Everyone’s shouting about AI right now - and I get it. It’s shiny, fast-moving, and no one wants to be left behind. But here’s my honest take: much of what I’m seeing out there is noise.
AI dashboards, chatbots, “AI-powered” features - they’re everywhere. Some are interesting, but many feel half-baked, complicated, or disconnected from real marketing problems.
It reminds me of the early internet days, when investors threw money at anything ending in “.com.” Having lived through one tech revolution already, I can tell you: the hype always fades.
What doesn’t fade is value.
I’ve seen this movie before
I’m old enough to remember when the internet arrived. Everyone was building websites, but few knew why. Some people panicked, thinking their jobs might disappear. Out of that chaos, real innovators quietly built the internet as we know it today.
The AI revolution feels similar: the same chaotic energy, excitement, and confusion. And once again, the loudest voices aren’t necessarily the smartest.
Think of a retailer rushing to add an “AI shopping assistant” that recommends the same products you already bought - looks flashy but doing little to improve the buying experience.
The calm builders will win
The winners in this AI era won’t be the ones who shout the loudest - they’ll be the ones who pause to think. Just like in the early internet days, it’s not about being first; it’s about being right.
Those who understand AI deeply, test thoughtfully, and focus on genuine value will shape the next decade. Not the ones flooding LinkedIn with “AI-powered” announcements, but those quietly doing the groundwork and building something meaningful.
At Tradedoubler, we see AI starting to influence every corner of partner marketing - from finding partners to managing feeds and measuring performance.
But the biggest opportunity isn’t replacing people; it’s enhancing what makes us human. Data can help, but trust, creativity, and collaboration still drive success.
Curiosity beats panic
I’ve seen what happens when panic takes over, and how pointless it is. When something as transformative as AI arrives, everyone scrambles to prove they’re in the game, shouting, “We’ve got AI too!” But innovation built on panic rarely leads anywhere.
Here’s the truth: none of us fully understands where AI is taking us - and that’s okay.
The best response to uncertainty is curiosity. Accept that we don’t know and work accordingly: form a hypothesis, test, learn, repeat. That’s how progress happens - and that’s the philosophy we’re taking at Tradedoubler.
AI will change partner marketing, but not through noise, panic, or copycat features. It’ll change because calm, curious, and thoughtful minds build something that matters.
I’m convinced that when the dust settles, AI will create real value - just like the internet did. And if you’re not in, you’re gone.
