AI in Marketing 2026: What’s Real, What’s Next, and What Actually Works

AI is no longer a side experiment in marketing. By 2026, it will be woven into how brands create, target, optimize, and build trust at scale. But with rapid change comes real questions: What’s actually working? What’s hype? And how do we adopt AI without losing the human spark that makes marketing matter?

Join the American Marketing Association for an engaging evening with three leaders who bring strategic, creative, and performance-driven perspectives on the future of AI in marketing. This panel will explore how generative and agentic AI are reshaping go-to-market strategy, video and creative, search and paid media, and the ethical foundations marketers need to build for sustainable growth.

You’ll gain insight into:

• Practical use cases for generative and agentic AI in 2026
• How AI is transforming video, creative, search, and PPC
• What responsible, ethical AI adoption really looks like
• Where marketers should invest skills, tools, and strategy next
• How to balance automation with authenticity and trust

Come curious. Leave clearer.

Panelists

Alice Stein

Alice Stein is a strategic business consultant and advisor specializing in growth strategy, innovation, and the practical application of generative and agentic AI in marketing and go-to-market operations. Recognized as an expert voice on responsible AI, she focuses on how organizations can adopt AI ethically, transparently, and at scale—balancing innovation with governance, data stewardship, and human impact. With more than 20 years of leadership experience across technology, professional services, real estate, and education, she helps organizations translate emerging AI capabilities into measurable business outcomes by aligning marketing, sales, data, and digital strategy.

Alice previously served on the Board of Directors of the American Marketing Association, Boston Chapter for nearly a decade and was elected to serve two terms as President. In addition to her advisory work, she mentors founders at Wentworth Institute of Technology’s Accelerate Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, supporting ventures developing AI-powered healthcare, medical devices, EdTech platforms, and advanced lead-generation solutions. She is a founding member of the Women Applying AI global network, serves as Chair of Governance and Expansion for the U.S. PropTech Council, and chairs the Environment & Health Subcommittee for the Massachusetts Port Authority Community Advisory Committee, where she focuses on the intersection of technology, data, policy, and public impact.

Lou Bortone

If Don Vito Corleone and Sebastian Maniscalco teamed up to create an AI Renaissance man, you’d end up with Lou Bortone. Lou is known as The Video Godfather, the Creative Consigliere experts call when they want to get seen, trusted, and paid without a tech-induced meltdown.He’s a frequent speaker and the author of Video Marketing Rules, AI Quick Wins, and the upcoming Wiseguy Wisdom: Leadership Lessons of The Godfather. Each year he slips off to Tuscany to host marketing retreats where strategy mixes with red wine and sudden creative epiphanies.Lou hosts the “AI Today” podcast, carries a Certified AI Consultant card, and was once a Hollywood TV exec who self-exiled without selling his soul. Offstage he embarrasses his adult twins, rescues pugs, and drops Italian curses like he’s in a Quentin Tarantino movie.

Armen Vartanyan

Armen's primary background is in Search Marketing / PPC which began with his first job at WordStream. Since then he's worked at major corporations like Microsoft & Linkedin, was a VP at a programmatic company and today manages his own company called Conquest Agency. Altogether, over 10 years of advertising & marketing experience largely in the Boston area.

Whether you’re leading AI adoption at your organization, experimenting with new tools, or simply trying to stay ahead of what’s coming, this panel will give you grounded insight, diverse perspectives, and real-world takeaways to help you navigate the road to 2026.

Platinum Sponsor:

We extend our sincere gratitude to our Platinum Sponsor, Brick Marketing, for their generous sponsorship. Your partnership is truly appreciated and instrumental to our success.

For more information, click here.

About the American Marketing Association (AMA) Boston:

The American Marketing Association (AMA) Boston is the networking and educational hub for New England marketers. Our mission is to build a community of marketers who can share experiences, learn about the latest marketing trends, and build a powerful professional network. AMA Boston empowers its members with the knowledge and

resources they need to be leaders in their careers and organizations. Learn more at https://www.amaboston.org.-----

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