Skip to content
‹ Back to IndustriesIndustrial IoT

AI Chatbots Are Now the Backbone of Cutting-Edge Marketing Strategies

This episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast features host Aby Varma and AskHandle CEO Nick Kljaic discussing the evolution and strategic role of AI-powered chatbots in modern marketing. They trace chatbot development from simple scripted responses to sophisticated conversational AI, and explore how businesses can tailor these tools to their specific needs. The conversation also addresses ethical considerations, data privacy, and AI's broader impact on customer engagement.

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Industrial IoT teams put it to work with AI Visibility (GEO).

Promoted content from The Marketing AI SparkCast on MarketScale.

By Aby Varma · · Aby VarmaArtifical IntelligenceAskhandleChatbots
Share

Key takeaways

01

AI chatbots have evolved from pre-programmed reply systems to sophisticated conversational tools capable of emulating human interactions.

02

Businesses can customize AI chatbots to meet distinct requirements, improving marketing efficiency and customer engagement.

03

Ethical considerations and data privacy remain critical factors when deploying AI in marketing contexts.

Free workspace

Turn your Industrial IoT expertise into content.

Record interviews, organize footage, and write with AI on a free trial of the MarketScale platform for qualifying companies. No demo required, no credit card.

Try it Free

This episode of the Marketing AI Sparkcast, hosted by B2B marketing leader Aby Varma, features an in-depth discussion with Nick Kljaic, CEO of AskHandle, on the role of AI-powered chatbots in marketing. Kljaic, with a rich background in finance and entrepreneurship, sheds light on the intersection of AI technology and marketing efficiency.

They delve into the development of chatbots, tracing their journey from simple, pre-programmed replies to sophisticated AI-based conversational tools capable of emulating human interactions. The discussion encompasses areas such as tailoring AI chatbots to meet distinct business requirements, addressing ethical considerations and data privacy in the realm of AI, and contemplating AI’s role in both business and personal realms. This episode is a wealth of information for anyone fascinated by the convergence of AI, marketing, and enhancing customer engagement.

The Marketing AI SparkCast

Part of this channel

The Marketing AI SparkCast

Practical AI guidance for B2B marketing teams, episode by episode.

Visit the channel

Your experts belong here

Every story in MarketScale Industrial IoT starts with a company putting its controls engineers, plant-floor specialists, and integration partners on the record. Buyers are already reading this topic. The only question is whose experts they find.

Plant and controls buyers research deep before contact, and your engineers get to shape that research.

Book DemoSee how it works15 minutes, straight to a calendar.

About the author

Aby Varma
Aby VarmaAI-in-Marketing Futurist

Host of The Marketing AI SparkCast. AI Optimist and Futurist. Global B2B Marketing Leader. Aby Varma is a transformative CMO with extensive experience in driving growth and positive business outcomes through innovative B2B marketing strategies, recognized for blending compelling narratives with digital creativity to enhance brand engagement, lead generation, and customer loyalty. Varma excels in fostering cross-functional collaboration between marketing, sales, and product teams, enhancing efficiency and revenue operations. His leadership has been pivotal in guiding high-performing teams and navigating complex, multinational corporate environments, resulting in global market expansion and optimized strategies. As an exceptional executive communicator, Varma effectively influences stakeholders and secures buy-ins for key initiatives, underlined by his adaptability and dedication to positive business results. He has been influential in the Forbes Communications Council since July 2022, sharing insights on marketing and digital. At Hexagon AB, Varma held roles including Senior Vice President of Marketing and Executive Director of Marketing, Go-To-Market & Digital Strategy, showcasing skills in lead generation, sales enablement, and AI. His earlier tenure at Intergraph Corporation as Global Marketing Director, Digital, further highlights his expertise in B2B marketing. Varma's academic credentials include an MBA in Marketing & Management Information Systems from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Masters in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. His extensive background and forward-thinking approach position him as a key figure in the evolving landscape of marketing and AI.

B2B Weekly

The week in Industrial IoT, and sixteen other industries, every Monday.

