OpenAI's Voice Drop

Hey, welcome back to AI Marketing Brief, the newsletter that’s like your fun friend who explains all the confusing tech stuff. Let’s chat about all the latest news and trends.

Here’s what’s going on this week:

• OpenAI's new voice mode brings hyperrealistic conversations to ChatGPT

• a16z calls opines on the death of Salesforce because of AI

• Prioritize AI for grunt work over flashy tools to unlock ROI

• AI use cases in sales development

OpenAI's Advanced Voice Mode Ushers in The Future of Conversational AI

OpenAI is unleashing its advanced Voice Mode to a lucky few ChatGPT Plus users. This isn't just chit-chat; it's real-time, interruption-friendly, and emotionally intuitive conversation. The full rollout? Expect it in the fall. Testing with 100+ experts in 45 languages ensures privacy and safety measures are rock-solid. Buckle up for a futuristic chat experience with eerily human-like audio responses.

Will AI Kill Saleforce and Hubspot?

Andreessen Horowitz explains how AI and LLMs radically transform sales tech. Expect these changes:

• Multi-modal Sales Platforms—Text, image, voice, and video integration for deeper customer insights.

• Automated Workflows—AI will handle lead research, call prep, and personalized marketing, freeing up your sales team.

• Intelligent Pipeline—AI-driven tools like Clay automate lead generation and personalization.

• Outcome-Based Pricing—Traditional seat-based pricing may give way to pricing models tied to delivered value.

AI’s evolution promises more personalized and efficient marketing strategies, blending sales, marketing, and customer success for holistic, dynamic GTM approaches.

My take: An AI-first CRM would look completely different than than the current spreadsheet-like experience. CRM seems like a great use case for AI because almost every b2b company already spends time and money on it.

The AI Future is Here, Just Not Fully Harnessed Yet

Generative AI is dramatically slashing productivity costs. From automating basic roles like compliance checks to supercharging sales teams’ efficiency, AI is transforming business landscapes. Yet, we're only scratching the surface.

a16z looks forward to a future where AI agents can replace repetitive tasks, freeing up employees for higher-order work, and Vertical AI solutions can transform industry-specific functions, automating complex processes and improving accuracy.

Stop Chasing AI Shiny Objects—Focus on Fundamentals

Sure, new AI tools like copilots and image generators are dazzling, but they don't hold a candle to the real economic driver: AI for grunt work. Leveraging LLMs for back-office tasks can transform tedious operations, unlock new possibilities, and deliver ROI like never before. Drop the glitz—automate and dominate, says Manny Bernabe.

My take: Companies waste so much time and money on grunt work that people could use AI to handle for them. The new use cases for AI are exciting too, but fundamentals are a great place to get started. And you can work directly with the LLMs for many use cases rather than add yet another SaaS subscription fee.

AI's Revolutionary Role in Sales Development

Orum's latest report unpacks how AI automates work, boosts efficiency, and empowers sales professionals. Key insights for marketers:

• 95% of sales organizations use AI; 78% agree it boosts critical task focus.

• Sellers spend only 28% of their time selling; AI can improve this.

• AI aids, not replaces, sellers, enhancing personalization and complex sales interactions.

AI isn't the end but a transformative evolution in sales.

My take: in the AI future, it might make even more sense for sales development to sit under marketing. The best sales development reps will use AI to handle their grunt work so they can focus on the human activities that help hit quotas.

Here are a few more AI hot takes for you:

• On the My First Million podcast, Sarah Guo shares AI startup ideas like AI-generated videos that look super real, virtual phone agents that handle sales calls like pros, and AI-generated videos for D2C products creating authentic-looking ads without the need for physical shoots.

• Gokul Rajaram emphasizes the urgency for incumbent technology companies to integrate AI-powered functional employees into their roadmaps, warning against becoming obsolete.

• Google's Debbie Weinstein emphasizes the need for widespread AI adoption to unlock its potential, noting that fewer than 50% of people currently use AI tools daily. Research suggests AI could save the average British worker 100 hours annually.

Mike Fishbein