The reality of the current marketing landscape is that “testing” with AI is no longer enough to move the needle. At the May 2026 MarTech Conference, Molly St. Louis (EM Marketing) moderated a panel of leaders including Greg Boone (Walk West), Peter Isaacson (Invoca), and Kate Roberts (Cella by Randstad Digital) to keynote to discuss the hard work of.
Redefining the three stages of AI maturity
Navigating the transition from basic awareness to full automation often feels like a moving target. Isaacson provided a framework to help teams measure their progress:
- Content and discovery: Using AI to generate search and copy.
- Agent synthesis: Building autonomous agents that collect and analyze data.
- Workflow redesign: Fundamentally changing the way work flows through an organization.
While 46% of the room is still focused on content, the way forward is in the second phase, Isaacson said. At Invoca, teams don’t just use tools; they build virtual agents to handle the heavy lifting of data integration.
Solving the blank screen
When repetitive tasks become a bottleneck, it’s easy to feel like the creative spark is being buried under the weight of management. Roberts stressed that integrating AI into tools like Jira and Workfront isn’t about change — it’s about recovery.
Using AI-powered wireframing in Figma, teams go from blank screens to customer-ready prototypes in minutes. This is possible for any group willing to solve immediate pain points. As Roberts says, “Who isn’t happy to go back?”
Results on organizational charts
The pressure to find new platforms is a constant obstacle, but Boone reminded the audience that AI doesn’t care about your internal processes — it prioritizes. business results. Your work is more important when connected to these results, not just the tools you use to get there.
- Invest in training: Walk West requires AI-generated certificates for all employees to ensure that everyone speaks the same language.
- Remove the standard: Use “change challenges” to identify and kill non-value adding activities.
- Collaborate, don’t compete: This is a time to collaborate with other departments. As Isaacson noted, everyone understands this at the same time.
The way forward
AI is not here to replace the strategy or intelligence that only you can provide. Rather, it is a catalyst to move faster and think harder. By moving from “AI Basics” to agent workflow, you’re not just moving forward—you’re paving the way for high-value work that defines your career.
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