Ten stories, one-line takes, five minutes. Free.

Industrial IoT: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Industrial IoT buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. Explore how your experts, customers, and partners can become useful content for buyers and AI search.

Free Trial

You just read one Industrial IoT expert. Your company is full of them.

This article was produced through MarketScale. The same platform turns your controls engineers, plant-floor specialists, and integration partners into the articles, video, and social content Industrial IoT buyers are searching for. Start a free trial and see it with your own people. For qualifying companies, no credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What your free trial includes

Hands-on access to the MarketScale platform
Media requests to your crowd, remote recording, AI writing tools
No demo required. No credit card.
For qualifying companies. Company confirmation required.

More Industrial IoT Insights

A3's final mobile robot safety standard is written for the sites running the robots

A3's final mobile robot safety standard is written for the sites running the robots

ANSI/A3 R15.08-3-2026 is now available from A3. It completes the three-part R15.08 series for industrial mobile robot (IMR) safety. Part 3 is written for the sites that run the robots. It covers risk assessment, management of change, employee training and periodic reviews and inspections, so safety work continues in day-to-day operation after deployment.

  • 01The robot maker documents the environment a mobile robot was built for, and Part 3 makes the operating site responsible for managing changes to the environment the robot actually works in.
  • 02Part 1 was reaffirmed in 2026 with no technical changes, while Part 3 spells out what users must do to operate IMR applications safely.
  • 03Sites running fixed cells and mobile robots may use one safety program, because R15.08-3 was written alongside R15.06 Part 3.

Oct 11, 2026

Schneider's $22.6 billion PTC deal is a bet on design data for industrial AI

Schneider's $22.6 billion PTC deal is a bet on design data for industrial AI

Schneider Electric is buying PTC for $22.6 billion in cash. It is betting PTC’s design and engineering data can help deploy industrial AI for manufacturers. The deal is expected to close by the third quarter of 2027, subject to approvals from PTC shareholders and regulators.

  • 01Schneider calls the combined business open and interoperable across systems. Buyers should test that promise.

Oct 10, 2026

Matt Kelly says packaging automation pays back under two years

Matt Kelly says packaging automation pays back under two years

Matt Kelly and Joe Bradley argue brownfield warehouses often speed up picking while leaving packing manual. SupplyChainBrain reported in June 2026 that Kelly said service-model packaging projects can pay back in as little as one month and capital projects in under two years. Sparck's published 3-second boxing benchmark shows why operators still need a workflow-by-workflow comparison.

  • 01SupplyChainBrain reported in June 2026 that Kelly said some service-model packaging projects can pay back in as little as one month and capital projects in under two years.
  • 02Bradley says BoxLast can work from a license plate ID, a unique order identifier, so the machine can print and apply a shipping label without preloading weights and dimensions.
  • 03Sparck benchmarks, up to 20 stations and a box every 3 seconds, illustrate why operators must compare throughput, staffing and machine scope.

Oct 2, 2026

Explore More Industrial IoT Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Industrial IoT.

Browse Industrial IoT Hub

About the Experts

Aby Varma
Aby Varma

B2B Marketing Leader and Host, The Marketing AI SparkCast

Aby Varma is a B2B marketing leader and the host of The Marketing AI SparkCast, a podcast exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and marketing. He guides audiences through the evolving landscape where technology meets creativity, with a focus on helping marketers adopt AI-driven strategies. Varma brings deep expertise in B2B marketing to conversations with industry innovators and technology leaders.

NK
Nick Kljaic

CEO

AskHandle

Nick Kljaic is the CEO of AskHandle, an AI-powered chatbot platform. He brings a background in finance and entrepreneurship to his work at the intersection of AI technology and business efficiency, with a focus on building conversational AI tools that emulate human interactions for marketing and customer engagement use cases.

For B2B teams

Your experts could be publishing here

Stories like this one run on content MarketScale captures from real practitioners. See how your team's expertise becomes coverage in Industrial IoT and beyond.

Book a Demo

Or call us. No forms required. We pick up. 214-945-2512