Closing the AI Transformation Gap

Nov 21, 2025

Shai Frank, a senior leader at Optimove with expertise in AI-driven marketing, dives into the chasm between AI expectations and reality. He reveals that 80% of companies anticipate AI transformation, yet only 18% achieve it, largely due to organizational readiness. Shai emphasizes the need for change management over just relying on technology. He advocates for experimentation over perfect planning and suggests that vendors can play a crucial role in bridging talent gaps, ultimately aiming for a more personalized and effective marketing strategy.

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INSIGHT

Change Management Drives AI Success

Organizational readiness and change management create the largest gap between AI expectation and results.
Shai Frank says cultural shifts matter more than pure technology capability for transformation.

ADVICE

Prioritize Rapid Experimentation

Embrace rapid experimentation instead of chasing planning perfection.
Shai Frank recommends iterating quickly and course-correcting based on live results.

ADVICE

Make AI Adoption Directed Not Optional

Embed AI adoption into workflows with designated teams to pilot tools.
Train the wider organization only after pilots prove value to force practical adoption.

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Most marketing teams believe AI will revolutionize their work, yet few experience true transformation. Shai Frank from Optimove discusses new research revealing why organizational readiness—not technology—creates the widest gap between expectation and reality. The conversation explores how change management, experimentation mindsets, and vendor partnerships can help marketers move from incremental improvements to transformative results.

Freedom Comes Automated

Key takeaways:

80% of companies expect AI transformation; only 18% achieve transformative results in marketing
Change management matters more than technology capability for successful AI adoption
Experimentation and rapid iteration beat planning perfection
New metrics and performance indicators are needed to measure AI optimization benefits
Vendor education and partnership bridge talent gaps without the need to hire data scientists
"The real gap is change management. Most teams are still running on old rhythms that make transformation feel hard or impossible." - Shai Frank [00:07:35]
"Instead of trying to perfect the post-purchase journey for eight months, let's try a few options, see what works, and course correct as a result of that." - Shai Frank [00:17:39]
"The challenge now is making sure that every customer is served with the right content variation that makes sense for them." - Shai Frank [00:38:01]
"In this case, it was like an 80% optimization benefit, which means 80% of your incremental sales from this campaign are because you did it with AI." - Shai Frank [00:46:24]

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