Machine Customers—AI Buyers To Control $30 Trillion In Purchases By 2030
Feb 18, 2025 - forbes.com
The article discusses the emerging role of "machine customers," a subset of AI agents capable of autonomously making purchasing decisions without human intervention. By 2030, CEOs and senior executives expect machine customers to account for at least 21% of their revenue, with Gartner predicting they will influence or participate in $30 trillion worth of purchases. Despite this potential, many businesses are unprepared to cater to machine customers, as traditional marketing strategies focused on emotional selling are ineffective for these non-human economic actors. Companies must adapt by rethinking their marketing approaches and optimizing their digital presence for AI-driven agents.
Experts like Don Scheibenreif and Sirte Pihlaja emphasize the need for businesses to prepare for this shift by redesigning customer journeys and ensuring products and services are optimized for both human and AI decision-makers. The transition requires addressing skills gaps and improving AI literacy within organizations. As machine customers are expected to generate significant economic activity, businesses must focus on convenience and seamless integration with digital assistants to remain competitive in this evolving landscape.
Key takeaways:
By 2030, machine customers are expected to generate at least 21% of revenue for CEOs and senior business executives.
Machine customers will directly influence or participate in $30 trillion worth of purchases by 2030.
Most businesses are not ready to sell to machine customers, as traditional marketing tactics are ineffective for AI-driven buyers.
Businesses must adapt to automated AI buyers by optimizing content for machine customers and redesigning customer journeys for both human and AI decision-makers.
