Technology

Technology

Enterprise Sales Reps: AI Agents Are Coming for Your Boring Work—And That’s a Good Thing

by Martin Goetzinger on Aug 21 2025
Enterprise sales is 90% mind-numbing busywork and 10% actual selling—and everyone knows it. CRM updates, email follow-ups, lead qualification, forecasting, data entry, internal meetings… the list of soul-sucking tasks goes on. Well, good news (or bad, depending on how much you love admin work): AI Agents are about to take over all the tedious crap you hate. The future of sales isn’t endless pipeline reviews or scrambling to piece together customer insights. AI will handle the drudgery, and sales reps will finally get back to what they should be doing: closing deals and building relationships. AI Agents Will Eat Sales Admin Work for Breakfast Enterprise sales isn’t just about persuasion—it’s a labyrinth of repetitive, time-wasting tasks that AI can obliterate overnight: No More CRM Hell – AI Agents will auto-update pipelines, track deals, and flag missing data. Reps won’t have to spend hours logging activity just to make their manager happy. AI-Powered Follow-Ups – Instead of manually crafting follow-up emails, AI will send personalized, context-aware messages better and faster than most reps do today. Lead Qualification on Autopilot – AI will instantly analyze inbound leads, prioritize the best ones, and even book meetings before a rep lifts a finger. Instant Sales Forecasting – AI Agents will analyze deal progress, customer engagement, and historical trends to generate real-time, no-BS forecasts (unlike the garbage numbers most teams currently throw together). Competitive Analysis, Done Instantly – AI will pull insights on competitors, pricing changes, and market trends without reps having to dig through 50 reports and Slack threads. The AI Business Plan: A Sales Rep’s New Best Friend Here’s where it gets really interesting: AI Agents won’t just eliminate grunt work—they’ll actively guide sales reps to close more deals. Imagine this: AI Outlines Your Sales Strategy – The AI Agent generates a custom game plan for each customer, highlighting key pain points, optimal engagement strategies, and competitive differentiators. Automated Deal Progress Reports – No more guessing what’s working. AI analyzes every interaction, flags potential risks, and suggests next steps before you even realize you need them. Customer Insights in Seconds – Instead of digging through old emails and CRM notes, AI surfaces everything you need to know about a customer instantly—from recent interactions to financial trends. Smarter Coaching & Enablement – AI will track performance and provide real-time coaching, nudging reps toward better messaging, pricing strategies, and negotiation tactics. The Reality Check: Will AI Replace Salespeople? Short answer? No. But it will expose the lazy ones. The reps who rely on charm and guesswork? They’re toast. AI will remove excuses, highlight inefficiencies, and force reps to step up their game. The ones who embrace AI, use it to work smarter, and double down on real human relationships? They’ll thrive. Final Thought: Adapt or Get Left Behind AI isn’t just changing sales—it’s redefining what makes a great sales rep. The future belongs to salespeople who: Use AI to eliminate busywork Leverage AI insights to stay 10 steps ahead of customers Focus on high-value, strategic engagement So, sales teams: Are you ready to let AI handle the grunt work and start selling for real?  Drop your thoughts below—are you excited or terrified? Let’s hear it. 

Technology

How can blockchain enhance your 'Fan Experience' with your favorite team?

