Summary:
Ten expert talks. One day of insights. This blog breaks down key themes and actionable takeaways from the 3XE AI 2025 conference – from marketing automation and SEO to compliance and strategy. Whether you're in SaaS, retail, hospitality, or services, these lessons apply now.
Straight from the Room: What Marketers Are Really Saying About AI
AI is no longer hype – it's operational. The 3XE AI 2025 conference brought together industry leaders, tech founders, strategists and marketers to explore how AI is being responsibly deployed in Irish businesses today.
Here's a breakdown of 10 key sessions, and what they mean for real-world implementation.
1. From Hype to High Impact: How Businesses and Teams are Winning with AI
Speaker: Christina Barbosa-Gress, Google Cloud
Takeaway: This was a standout reminder that AI isn’t just about efficiency — it’s a creative enabler. Christina showed how tools like Veo 3 (AI video), Notebook LM (AI podcasting), and image generation are making premium content accessible. Her framework, “Agentification of Marketing,” breaks marketing into 5 AI-driven areas: Engagement, Content, Measurement, Media, and Code. The key? Today’s customers don’t move in a straight line — they search, scroll, stream and shop all at once. Marketers must adapt to this fluidity.
2. AI-Powered Operations: What Irish Businesses Can Automate Today
Speaker: Denis Jastrzebski, Content Plan
Key Insight: Many Irish businesses underestimate how much back-office, customer service and even lead-gen activity can be automated without major disruption. The focus is on tactical automation, not lofty moonshots.
3. Beyond the Hype: Practical & Responsible AI for Digital Marketing
Speaker: Boris Gersic, The Corporate Governance Institute
Takeaway: AI governance isn't optional. Boris unpacked the “5 Rails” of safe AI marketing: Label, Verify, Review, Log, Respond. Case studies from Unilever and Currys showed how human-in-the-loop governance can protect brands while increasing performance.
4. Education Is the Silver Bullet for Unlocking AI's Potential
Speaker: Ray Grafton (stand in for Ian Dodson CEO), AICertified
Big Idea: In 1,000 days, AI will shift from assistive to autonomous. Companies must prioritise staff education now to avoid falling behind – and certification can be a differentiator.
5. From Marketing Pain to AI Gain
Speakers: Nick Lansley & Maria Svejdar, GS1 Ireland
Insight: Your product data is now your marketing engine. QR codes and structured data aren't just ops tools – they're discoverability assets in the AI commerce age. “The barcode is your most underused marketing asset”.
6. Navigating the Smoke & Mirrors of AI in Paid Search
Speaker: Cathal Melinn, Digital Basics
Caution: Paid platforms nudge you toward automation that favours their own revenue. Marketers must understand where to trust AI and where to override it. The “black box” needs a sceptical, strategic operator.
7. Stop Posting. Start Publishing. Winning Social Media in the AI Age
Speaker: Clark Boyd, Novela
Core Message: Volume isn’t strategy. With 54% of LinkedIn posts now AI-generated, real engagement comes from humanised, strategic publishing – not feed-chasing .
8. Strategy Before Utilisation: Unlocking AI’s True Potential
Speaker: Naomh McElhatton, Business of AI Club
Framework: The “5Ps of AI Strategy” – Purpose, Process, People, Platform, Performance – helps leaders avoid the trap of tool-chasing. Align your AI roadmap with business objectives, not shiny objects.
9. Strategy in the Age of AI: No BS, Just What Works
Speaker: Gavin Duff, Friday Agency
Real Talk: SEO is being flooded with AI spam. The antidote? Trust, reputation, and originality. “If you look and sound like everyone else, you're invisible in the training data.”
10. The Compliance Edge: Winning Trust in the AI Era
Speaker: Colin Cosgrove, Movizmo Coaching
Why It Matters: Only 60% of Irish businesses are even aware of the EU AI Act. Colin broke down compliance in plain terms, showing how transparency and literacy can become trust-builders, not roadblocks.
Final Thoughts
From SEO to sales ops to social, AI is reshaping how Irish businesses operate. But it’s not just about the tools. As speaker after speaker reminded us, it’s about strategy, governance, and education. 3xe