Opticon Wrap-up Day 1

With Opticon '23, Optimizely has once again showcased its commitment to innovation and the future of digital experiences. The atmosphere was thriving as industry leaders and experts took the stage to share their insights and unveil groundbreaking products.

Keynote: Alexander Atzberger kicked off with a powerful message: AI is set to revolutionize our professional careers. The emphasis was on becoming data-driven, especially in the realm of marketing. The vision of a composable stack unified by user experience was presented, encapsulated in the concept of "Optimizely One" - a blend of Content, Commerce, and Experimentation.

Dan Siroker from Rewind.ai introduced a fascinating product - a new pendant priced at $59, designed with privacy at its core. This pendant records everything you say and hear, capturing all digital interactions. The highlight, however, was the announcement of Optimizely 's partnership with Writer, facilitated by their private LLM model. Kevin Chung from Writer described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a "once in a generation change," emphasizing how tools like Writer will structure, automate, and reduce Time to Market (TTM). Alexandra London from Zoom had a simple yet profound message: Embrace CHANGE. After all, life is about moments.

Product Innovations: Rupali Jain and Kevin Li delved deep into the product innovations, assisted by the tireless demo-god Jacob Khan . They introduced the audience to the concepts of SaaS Core + PaaS Core as two different engines to choose from giving you the flexibility of Headless, Hybrid, and Coupled architectures. The Visual Builder, designed to reduce programming with its no-code approach, was a standout, especially with its connection to Graph. The ability to build new templates and components and the introduction of the Graph to connect all data were game-changers.

The overarching theme was clear: AI is changing the world. With Optimizely's AI, called Opal, at the forefront, the future looks promising. Personally I had expected it to be called "ChadGPT" (nudge nudge Chad Wolf ).

A Refreshing Break and Profound Insights: Post the break, Angela Ahrendts took the stage, captivating the audience with her wisdom. Her mantra revolved around three Ps: People, Product, and Process. She emphasized the importance of focusing on the core product and the value of partnerships, especially when resources are limited. Angela's insights into leadership, culture, and trust were profound. She spoke about the importance of being a connector, an enabler, and the need to integrate AI positively, especially in the enterprise sector.

Drawing inspiration from Steve Jobs, she remarked, "You cannot connect the dots looking forward, only when looking back." This served as a reminder of the importance of reflection, learning, and growth. Angela's call to action was clear: Make an impact, every day.

Post-lunch, the energy in the room was back up again as attendees eagerly awaited the insights from the next set of speakers. The afternoon breakout sessions promised a deep dive into the ever-evolving digital landscape, with a focus on customer experience, content technology, and the future of commerce.

Chuck Gahun 's Insights from Forrester: Chuck Gahun from Forrester took the stage with a compelling observation: while mother nature orchestrates everything seamlessly, the digital world is often chaotic. He highlighted the concerning trend of declining customer experience scores in 2022 and 2023, a first since 2017. This decline underscores the ongoing transformation in how we access information.

Chuck emphasized the pivotal role of CMS as the engine of Content Technology. However, he pointed out the challenges in delivering personalization and the current limitations of content being primarily desktop and mobile-based. The true power of headless, he noted, lies in its agility. But there's a caveat: APIs, as they stand, aren't architected for experiences.

He stressed the importance of respecting consumer preferences regarding personal data usage and storage. The ultimate goal? Achieving Customer Obsessed Growth. Chuck urged businesses to prioritize their Customer Value Network over shareholder value. He introduced the concept of an Experience Architecture, emphasizing the significance of Journey Orchestration. The session concluded with insights into content migration using GAI and the importance of repurposing content at the right moments.

Commerce Roadmap with Josh Schoonmaker : Josh Schoonmaker delved into the intricacies of Commerce Composability. He discussed the interplay between different products, both internally and with external systems. The shift from DIY Composable to a Composable Platform was highlighted, emphasizing the importance of creating tailored results.

Exciting partnerships were announced, including collaborations with Google to accelerate innovation. This partnership promises enhancements like Google Search and Product Recommendations integration into Configured Commerce. Additionally, the integration of 谷歌 Translation within Commerce will support ten languages, including Dutch, bolstered by Business Rules.

Josh also announced a partnership with Bolt , focusing on enhancing the Guest Checkout experience. The role of AI in Commerce was underscored, with a focus on its Provable Impact (ROI). Attendees were given a sneak peek into the new composable pieces set to launch in 2024, catering to both B2B and B2C sectors.

In Conclusion: Optimizely's Opticon conference is not just an event; it is a testament to the company's vision, innovation, and commitment to shaping the future. With insights from industry leaders and a glimpse into the future of commerce, the conference set the stage for exciting developments in the world of digital experiences together with AI.

Note: this article was co-authored by ChatGPT, but has been based on personal notes and curated content