by Martin Goetzinger on Aug 21 2025
Whether you are the NBA, MLB, NFL, or NASCAR - the 'Fan Experience' has never been more important to the financial success of the leagues, players, and owners.  Every professional sports league is looking to find new and interesting ways to engage their fans.  Some of the most important metrics to their success are: ticket sales, subscription sales (i.e. MLB TV), and game time watched.   While it is still in its infancy, blockchain technology will significantly enhancing fan experiences in various ways, particularly through the development of fan tokens and loyalty programs.  Enhanced Engagement and Loyalty Fan Tokens: Blockchain enables the creation of fan tokens, which act as digital assets that fans can purchase and trade. These tokens foster a sense of ownership and participation among fans, making them feel integral to the community. This emotional investment enhances loyalty and encourages long-term support for teams or brands. READ: real-world examples of successful fan token programs Exclusive Access: By holding fan tokens, fans gain access to exclusive content and experiences, such as behind-the-scenes footage, virtual meet-and-greets with players, or VIP access to events. This exclusivity strengthens the bond between fans and their favorite sports franchises. Voting Rights: Tokenization allows fans to participate in decision-making processes related to their teams, such as voting on club decisions. This involvement fosters a sense of community and gives fans a voice in shaping the future direction of their teams. READ: here how a few teams are getting this right today. New Revenue Streams Monetization Opportunities: The issuance of fan tokens provides teams with significant upfront revenue and ongoing trading opportunities. These tokens can be utilized for purchasing merchandise, tickets, or even unique experiences, creating a new economy around fan engagement. Data-Driven Insights: Blockchain technology facilitates the collection of valuable data on fan interactions and preferences. This data can inform marketing strategies and improve products, ultimately enhancing the overall fan experience. Improved Security and Transparency Counterfeit Protection: The secure nature of blockchain helps combat counterfeiting by ensuring that tokens and related merchandise are authentic and verifiable. This builds trust among fans and protects the brand's reputation. Efficient Transactions: Blockchain's transparent nature allows for easier peer-to-peer transactions, such as ticket transfers, without intermediaries. This reduces costs and enhances security for fans when buying or selling tickets. Global Reach Engaging International Fans: With sports teams having a global presence, blockchain technology helps engage fans who may never attend live events. Digital interactions enabled by blockchain create opportunities to connect with a broader audience, particularly younger, digitally native fans . Loyalty Programs: Blockchain-based loyalty programs are more cost-effective than traditional ones, offering real-time rewards that incentivize fan engagement at a lower operational cost. These programs can attract sponsors by demonstrating quantifiable engagement metrics. What do you think? Are you excited by some of the ideas above?  Maybe the opportunity to own behind the scene footage of your favorite player or special rights, such as getting into an event early, that a loyal fan could own and trade?  Also - did I miss a key use case that you are excited about? 

Technology

Remodeled.AI - review & thoughts

by Martin Goetzinger on Aug 21 2025
As I have written about here and here, we are going to see rapid shifts in how people buy, sell, and even remodel homes due to advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain technologies that democratize old processes that were either highly specialized or laborious to complete. HIGH LEVEL: Company: Remodeled.AI Industries Impacted: Interior Designers, Realtors, Architects, Home Remodelers, DIYers, Writers, Photo Editing Pricing: monthly subscriptions with various package levels Quick Take: Remodeled.AI democratizes home design to help home owners visualize renovations and staging very quickly. Realtors should consider adding this to how they work with clients to provide advanced value in buying an selling a home: Remodeling Virtual Staging Photo Clean Detailed Property Descriptions For those who want to DIY - become your own designer! Remodeled.AI is a new design tool aided by AI that democratizes design through the use of sophisticated machine learning (ML) algorithms to turn your average living room into a Pinterest-worthy masterpiece with just a few clicks. Users can upload photos of their spaces, choose from various design styles, and watch as their rooms are transformed into stunning visualizations. Do you want to see how that avocado green paint will look in your living room? Upload your photo to Remodeled.AI and voilà! No more guessing if you’ll love it or end up regretting it like that time you tried to cut your own bangs. Above is an example of a current room (on the left) and the Remodeled.AI generated idea.  What is really fun is the slider bar that allows you to see the impact across the entire room and compare the before and after side-by-side.   Why realtors should take note: Traditionally, realtors have played the role of matchmakers between buyers and homes. However, as I have written, the entire real estate industry is about to be modernized with blockchain tokenizing every asset and finance being offered instantaneously.  With a platform like Remodeled AI, realtors could offer their clients a new set of advanced services to better market a home:   Fix Pictures: How many times have you looked at a real estate listing and thought to yourself - wow, I can't believe they left those dishes out or a blanked thrown to the side of a couch?  With Remodeled.AI's 'Clean' feature it is easy to remove a poorly placed blanket or pillow with a few clicks.  (NOTE: there are many other solutions that offer this such as Adobe's ]Generative Fill capabilities across the suite of their design solutions.) Detailed Property Descriptions: While not part of the 'design' aspects of Remodeled.AI's primary use case, a secondary use case is the Detailed Property Descriptions capability which creates compelling property descriptions by analyzing property images - automatically! Cost-Effective Staging: Virtual staging can save homeowners thousands of dollars. Instead of staging a home with costly rented furniture, Remodeled.AI could do it. Plus, if you don’t like something, you can change it without worrying about offending anyone. Empowerment: With Remodeled AI, you can explore styles and make decisions on your own time -day or night.   Does Remodeled.AI have a future? YES - Remodeled.AI exemplifies how technology can enhance creativity and accessibility in interior design. It represents a shift towards more personalized and efficient home renovation experiences, making it an essential tool for anyone looking to reimagine their space. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative solutions that will further transform our interactions with our environments.
The College Cartel Is Collapsing: How AI Will Burn Down the Ivory Tower and Spark a New Renaissance

