Podcast Summary

Podcast: AdExchanger Talks
Episode: Retail's AI Moment Is (Almost) Here
Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Allison Schiff
Guest: Jeff Cohen, Chief Business Development Officer at Sky (formerly Kenshoo), former Principal Evangelist at Amazon Ads

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the evolving landscape of commerce media and retail media networks, focusing on the advances and challenges brought about by artificial intelligence (AI) in advertising and retail. Jeff Cohen, who recently left Amazon Ads to join Sky, shares his insights on industry shifts, the integration of AI like Sky’s Celeste, omnichannel commerce, and the real state of agentic (chatbot-driven) commerce. The conversation is rooted in demystifying tech jargon, examining real-world marketer challenges, and forecasting what's truly next for retail’s AI moment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jeff's Background & Amazon Departure

• Personal Touch: Jeff describes himself as an outdoors enthusiast (hiking in summer, skiing in winter) but humorously notes he's not an extreme sports guy. (02:09–02:51)
• Why Leave Amazon for Sky?:
  • Amazon is great within its (walled/hedged) garden but the market is shifting toward true omnichannel — commerce is now happening everywhere, not just on single platforms.
  • Quote: "Data fragmentation really can kill growth...it's an opportunity for [brands] to see how their signals...are working across both channels and networks and publishers." (04:04–06:39)
  • The vision and AI capabilities at Sky (notably their AI assistant ‘Celeste’) were the “light bulb moment” compelling Jeff to join.

2. AI Products and “Human” Naming

• Why Names Like ‘Celeste’?:
  • Humanizing AI makes people more comfortable; they're more likely to interact (“Did you ask Celeste?”).
  • Jeff teaches his own kids to be polite to AI because it "just feels nicer" (06:44–08:00).

3. Evangelizing Amazon Ads: Demystifying the Tech Giant

• Role as Principal Evangelist: "Community building" both between product/engineering teams and the outside market. He aimed to be a human, jargon-free bridge between Amazon and its users. (09:36–16:03)
• On Amazon’s Internal Structure:
  • Highly siloed “two pizza teams” lead to innovation but create unintended side effects.
  • Quote: "At its heart, Amazon is a product and engineering company...There tends to be a conspiracy theory that Amazon has this grand plan...but [really] Amazon works backwards from the customer." (09:36–14:07)

4. Amazon’s Ad Tech, New Infrastructure, and Trust

• On AWS RTB Fabric:
  • It's infrastructure to help optimize and connect ad tech, but Amazon’s core pillars (Ads, AWS, Retail) are less interconnected internally than outsiders think.
  • Jeff emphasizes that skepticism about data use is common but often based on misconceptions about cloud technology, security, and data segregation. (17:34–21:44)
  • Trust is fundamental, whether working with Amazon or independents like Sky.

5. Sky’s Position Today (Formerly Kenshoo)

• What is Sky? (Jargon-free):
  • Platform for all commerce marketing needs, built on clean data and open integration.
  • Provides insights and execution across media planning, forecasting, reporting, digital shelf, for search/social/commerce — all powered by AI like Celeste. (22:24–23:44)

6. Realities and Future of Omnichannel Commerce Media

• Where We Are Today:
  • Retail media spending is still growing but maturing (up 21% YoY in Q3, mainly from sponsored products).
  • Paid social is rebounding with increases in impressions/clicks but lower CPMs — sign of efficiency/stabilization in platforms. (25:14–29:39)
  • Example: New Balance’s upper-funnel investment led to brand revitalization but took 18+ months to show results. (29:39–32:44)
    • Quote: "Rising CPC rates is not a bad thing...you have to look holistically at how your business is doing." (25:14–29:39)
• Omnichannel Learnings:
  • Marketers need to understand and use signals across channels, not treat their customer bases as identical but see how insights can cross-pollinate. (32:44–33:46)

