Podcast Summary: The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®

Episode 729: The Mindset Shift Needed for AI Integration Success with Rafael Flores, Treasure Data
Release Date: September 5, 2025
Host: Greg Kihlström
Guest: Rafael "Rafa" Flores, Chief Product Officer at Treasure Data

Episode Overview

This episode explores the foundational mindset shift required for organizations to successfully integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their marketing and customer experience strategies. Host Greg Kihlström is joined by Rafael Flores, CPO of Treasure Data, to discuss how brands must adapt not just technology—but also culture, processes, and structures—to truly leverage AI for personalized experiences, organizational agility, and sustainable growth. The conversation covers practical industry examples, the future of SaaS in an AI-driven landscape, and tangible advice for leaders navigating the complexities of digital transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining "Real" AI: Beyond the Hype

Timestamp: 03:35–06:46

• Flores' Definition of AI:
  “My definition and our definition of AI here at Treasure Data is a combination of two elements: gen technology…and predictive and machine learning. That, to me, is credible AI.” – Rafael Flores [03:45]

• AI’s real value comes when generative technologies and predictive/machine learning are combined for actionable, credible solutions—not just flashy features.

2. AI-Driven Personalization in Action

Timestamp: 02:43–06:46

• Retail Example: Rafael shares a Nordstrom store experience where the store layout, informed by customer data and AI, catered to the needs of time-pressed executive shoppers, demonstrating real-time, in-the-moment personalization.

  • “The moment I walked into the Nordstrom store, suits were right there to the right. They identified that consumer pattern…” – Rafael Flores [06:27]

• Broader Application: Personalization is no longer aspirational—gen AI and predictive analytics make it tangible both online and in physical environments.

3. AI Use Cases Beyond Retail

Timestamp: 07:57–10:02

• Financial Services:
  AI can power personalized banking experiences, such as targeted campaigns for “steady savers” with emails like: “Hey, want to beat last month's savings streak?”

• Healthcare:
  Wearables can use AI to detect stress spikes and provide real-time wellness interventions—e.g., sending meditation tips by SMS.

  • “Those are some of the cool use cases … there's so much that they could do.” – Flores [09:43]

4. AI’s Impact on the SaaS Landscape: Speed and Agility

Timestamp: 10:02–14:15

• Market Consolidation & Agnostic Solutions:
  AI enables rapid software development—companies can become more “market agnostic,” building highly customizable solutions with composable data and AI agents.

  • “To you a product may look like regular SaaS…it may very much be all agents underneath the hood.” – Flores [11:26]

• Operational Shifts Required:
  Treasure Data renamed its professional services to “AI and Personalization Services,” focusing on deploying tailored agents and restructuring internally for agile innovation.

• Development Mindset:
  “Do one thing for one customer really fast...you touch most of your customer base, which is better than sending them to a community support channel.” – Flores [14:08]

5. Treasure Data’s Vision for AI: "AI First," Not "AI Adjacent"

Timestamp: 17:00–18:43

• Genuine AI Capability:
  Flores emphasizes seeing “real AI you could touch,” referencing Treasure Data’s AI Agent Foundry, which allows clients to build and harmonize custom AI agents.

  • “We have to be AI first. We can’t be AI adjacent...” – Flores [18:21]

• Data as the "Prompt":
  “AI is as good as what you feed it...data is the prompt.” – Flores [17:43]

6. The Diamond Record: Next-Level Identity Unification

Timestamp: 18:43–21:04

• Evolving from Golden Record:
  The “Diamond Record” surpasses traditional customer identity solutions by merging data securely and in real time, embedding with multiple ID graphs, and supporting immediate omnichannel actions.

  • Real-world scenario: Detect in-the-moment mobile searches as a shopper walks into a physical store, enabling timely personalized offers.

7. Expert Advice for Marketing & CX Executives

Timestamp: 21:04–24:10

• Overcoming Overwhelm:
  Don’t try to adopt AI everywhere. Form an AI Use Case Review Committee to align AI applications directly with business impact.

• Focus on "Solve for One":
  “Solve for one, don’t solve for many. Focus on fixing your data and feeding it the right data for that one use case…Don’t boil the ocean.” – Flores [22:37]

8. Culture and Mindset: Taming the Fear of AI

Timestamp: 24:10–26:09

• Change Management:
  Technology is only part of the equation; people and processes are critical. Fear of job displacement can be overcome by involving teams in fun, creative AI experiments.

  • “Beat the fear of AI by doing fun and innovative things with them.” – Flores [25:50]

• Continuous Learning:
  “You’ll never know everything…learn day by day in the doing.” – Flores [24:23]

9. Staying Agile: Two Roadmaps and Personal Wellbeing

Timestamp: 26:20–27:27

• Strategy:
  Maintain two roadmaps: one for non-negotiable priorities, another for nimble adaptation to market changes.

• Personal Advice:
  “Focus on your health…If you do that, plus know your non-negotiables, plus keep a little bit of a nimble path...you can support the business and you can better lead.” – Flores [27:08]

Memorable Quotes

• On the fundamental shift required for AI:
  “Agility requires not only embracing new technologies like AI, but also a fundamental shift in mindset, processes and even organizational structure.” – Greg Kihlström [00:39]

• On real-world personalization:
  “When those two [generative and predictive AI] meet, brands can decide in that storefront what the next best action may be.” – Flores [05:54]

• On change resistance and learning:
  “Don’t try to stay ahead of AI. You never will…focus on what you can control, which is learn day by day in the doing.” – Flores [24:19]

• On driving organizational buy-in for AI:
  “Have people use the AI in fun and creative ways...do things like that, right? That way people don’t fear AI.” – Flores [25:54]

Key Timestamps

• 03:35 – Flores defines AI as the mix of generative technologies and predictive/machine learning.
• 05:48 – Nordstrom example: AI-informed physical retail layout.
• 08:48 – Financial services and healthcare AI use cases.
• 10:48 – AI driving SaaS market consolidation; “agent” powered software.
• 13:03 – Restructuring teams for AI innovation.
• 17:00 – Treasure Data’s vision: “AI First.”
• 18:55 – The "Diamond Record" vs. "Golden Record" in identity management.
• 21:41 – Advice for overwhelmed marketing leaders.
• 24:10 – Overcoming fear and resistance to AI.
• 26:20 – Staying agile as a leader and practitioner.

Conclusion

This episode delivers an in-depth look at what it truly means to integrate AI: not just adopting new tools, but fostering an experimental, pragmatic mindset throughout the organization. Rafael Flores’ insights—grounded in practical experience—stress the importance of credible, actionable AI; starting small and focusing on impact; and nurturing a workplace culture that learns and adapts together. The path to AI-driven value is as much about people and process as it is about technology.

For more:

• Follow Rafael Flores and Treasure Data via the links in the show notes.
• Explore more episodes at theagilebrand.com
• Contact host Greg Kihlström for consulting or speaking information at gregkihlstrom.com

Stay curious, stay agile.