Technology

The College Cartel Is Collapsing: How AI Will Burn Down the Ivory Tower and Spark a New Renaissance

by Martin Goetzinger on Aug 17 2025
AI is torching the old college system, freeing students to pursue their passions with tools like ChatGPT and Grok. Discover how proof-of-work portfolios and global educators are ushering in an AI-powered renaissance, redefining education for a new era.
The Exponential Age Is Here

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The Exponential Age Is Here

by Martin Goetzinger on Aug 05 2025
From 2025 (when intelligence becomes invisible infrastructure) to 2030 (when AGI emerges and fusion energy pilots go commercial), the next five years will rewrite society faster than the previous fifty.
They’ll Stream Netflix for Hours—But Condemn AI in Seconds. Why?

Technology

They’ll Stream Netflix for Hours—But Condemn AI in Seconds. Why?

by Martin Goetzinger on Aug 01 2025
Teenagers worldwide are voicing strong objections to AI's power consumption, dismissing comparisons to everyday activities like streaming Netflix. This post delves into the psychological and moral underpinnings of their stance and offers strategies to foster dialogue and shared innovation.
Your Marketing Stack Is Talking to Humans—But AI Agents Are the Ones Listening

Technology

Your Marketing Stack Is Talking to Humans—But AI Agents Are the Ones Listening

by Martin Goetzinger on Jul 21 2025
The Future of Marketing Stacks: From B2C to B2A in an AI-Driven World There was a time when enterprise marketing stacks were the unquestioned heroes of the business world. They connected websites to ads, emails to purchases, and data to insights. These systems weren’t perfect, but they delivered scale, coordination, and a semblance of control. But then, quietly, everything changed. AI started helping marketers write faster and test smarter. Chatbots popped up. Personalization got dynamic. But beneath this wave of automation, something deeper was transforming: the customer wasn’t acting alone anymore. They had AI assistants—tools that sorted emails, blocked spam, compared prices, booked travel, and decided what was worth their attention. Suddenly, your marketing stack wasn’t just talking to people. It was trying to talk to the machines deciding what people see. In other words, marketing is no longer just Business-to-Consumer (B2C). It’s becoming Business-to-Agent (B2A) — where your system has to engage with the autonomous AI assistants representing your customers. And here’s the problem: your stack can’t speak their language. Today’s marketing technology still focuses on dazzling humans — with beautiful landing pages, rich emails, and clever copy. But AI agents don’t “read.” They parse, filter, and act in milliseconds. If your messages aren’t structured, precise, and agent-friendly, they get blocked or ignored before a human ever glimpses them. Why Most Marketing Stacks Are Already Obsolete Built for humans, not agents. Designed around slow batch processes, not real-time interactions. Dependent on fragile, siloed integrations that break under complexity. Focused on dashboards instead of autonomous action. Selling platforms, not speed or outcomes. What Does the Future Demand? It’s simple. The marketing stack of tomorrow must: Speak the Language of AI AgentsMarketing systems need to create structured, machine-readable signals that other intelligent systems can understand and act upon — in real time. This is the core of succeeding in a B2A world, where customer decisions are made or heavily influenced by their AI representatives. Keep Humans in the Loop — as Approvers, Not OperatorsMarketers won’t disappear. Their role shifts from executing every step to approving AI-driven strategies and actions at key milestones: approving insights, creative, and budget shifts. Connect Content, Data, and Logic in One Unified MemoryNo more disconnected silos. For AI to act effectively, all relevant info must live in the same place — accessible instantly. Operate at Machine SpeedIf your system can’t engage the customer’s AI assistant right now, it’s already behind. Sell Speed and Outcomes, Not AbstractionsBusinesses want solutions that accelerate growth and automate decision-making — not technical jargon and pie-in-the-sky promises. Humans and AI: A New Partnership in a B2A World The future isn’t “AI replaces humans.” It’s AI empowers humans. Imagine a world where AI autonomously creates campaigns, tests offers, reallocates budgets — all while marketers step in at the right moments to steer the ship. Each decision the AI wants to make pauses for a human check-in. This maintains brand integrity, compliance, and strategy alignment — without slowing down speed and agility.  And importantly, marketers must design their systems to communicate fluently with the AI agents acting on behalf of customers, ensuring their brand messages are heard and acted upon — not filtered out. The Clock Is Ticking If you’re still optimizing platforms built for a world of dashboards and manual workflows, you’re already behind. Customers are using AI agents to filter their choices, making the old marketing funnel obsolete. The marketing stacks that survive and thrive will be those rebuilt from the ground up — designed to collaborate fluently with intelligent agents and guided strategically by humans. Leave a comment if your company is already rethinking what your marketing stack really needs to be in this new B2A world! The future of customer engagement — agentic, human-centered, and real-time.
Ditch ‘Should’ and Embrace ‘Thank You’: A New Playbook for Career Progression

