MarTech On My Mind: What AI Means for Modern Marketing Teams
Artificial intelligence is no longer an experiment for marketing teams. It is actively reshaping how work gets done, how ideas are formed, and how organizations operate.
From Marketing Automation to Autonomous AI Marketing
In this episode of the Marketing AI SparkCast, Aby Varma, founder of Spark Novus, an advisory firm that partners with marketing leaders to adopt AI responsibly and strategically, sits down with Philip Lakin, Head of Enterprise Innovation at Zapier. The conversation dives into how marketing teams are shifting from basic automation to fully autonomous, AI-driven workflows using orchestration, agents, and no-code tools. Philip shares his unconventional career path and explains how AI is reshaping how marketing and ops teams operate, scale, and create value.
Why Enterprises Need an AI Strategist and Why It Should Be a Marketer
In this episode of the Marketing AI SparkCast, Aby Varma, founder of Spark Novus, a leading consultancy that partners with marketing leaders to adopt and scale AI responsibly and strategically, talks with Nicola Smith, Senior AI Programs Advisor at Southwest Airlines. They explore how enterprises can move beyond tool experimentation to embed AI into strategic workflows, why marketing leaders are uniquely suited to lead AI adoption, and how AI fluency is evolving from a competitive advantage to a regulatory necessity.
From Curiosity to Co-Pilot How Marketing Leaders Make AI Work
This episode of The Claw, a marketing podcast hosted by Eric Holtzclaw for CMOs and senior marketing leaders, features a grounded conversation with Aby Varma of Spark Novus on moving beyond AI experimentation toward intentional adoption. The discussion reframes AI as a co-pilot aligned to business purpose, not a collection of tools. Varma explains why strategy and people come before technology, how marketing roles will evolve, and why community plays a critical role in confident, practical AI adoption.
From Search Engine Optimization to Answers with Generative AI
In this episode of the Marketing AI Spark Cast, Aby Varma—founder of Spark Novus, which partners with marketing leaders to adopt AI responsibly and strategically—hosts Mike Ensing, Founder and CEO of Revere AI. They explore how LLMs are revolutionizing search, shifting the customer journey, and forcing a new marketing playbook where brand discovery is increasingly mediated by generative AI systems rather than traditional search engines. The conversation delves into trust, hallucinations, data structure, and the strategic role of agents in brand engagement.
Google AI Mode Is Here. Marketers, Are You Ready?
AI Mode is now live in Search. Not just in labs. Not just for tech demos. This is a fundamental shift in how people access information—and for CMOs, it demands attention.
If AI Overviews gave us a glimpse of what AI-assisted search looks like, AI Mode is the next step: search as conversation, powered by Google’s Gemini AI. It's not a tool. It's a new interface for how consumers discover, decide, and buy.
Let’s unpack what’s changed—and what you need to do about it.
AI and The Future of Video Storytelling
In this episode of SparkCast, Aby Varma, founder of Spark Novus, discusses AI-driven video storytelling with Piyush Saggi, CEO of Parmonic. They explore AI’s impact on video production, authenticity, and branding, offering insights into how marketers can strategically leverage AI for engaging content.
Marketing AI Adoption in B2B Enterprises
How are large B2B enterprises successfully adopting AI in marketing? This discussion unpacks the real-world challenges, lessons learned, and strategies that drive AI adoption at scale. Shonodeep Modak, CMO of Schneider Electric’s Energy Management Business, shares insights on their AI journey, operational hurdles, and key misconceptions. Hosted by Aby Varma from Spark Novus, the conversation explores the future of AI in enterprise marketing and what it takes to make AI work in complex organizations.