound the same. To stand out, you need to add that extra layer of creativity or ‘spice.’ That’s why I believe in balancing automation with human input.
For example, Taboola’s new product, Abby, demonstrates this well. Abby asks the right questions, which helps direct your focus and energy toward what truly matters. AI is great for handling repetitive tasks, but it’s about deciding what to outsource and what to keep in-house to maintain quality and uniqueness.
That’s the challenge with AI in campaign creation—you can often tell when it’s been overused. I recently heard a podcast ad in French that was clearly AI-generated. It was poorly translated into French and voiced by AI. It didn’t make sense, sounded robotic, and was overall low quality. Why pay for a bad ad like that? What does it say about your brand? AI should enhance the quality of your work, not diminish it. If you’re using AI, ensure it elevates your campaigns, not just automates them.”
What comes after Gen AI?
JC: “In the early days of the internet, some people said no company could make money from it. They compared it to the first railroad companies, which all went bankrupt—yet here I am today, having traveled by train, and companies like GAFA are among the most profitable in the world. As for where AI will go, I don’t know. I think of Henry Ford, who said that if he had listened to customers, they would have asked for faster horses. It takes imagination and engineering to pave the way for what AI will achieve because we can only think within the context we currently know.
AI is already transforming our industry, from instantly detecting fraudulent websites to creating personalized content for different users and forecasting trends. It will continue to advance, enhancing everything we do. But it’s not just about the technology—it’s also about the people driving its development. They’ll create new opportunities while replacing outdated roles.
What excites me most is what will come after Gen AI. Ten years ago, we were talking about big data and how it allowed us to finally work with unstructured data. Then AI emerged and revolutionized how we process information. Just five years ago, many companies viewed AI as little more than a sophisticated spreadsheet. Gen AI has changed that. Now, end users can directly see AI in action, and its capabilities are evolving rapidly. A year ago, it was primarily useful for summarizing information, but today, it’s capable of so much more.
So what comes after Gen AI? I don’t know—but I’m incredibly curious to find out.”
Whether you love it or hate it, AI’s impact on e-commerce and beyond is undeniable. Its rapid advancements in quality, coupled with its increasing presence in society, mark this as a pivotal moment in technological history. AI has revolutionised how the e-commerce industry operates, delivering improvements in productivity, workflows, and efficiency. While the future of AI holds many unknowns, one thing is certain: Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and its influence will only continue to grow.