Technology

Ditch ‘Should’ and Embrace ‘Thank You’: A New Playbook for Career Progression

by Martin Goetzinger on Jul 18 2025
Feeling unfulfilled in your career despite big achievements? Learn how shifting from expectations to appreciation, with AI as your ally, can reignite your passion and transform your professional journey. From micro-wins to daily learning, discover three simple steps to find satisfaction in every role.
The Rise of AI Will Reawaken the Soul of Work

Technology

The Rise of AI Will Reawaken the Soul of Work

by Martin Goetzinger on Jul 15 2025
AI is transforming work, not by replacing us, but by revealing what truly matters: the soul of our work. From empathy to creativity, this post explores how to reclaim your human value in an AI-driven world and why the future is about machines and humans working together.
PITTSBURGH: The New Industrial Revolution - When Smarter Robots Spark Human Opportunity

Technology

PITTSBURGH: The New Industrial Revolution - When Smarter Robots Spark Human Opportunity

by Martin Goetzinger on Jul 14 2025
We’re Entering The New Industrial Revolution We’re entering The New Industrial Revolution—not powered by steam or steel mills, but by smart, even proto-sentient robots; decentralized ledgers; and clean, resilient energy. Nowhere is this transformation more visible than in Pittsburgh, where a $75 billion AI + energy infrastructure investment (announced July 15, 2025) is catalyzing new industries and human jobs. From Carnegie Mellon’s research labs to Amazon’s data centers, from the AI Strike Team to the Nippon Steel–U.S. Steel partnership, Pittsburgh is poised to become the world’s next AI hub. 1. Pittsburgh’s Robotics Renaissance Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has long been the cradle of robotics innovation, housing world-class labs in autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots, and computer vision. Today, CMU researchers are collaborating with the AI Strike Team—an industry consortium formed to shepherd Pittsburgh’s AI strategy—to spin out startups that build cobots capable of dynamic self-diagnosis and collaborative decision-making. 2. New Human Jobs Rising in Steel City The surge of robotics and AI funding translates into hundreds of thousands of roles across the region. Key examples include: Ethics auditors to oversee AI decision-making processes. Collaboration coaches to facilitate human-robot teamwork. Energy orchestrators to manage decentralized power grids. Each position blends technical fluency—ethics, blockchain, energy systems—with Pittsburgh’s deep manufacturing and academic roots. 3. Crypto-Backed Trust in the Steel City In the near future, when Pittsburgh’s robots begin “paying” each other for maintenance or data access, blockchain platforms developed at Carnegie Mellon University CyLab and piloted by AI Strike Team members could provide transparency with future applications such as: Machine-to-Machine Micropayments: Cobots at the PPG Paints Arena use Ethereum-style smart contracts to settle energy fees with local microgrids. Data Provenance Tokens: Sensor streams from U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley works are timestamped on private ledgers, ensuring every robotic adjustment is auditable. These initiatives will rely on local firms + university spin-outs, and organizations like the AI Strike Team will help bring these ideas to market. 