Master B2B Friday 15

Is AI Making Us More Productive or Just Creating More Work?

This week, Andy & Brian discuss whether all of the AI tools we're using at work are actually making us more productive or whether they're just increasing the output of maybe-just-slightly-better-than-average deliverables.  And how can we avoid getting into the AI rabbit hole where we go to start one quick task and end up in a 2-hour conversation with an LLM?

A Recap of the 2026 Master B2B Mindshare Summit

This week, Andy and Brian share their key learnings from the 2026 Master B2B Mindshare Summit held this week in Chicago.  Whether you were there - or just wish that you were - you'll get a taste of what participants learned at the event.

Turning Your Data Into Dollars with Ntara's Andy Didyk

This week, Andy and Brian speak with Ntara's CEO, Andy Didyk about how organizations are working with their product data to ensure it's being discovered by LLMs.  As Andy Didyk says in the interview, companies are finding that they have hidden data troves that are powering their AEO/GEO efforts.
This episode is also a preview of a session that the three of them will lead at the Master B2B Mindshare Summit on the same topic.  More info is available on the event website.

Is AI More about Making Money or Saving Money?

On the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk to Optimizely's Trevor Pope about whether practitioners should think about AI initiatives in terms of their impact on costs or their impact on revenue. (You might be surprised to hear that it can be both...)
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Measuring the ROI of AI with guest Howard Blumenthal

Andy and Brian are joined by eCommerce expert Howard Blumenthal to talk about how companies should think about the value of their AI initiatives.  Howard lays out a useful set of questions for preparing for new AI projects:
Are we looking at the right workflows for AI?
Are we measuring the right things?
Is our data ready?
Do we have a governance plan?
Plus, learn how B2B eCommerce leaders are approaching the 4 hottest AI categories.
Learn more about the Master B2B Mindshare Summit

IT vs eCommerce: Can't we all just get along?

Andy and Brian are joined by Andy Goodfellow, SVP and Chief Technology Officer at Zoro, to discuss why there has historically been friction between the IT departments and eCommerce teams at so many companies.  Goodfellow shares how Zoro turned this dynamic on its head by aligning everyone on a singular goal - creating value for the end customer.  Plus, he gives some great advice about not confusing internal stakeholders with external customers.
 
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Moving from SEO to Master AEO

Andy and Brian talk with Rob Howl, the Vice President of Digital Products and Experience at HVAC parts distributor mSupply about how the company is approaching building out Answer Engine Optimization capabilities.
Rob discussed the framework called EAT - Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness - and using that to guide how the company thinks about changing its approach to product information and landing pages. 
As he told Andy & Brian - "Your AEO strategy is only as good as your product data."
We'll be discussing AEO strategies at the Master B2B Mindshare Summit on March 10 and 11 in Chicago.
 
 

How can companies build trust when AI has the ability to undermine it?

Building trust with your customers was difficult before AI began hallucinating information about your products.  So how can companies overcome that challenge?  It comes down to transparency, consistency and honesty.  Andy and Brian discuss best practices for bringing those traits to your organization.

Is AI Becoming an Oligopoly? The $3 Trillion Battle for B2B Commerce

Is AI becoming an oligopoly? Apple just paid Google $1 BILLION for AI technology, admitting Apple Intelligence failed. This changes everything for B2B commerce. In this episode of Master B2B Friday 15, Brian Beck and Andy Hoar break down the emerging AI oligopoly and what it means for B2B e-commerce leaders. 
KEY TOPICS COVERED:
Apple's $1B deal with Google for Gemini AI (and why it matters)
The Protocol Wars: OpenAI's ACP vs. Google's Universal Commerce Protocol
Why only 3-5 foundation AI models will survive
The $3 trillion infrastructure investment battle
How ChatGPT (68% market share) and Google Gemini (18%) dominate
Market share shifts: Traditional Google search (78%) vs. ChatGPT queries (17%)
What B2B companies must do NOW to prepare for AEO (AI Engine Optimization)
Why B2B may have an advantage over B2C in the AI era

Has AI Re-Written the Hiring Process in eCommerce?

We're joined by Kevin Stone, Senior Vice President of Technology & Procurement at Motion Industries, to talk about how AI has changed the hiring process.
While it's gotten way easier to create the perfect resume when applying for a job, it's gotten equally more challenging for hiring managers to figure out whether what's on a resume actually represents a candidate's experience.
Kevin walks us through how he vets candidates and what he's learned about hiring in this new era.
Notes:Master B2B Mindshare Summit
Master B2B Forum