The single most overlooked growth lever in marketing? It's not a new ad channel or campaign strategy. It's identity.
That’s the message Elizabeth Buchanan, Rokt’s Chief Commercial Officer, delivered at the 2025 Forbes CMO Summit, where she sat down for a spotlight interview with Forbes to unpack how the future of marketing will be shaped by AI and how companies need to reframe their thinking to keep up.
Make identity your competitive edge
Marketers often chase the next big campaign or conversion hack. But according to Buchanan, the real opportunity is internal: helping teams unlock a single view of customer identity.
If you don’t know who the customer is when they come back to interact with you, you can’t do anything relevant or fabulous.
And that means investing in the technology that can connect those dots in real time.
Solving for identity transforms how businesses engage, measure, and grow. It enables every other part of the experience to work harder, from the first interaction to the final transaction. And as Buchanan emphasized, when customers feel seen, everything from relevance to revenue follows.
AI is already everywhere, so start acting like it
Some marketers are still asking which part of the funnel AI will disrupt first. But Buchanan was quick to reframe that thinking.
AI is already disrupting all of it. And if we’re not leaning in, we’re behind.
The age of AI-driven marketing has already begun, and the pace is only accelerating. From internal workflows to creative output, it's already reshaping how businesses operate. Buchanan highlighted the power of partnering with clients who are eager to experiment and scale AI across their operations and the competitive advantage that brings.
The takeaway: waiting is the risk. The most forward-thinking teams are turning AI into a catalyst for deeper discovery and bolder ideas.
Beyond business: what AI could unlock for humanity
Buchanan also pointed to a broader horizon for marketers thinking about AI’s impact. While the focus today is often on performance and personalization, she sees potential in using AI to solve far more complex human challenges.
It’s about how we help AI deliver answers across medical shifts and change and innovation. And how do we do both?
It’s time for the industry to think bigger: AI can drive growth and meaningful impact at the same time. That means rethinking investment strategies, tools, and partnerships with purpose in mind.
What it means for marketers now
Buchanan’s advice for marketing leaders is clear:
- Prioritize identity over tactics.
- Move from AI awareness to AI fluency.
- Expand the role of marketing beyond performance.
At Rokt, we’re already seeing what’s possible when businesses embrace identity and AI together. And we’re just getting started.