4. Energizing Pittsburgh’s Future Pittsburgh’s legacy as an energy hub is being reborn with: Decentralized Microgrids: The Hazelwood Green redevelopment is slated to include a renewable-energy “energy district” with solar + storage microgrid capabilities. The DOE’s NETL page lists Hazelwood Green as one of four Pittsburgh-area distributed-energy/microgrid projects currently in development. There may be potential for a partnership with CMU’s Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation around AI + energy research. Data-Center Power Optimization: Amazon Web Services (AWS) has committed $20 billion to expand PA data-center campuses, and AWS is investing heavily in renewable energy—solar farms, on-site solar, and nuclear partnerships. This could include co-development efforts with CMU’s PowerLab for fuel-cell backups or demand-response algorithms. Steel-Mill Electrification: Nippon Steel Corporation and U.S. Steel have announced large-scale partnerships—reports cite roughly $14 billion of joint investments in modernizing U.S. steel infrastructure. This may include retrofitting blast furnaces with AI-managed electric arc technologies, reducing coal dependence. These energy advances will ensure that robots—and the humans who build and manage them—operate on clean, resilient power. 5. Pittsburgh’s Human Advantage Despite the march of autonomous systems, Pittsburgh’s brightest asset remains its people: Cross-Sector Fluency: CMU students, U.S. Steel engineers, and Amazon technologists are co-located in innovation districts, fostering rapid knowledge exchange. Responsible Innovation: The AI Strike Team’s governance framework—drafted alongside local unions and civic leaders—ensures equitable job growth. Lifelong Learning Ecosystem: From community-college upskilling programs to CMU’s executive courses on AI ethics, Pittsburgh is equipping its workforce for continuous transformation. Full List of Investors Anthropic - $1 million Blackstone - $25 billion Brookfield - $3 billion Capital Power - $3 billion Constellation Energy - $2.4 billion CoreWeave - $6 billion Energy Capital Partners - $5 billion Energy Innovation Center Infrastructure Academy Enbridge - $1 billion Equinor - $1.6 billion First Energy - $15 billion Frontier Group - $3.2 billion GE Vernova - $100 million Google Homer City Redevelopment - $15 billion Meta - $2.5 million PA Data Center Partners and Powerhouse Data Centers - $15 billion PPL Corporation - $6.8 billion TC Energy - $400 million Westinghouse Electric Company - $6 billion Forging the Steel City of Tomorrow With $75 billion in AI and energy investments, anchored by Carnegie Mellon University, Amazon, the AI Strike Team, and the Nippon Steel–U.S. Steel partnership, Pittsburgh is rewriting the playbook on industrial revolutions. New jobs such as ethics auditors, collaboration coaches, and energy orchestrators will define the next generation of human–machine collaboration. By harnessing robotics, crypto, and clean energy, Pittsburgh proves that the New Industrial Revolution is not just about smarter machines, but about smarter people working alongside them.
AI in the Classroom: What Teachers Need to Know (Middle & High School)

Technology

AI in the Classroom: What Teachers Need to Know (Middle & High School)

by Martin Goetzinger on Jul 11 2025
Wondering how to bring AI into your classroom without losing control? Learn practical ways to integrate AI meaningfully, set guardrails to prevent cheating, and prepare students for an AI-driven world. From real classroom examples to teacher resources, this guide shows you how to embrace AI as a teaching partner, not a threat.
First Machines Replaced Our Muscles. Now AI Is Coming for Our Minds. Is #Empathy the path forward?

