Master B2B Friday 15

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

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

Andy and Brian are joined by Adrienne Hartman, EVP of Marketing at Safety & Regulatory Compliance company JJ Keller, to discuss how to align your sales and marketing teams, and what tools they need to ensure this alignment is a success.

Our final podcast of the year!  This week Andy & Brian talk about the biggest stories of the year:Was everyone wrong about tariffs?
Nobody getting hired, nobody getting fired?
Disruption in the Search market because of AI...Thanks to everyone for listening! We hope to see you at the Master B2B Mindshare Summit in March:https://events.masterb2b.com/events/summit

Andy and Brian debate whether Google's recent resurgence in the AI race can continue, and whether there are any historical parallels we can look at to make some guesses about how this all plays out.
Plus, is OpenAI the new Netscape?
Visit us at MasterB2B.com.

We're sharing a recording of our recent Webcast where we revealed our B2B eCommerce predictions for 2026.  Learn what we think is going to happen with product search, Amazon Business, AI customer service and more.  Plus, we bring in special guests to tell us where they think we're right - and wrong - about the future.
Get the Predictions report here.

For brands selling on Amazon, channel conflict and brand control are still a huge issue. That's why we recently had an onstage debate at B2B Online in Atlanta to figure out which method of selling on Amazon - 1p or 3p - is the best option for a manufacturer. As a reminder, 1p is a wholesale model and 3p is a retail model. In this recap, we discuss: - Which option is the best approach for channel control - what you sell, what you charge, how it's presented? - Which selling method is preferable from an operational/fulfillment perspective? - Which is superior from a financial perspective? 
Also mentioned:
Master B2B Forum
Master B2B Nexus

Andy and Brian spent the week in Seattle at the Amazon Business Reshape conference getting a deep dive into Amazon Business.  Today on the Friday 15, they chat with Natalia Montuori, a Director at Amazon Business, about AI buying assistants, direct delivery, business advertising and more.

It's 2025, so shouldn't every company have an eCommerce website? Not so, says Schneider Electric's Anthony Locke. Anthony says that companies have to consider what they are uniquely good at, and what their distribution partners are uniquely good at, and then decide whether they should have an eCommerce presence. And the answer for multi-billion dollar Schneider Electric was that they should not sell online and instead should focus on supporting their distribution partners.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk with Gireesh Sahukar, a longtime software executive and eCommerce practitioner about what software buyers REALLY need to ask their potential vendors about their products.
Here's a hint - you don't just want a list of product features that they say meets your needs...and why executive churn may not be a bad sign.
 
The Paradigm B2B eCombine
Master B2B Nexus