AI and automation – uncovering advertising’s next chapter 

Speakers discussed how AI and automation are changing advertising during the “AI, Systems & Automation: What Does the Future of Advertising Look Like?” panel, held on 04 November at Affiliate Grand Slam in Rome.

Affiliate marketer Hen Kinan moderated the conversation with James O’Loughlin, Co-Founder and CEO of GEOGrow.ai; Vipul Taneja, CEO of Adsparkx; and Can Chan, Founder of TopTier League.

The discussion began with automating routine work, then progressed towards analysing campaigns and preparing brands for customers who discover products through AI assistants.

Automate repetitive tasks first

Taneja described automating follow-ups with employees, clients and other contacts. Instead of manually checking every pending conversation or unfinished task himself, he used a system, which verified whether tasks had been marked complete or not. If not, it sent reminders, saving him from chasing each person himself. 

On the topic of AI use, he recommended starting with simple, repetitive actions before attempting more complex decisions. Removing less productive work gave teams additional time to develop the data and understanding needed for further automation.

Chan described using AI to produce images, videos and websites for TopTier League’s events. However, he stressed that people still needed to make critical judgments. Automation served as a tool for efficiency, but it was not an objective in itself.

Connect AI to campaign information

Taneja explained how his team connected an internal campaign system to Claude through an MCP connection, which allows AI tools to access information from other software.

The team could then ask questions about months of campaign results and identify what had worked. Daily analysis helped reveal manual errors, repeated tests and missed opportunities to scale successful campaigns.

He described extending that process from reviewing performance to proposing plans for improvement. The lesson was that useful automation depended on giving the system relevant business data, rather than expecting it to make informed decisions without proper context.

Brands need to be understood by AI

O’Loughlin argued that AI assistants were becoming intermediaries between consumers and businesses, recommending a small selection of products rather than presenting a long list of search results.

“If you are not being recommended, you don’t exist,” he said, emphasising the importance of appearing in those recommendations.

His advice was to begin with the brand – what it offered, who it served and what made it different. He urged businesses to communicate that clearly online, instead of building their strategy around keywords alone.

He also predicted that AI agents would increasingly visit websites and complete purchases for users. In that scenario, businesses would need information that both people and automated systems could understand.

A clear identity matters more than volume

Chan urged business owners to consider which parts of their work AI could take over and what their business would still offer customers. He also discussed using AI to produce content and manage its distribution through social media accounts.

O’Loughlin cautioned that sheer output was insufficient. The content still needed a clear identity, a distinctive purpose and relevance to its intended audience.

The closing discussion returned to the value of understanding people. Faster production could increase the amount of material online, but it did not remove the need for judgement about what deserved to be created.

Affiliate marketing, search and business growth expertise

Kinan helped build SHINEz, a content distribution platform connecting brands with media buyers and influencers. His experience covers social and native advertising.

O’Loughlin is Co-Founder and CEO of GEOGrow.ai. He began working in SEO in 2000 and also co-founded digital marketing agency Pixaura.

Taneja is CEO and Co-Founder of Adsparkx, established in 2014. His background includes e-commerce and lead-generation campaigns using Meta, Google, native advertising and TikTok.

Chan is Founder of TopTier League, a community offering workshops and discussions on social commerce, creator content and AI applications in e-commerce.

About Affiliate Grand Slam

Affiliate Grand Slam’s programme at Fiera Roma combines discussions on advertising and customer acquisition with exhibitor meetings and networking from 02-05 November 2026. As part of SiGMA Group’s Rome events, the summit connects affiliates, advertisers, technology providers and creators to exchange ideas and explore potential partnerships.

Browse the remaining sessions and plan your next conversations through the Affiliate Grand Slam Rome agenda.