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First Machines Replaced Our Muscles. Now AI Is Coming for Our Minds. Is #Empathy the path forward?

by Martin Goetzinger on Jun 22 2025
The AI revolution is replacing cognitive work at an unprecedented pace, leaving us to question what uniquely human skills remain. From empathy to imagination, this post explores what sets us apart in a world where intelligence is no longer a moat.
The Next Frontier in Marketing Journey Analytics: What’s New, What Matters, and What’s Next

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The Next Frontier in Marketing Journey Analytics: What’s New, What Matters, and What’s Next

by Martin Goetzinger on Jun 12 2025
The customer journey is no longer a funnel—it’s a constellation. Explore the latest advancements in Marketing Journey Analytics, including AI predictions, real-time insights, and privacy-first strategies, to create personalized, proactive customer experiences in 2025.
AI Won’t Replace Us. It Will Remind Us What It Means to Be Human.

Technology

AI Won’t Replace Us. It Will Remind Us What It Means to Be Human.

by Martin Goetzinger on Jun 09 2025
Amid fears of AI taking over jobs, discover how artificial intelligence serves as a mirror to our humanity, amplifying what makes us truly unique: creativity, compassion, and connection.
152 Years to Reserve Status: Why AI Might Skip Fiat and Go Straight to Bitcoin

Technology

152 Years to Reserve Status: Why AI Might Skip Fiat and Go Straight to Bitcoin

by Martin Goetzinger on Jun 06 2025
The U.S. dollar took 152 years to become the world’s reserve currency, but AI won’t wait that long. As machines start earning, they’ll demand a fast, borderless currency like Bitcoin. Is the dollar’s reign over? Dive into the future of money.
The Hottest Trends in AI Right Now: A June 2025 Snapshot

Technology

The Hottest Trends in AI Right Now: A June 2025 Snapshot

by Martin Goetzinger on Jun 02 2025
Discover how AI is transforming industries in June 2025, from autonomous agentic systems and vibe coding to creative content generation and innovative business models, while navigating economic impacts.
This is the Most Ambitious Investment Thesis on the Planet — Literally

Technology

This is the Most Ambitious Investment Thesis on the Planet — Literally

by Martin Goetzinger on Jun 02 2025
Elon Musk’s companies—Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and more—are not just businesses; they’re pieces of a civilization stack aimed at a multiplanetary future. From AI to energy, his ventures align with the most investable tech categories for the next decade.
What AI Got Wrong—and Right—About Fashion Colleges Near Pittsburgh

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What AI Got Wrong—and Right—About Fashion Colleges Near Pittsburgh

by Martin Goetzinger on May 20 2025
A high school counselor’s first attempt at using AI to find fashion programs near Pittsburgh went awry, but refining the prompt led to a curated list of accredited colleges offering bachelor’s degrees in fashion design and merchandising.
The Real Reason CMOs are Adopting Adobe CJA to Augment Their Snowflake or Redshift EDWs & BI Dashboards

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The Real Reason CMOs are Adopting Adobe CJA to Augment Their Snowflake or Redshift EDWs & BI Dashboards

by Martin Goetzinger on May 12 2025
Travel and hospitality leaders rely on cloud EDWs like Snowflake and Redshift, but face high costs, brittle pipelines, and delayed insights. Adobe Customer Journey Analytics (CJA) solves these with real-time ingestion, a unified XDM schema, and AI Agents—empowering brands to deliver personalized guest experiences.

Technology

The Jobs AI Can’t Touch—And Why That Matters

by Martin Goetzinger on May 12 2025
AI is transforming industries, but are we asking the wrong question? Instead of worrying about what jobs AI will replace, we should be focusing on the roles it can’t touch. Creative minds, strategic thinkers, empathy-driven professionals, and skilled tradespeople still hold the competitive edge. In this article, we explore why AI falls short in key areas like leadership, emotional intelligence, and hands-on problem-solving—and how you can future-proof your career by doubling down on the skills that make us uniquely human.