7. Sky’s Differentiation and Retail Media Partnerships

• Integrations: Sky has a vast lineup (Amazon, Walmart, Target, CVS, Kroger, Tesco, etc.) but differentiation comes from data aggregation and actionable insights, not just “pipes.”
• Quote: "It's in how we bring those signals in...to allow you to see your full digital shelf, to see how your product is being differentiated against your customers and how to make the intelligent business decisions...” (34:31–35:56)

8. Agentic Commerce (AI Chatbots & Shopping)

• Walmart’s ChatGPT Integration:
  • Jeff sees the hype — it’s early days, trust/user comfort is lacking ("Would you give OpenAI your Walmart login?").
  • Human-in-the-loop is still essential: marketers want recommendations, not autonomous decision-making (yet). (37:00–43:25)
• Generational Shift: Younger generations are being educated to prompt and use AI, which will accelerate adoption.
• Speed of Change: “What's changed today is how fast we go from A to B...if you're not thinking about this and testing it and planning for it, when that shift does occur, it can pass you.” (44:10–44:58)

9. Advice: Preparing for the AI Retail Wave

• For Retail Media Networks and Marketers: Keep conversations open, monitor impact versus hype, look for partnership opportunities and competitive differentiators, but don’t over-index on headlines. (45:06–48:06)
• Quote: “It’s the philosophy and the strategy of what [your tech partner] have as a business...that's what you're going to be building on over time.” (45:06–48:06)

10. Personal Anecdotes & Human Side

• Neither Jeff nor Allison has bought anything via chatbot yet; Jeff uses AI as an assistant (for research, trip planning, coping with a learning disability), not a replacement.
• Quote: "AI is a tool that's no different than having a calculator. And that's how I try to use it in my daily life." (48:21–49:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On why marketers need omnichannel tools:
  "Signals are a big important term for marketers today, how they're working across both channels and networks and publishers." (04:04)
• On retail media network differentiation:
  "It's in how we bring those signals in, those data points together to allow you to see your full digital shelf..." (34:31)
• On agentic AI and trust:
  "There's a lot of comfort levels that the consumer is going to have to get to...first movers are starting to do it and then there'll be a comfort level and then they'll eventually be a maturity." (39:58)
• On speed of change and testing the future:
  "If you’re not thinking about this and testing it and planning for it, when that shift does occur, it can pass you." (44:10)
• On the philosophy of tech partnerships:
  "It's the philosophy and the strategy of what they have as a business because that's what you're going to be building on over time." (45:06)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:56] — Jeff’s background, outdoor hobbies, and family (icebreaker)
• [04:04] — Why Jeff left Amazon for Sky, omnichannel market shifts, importance of signals
• [06:44] — Human names for AI; making technology approachable
• [09:36] — Role and experience as Amazon's Principal Evangelist; internal culture; clearing up misconceptions
• [17:34] — AWS/Fabric infrastructure, privacy, data governance and industry trust
• [22:24] — What Sky does vs. Kenshoo days; demystifying "omnichannel platform"
• [25:14] — Current state and future of commerce media; holistic metrics, New Balance branding example
• [32:44] — Sky’s partner integrations and omnichannel data’s long tail
• [34:31] — Differentiation: actionable insights from aggregated data
• [37:00] — Defining/assessing “agentic commerce,” Walmart’s chatbot shopping, human-in-the-loop AI
• [43:25] — Market skepticism: is “agentic commerce” hype or reality?
• [48:21] — How Jeff personally uses AI; not yet a chatbot shopper

Tone and Language

Conversational, analytical, but accessible. Jeff is personable and transparent; Allison brings warmth and relatable anecdotes. The episode maintains a jargon-free, educational tone, focused on demystifying complex tech for marketing professionals.

For Listeners

If you want a grounded, real-world perspective on where commerce media is headed, why AI’s "moment" in retail is complex (and nuanced), and how to prepare for what’s next—this episode is essential listening. It emphasizes practical truths, strategic testing, and the centrality of human relationships and trust in tech adoption.