“Machines Are Customers Too”: Marketing for AI That Buys

Session Overview

What if your next customer isn’t human? In a world increasingly run by AI, machines are rapidly becoming independent economic actors, making buying decisions without human intervention.

In her provocative talk, “Machines Are Customers Too,” Katja Forbes challenges businesses to radically rethink their approach to sales, marketing and customer experience. She unveils how traditional customer journeys, trust-building, and engagement strategies must evolve to accommodate AI-driven agents and autonomous systems as genuine customers.

Leveraging her award-winning expertise in CX innovation, Katja delivers a compelling vision of the near future: one where the customer is code, and loyalty is algorithmic. This bold session doesn’t just speculate. Katja provides actionable frameworks and a clear roadmap, empowering leaders to adapt, innovate, and harness this shift as a powerful engine for growth. Prepare to rethink everything you know about your customers.

The future is here: machines are buying.

Speaker

Katja Forbes

Author & Founder

The CX Evolutionist

Katja Forbes is a customer experience futurist, business strategist, author and keynote speaker recognised globally for her insights into the intersection of AI, design, and human behaviour. With more than 30 years’ experience helping leading organisations navigate emerging technologies, she has advised global brands on experience transformation, data ethics and innovation leadership. Katja is a sought-after voice at international conferences and a passionate advocate for designing futures where technology serves both business and humanity.