AI and Marketing: A Deep Dive with Anubhav Rao

Anubhav Rao: Certainly. After finishing my undergrad in computer science back in India, I started my journey in marketing and GTM strategy as an early key member of an Indian tech media startup called PocketAces. During my time there, I helped grow and scale the business development and marketing team, helping it become India’s leading digital entertainment firm, which is reaching more than 50 million people weekly. I then did my MBA from the University of Southern California. Now, I work as a product marketer in the GenAI and DevTools space, focusing on bringing new generative AI tools to the market.

Megha Jain: How did you in your role help companies grow and increase their customer base?

Anubhav Rao: My role in product marketing involves owning the GTM strategy of a product. That includes customer research, messaging, selecting the right customer segments and distribution channels. Product marketers play a vital role in guiding customers through the buyer's journey, from awareness to purchase, by highlighting how the product meets their needs. Ultimately, I ensure that products are positioned and presented in a way that resonates with customers, driving adoption and increasing revenue.

Megha Jain: You are helping bring AI products to the world. How do you see the role of marketing to help companies with the rise of artificial intelligence?

Anubhav Rao: I believe that building products will become more accessible to non-technical builders with the adoption of artificial intelligence. This can lead to a cluttered market in various categories. In this landscape, differentiation and distribution become even more essential. Every company would need to deeply understand their target customers and craft the right messaging and GTM strategy to ensure their product resonates with a specific value proposition. This is the exact job of a product marketer. They will also be able to use AI technologies to automate and scale the logistics part of their work and truly focus on the creative aspect of building the right distribution.

Megha Jain: Can you share an example about how AI will disrupt the Indian business ecosystem and how marketing will play an important role there?

Anubhav Rao: AI will significantly shift how Indian businesses operate by increasing efficiency and unlocking new opportunities. For example, AI-based predictive maintenance can reduce manufacturing downtime and enhance productivity by identifying potential equipment failures before they occur. Another example is how precision agriculture can help Indian farmers optimise crop yields with better resource utilisation. A lot of this will be new for Indian customers and businesses. And creating trust in new industry categories requires the right education. Marketing will play a key role in educating customers on the value of AI solutions and addressing concerns about costs and complexity.

Megha Jain: How should companies and marketers think about leveraging AI?