Interview
Mo Cherif — senior director of generative AI at Sitecore, a digital experience (DX) company — shared with VKTR his views and expertise on AI in the DX market:
AI in Digital Experience
- How did you get started in the AI field?
- What are your general responsibilities in AI?
- What’s your primary philosophy on AI in the enterprise?
- What AI capabilities should companies expect to see in the digital experience space?
- Which digital experience processes and workflows should AI be improving?
- Why is AI a useful technology in digital experience?
- What should a company do to be ready to adopt AI in digital experience?
- What is necessary technically for AI in digital experience to be developed and scaled?
- What are companies doing well in AI adoptions in digital experience?
- What are companies not doing well in AI adoptions in digital experience?
- What sort of talent should companies be looking for in AI development, adoption and gains?
- What do you see as the growth opportunities in AI in digital experience in the next year and beyond?
- What do you see as the growth opportunities in AI overall in the next year and beyond?
- How do you believe AI will change life from professional and personal standpoints?
- Why are you personally interested in AI?
How did you get started in the AI field?
I began my journey in the AI field by working on a performance management platform designed to help governments and governmental entities worldwide manage their performance. It was exciting to see how AI could crunch large amounts of data to provide clear and concise insights.
What are your general responsibilities in AI?
I lead the AI strategy for Sitecore products. My focus is on innovating how AI can be utilized to enhance marketers' workflows and determining how to integrate AI into our solutions safely and securely.
What’s your primary philosophy on AI in the enterprise?
My primary philosophy is to adopt the MAYA principle — "most advanced, yet acceptable" — coined by industrial designer Raymond Loewy. This principle suggests that products should be innovative and forward-thinking but not so advanced that they become unfamiliar or intimidating to users. Especially with AI, it's crucial to ensure users feel comfortable and understand that AI is here to augment their capabilities, not replace them.
What AI capabilities should companies expect to see in the digital experience space?
Companies should anticipate AI transforming the end-to-end marketer experience. This includes how marketers access and utilize brand knowledge, brainstorm with AI assistance, create content and experiences and further measure and optimize those experiences for better customer engagement.
Which digital experience processes and workflows should AI be improving?
AI is set to revolutionize processes, ranging from strategizing and briefing to creating, building and optimizing content. It will also transform how we orchestrate and manage work by focusing on the specific job to be done and deciding whether an AI agent or a human agent is best suited for the task.
Why is AI a useful technology in digital experience?
AI, particularly generative AI, has a significant impact on digital experiences. It enables marketers to do more with less and presents opportunities to innovate, especially in hyper-personalizing customer experiences, leading to more meaningful engagement.
What should a company do to be ready to adopt AI in digital experience?
Preparation of data is crucial. Companies need to ensure their data is good quality and well-organized, since AI systems rely heavily on clean data. Making data and knowledge accessible and understandable to AI will facilitate more effective adoption.
What is necessary technically for AI in digital experience to be developed and scaled?
Two key factors are essential:
- Secure and responsible AI: Ensuring that AI systems are developed with security and ethical considerations at the forefront.
- Evaluation and measurement: Being able to assess AI performance is vital for building trust and reliability in AI solutions.
What are companies doing well in AI adoptions in digital experience?
Companies are successfully adopting AI in marketing operations, particularly in accelerating the creation of on-brand content. This adoption is increasing efficiency and effectiveness in their digital experiences.
What are companies not doing well in AI adoptions in digital experience?
Many companies expected AI to facilitate hyper-personalization instantly but realized that prepared data and proper governance processes are essential prerequisites. Achieving this requires effort across the organization — including data privacy, legal, IT and product management — which can be challenging without full commitment.
What sort of talent should companies be looking for in AI development, adoption and gains?
Companies should seek talent with a blend of technical expertise and strategic thinking. This includes:
- Data scientists and AI engineers: Professionals skilled in machine learning (ML) and AI technologies.
- Ethics and governance experts: Individuals who understand data privacy and ethical considerations in AI.
- Cross-functional leaders: People who can bridge the gap between technical teams and business objectives, such as AI strategists or product managers with AI experience.
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What do you see as the growth opportunities in AI in digital experience in the next year and beyond?
In the coming years, growth opportunities include:
- AI-driven personalization: Enhancing customer experiences through personalized content and recommendations.
- Conversational AI: Advancements in chatbots and virtual assistants for better customer interaction.
- Predictive analytics: Using AI to anticipate customer needs and behaviors, allowing for proactive engagement.
- Agentic experiences: The ability to have AI agents that can be specialized at doing a specific task and focus on the idea of humans streamlining work between human agents and AI agents
What do you see as the growth opportunities in AI overall in the next year and beyond?
Overall AI growth opportunities encompass:
- Marketing operations: AI can revolutionize marketing by automating routine tasks, optimizing campaign strategies and providing deep insights through data analytics. This leads to increased efficiency, better resource allocation and more effective marketing efforts.
- New channels and experiences: AI enables the creation of innovative channels and immersive experiences, such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and interactive platforms. These technologies offer new ways for businesses to engage with customers and create more meaningful interactions.
- Personalized experiences: With advanced data analysis, AI allows companies to deliver highly personalized content and recommendations. This enhances customer satisfaction by providing experiences tailored to individual preferences and behaviors.
- As AI becomes more pervasive, developing robust ethical frameworks and governance models is crucial. This ensures responsible AI usage, addresses privacy concerns and builds public trust by promoting transparency and accountability.
How do you believe AI will change life from professional and personal standpoints?
I believe that AI will profoundly transform our way of life. It will help us by:
- Facilitating quicker starts: AI can assist us in initiating tasks more easily and rapidly by providing brainstorming ideas and inspirations.
- Enhancing research efficiency: It enables us to discover and research information faster and more efficiently.
- Empowering creativity: AI allows us to imagine and create in ways we haven't before, opening up new avenues for innovation.
Why are you personally interested in AI?
I am fascinated by AI's transformative potential. Having always been passionate about digital experiences, I am excited about how AI can revolutionize the way brands engage with their customers, leading to more meaningful and impactful interactions.
