Martech Starter Kit
Oracle CX Cloud Suite

What was Oracle’s motivation for releasing its Adaptive Intelligent Apps?

There’s no secret why Oracle is investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI)—it’s where the money is going to be. IDC projects an already-robust $8 billion market as of 2016 growing nearly sixfold by 2020. Oracle is also making an unapologetic play to boost interest in and consumption from Oracle Data Cloud, the company’s own third-party data marketplace. Oracle Data Cloud boasts intelligence on more than
5 billion entities.

“We, the industry, have gotten to the point where we have so much data about browsing history, buying patterns, and product history, but we still have the question of taking the data and turning it into insight,” says Des Cahill, Oracle VP and Head CX Evangelist.

Adaptive Intelligent Apps, which connects with the Oracle CX Cloud suite, as well as other major Oracle components, can combine data on everything from past purchasing behavior to social media preferences with real-time weather data and

MarTech SK – Oracle CX.pdf

Download a PDF version of this article.

clickstream information. The goal, for marketers, is to enhance every aspect of the communication process, from delivering the right offer and creative to choosing the right channel at every step of the customer journey.

​

What marketing problem does it help tackle?

AI’s value for marketers typically boils down to two areas: relevance and context. Oracle is pursuing both. Intelligence routines aim to help both human-aided and automated interactions provide the most relevant possible message at each customer interaction. With dynamic content and chatbot integration, Oracle is trying to bring brands into the digital contexts customers are naturally engaging with.

Ask Cahill about the crowded field for AI martech, and he replies, “Do [marketers] want a science experiment or a business solution?”

What opportunities does it help marketers grasp?

Oracle is looking to help marketers who want to put power and data behind forays into emerging channels such as automated voice agents and chatbots.

What does it take to add this product to a marketing organization’s existing tech stack?

• Estimated implementation timeframe – Because the AI solutions are part of the broader Oracle CX cloud suite, activating the AI tools is push-button. Designing specific campaigns around AI-enabled solutions, such as intelligent chatbots, will require additional effort.

• Integrations – All relevant integrations are provided through the broader Oracle CX Cloud stack.

• Dedicated administrator? – No additional administrator needed for the AI tools.

• Typically, who are the users – Anyone involved in digital marketing is a potential user.

• Typical number of users – Varies by organization. Adding the AI tools is not likely to add a significant number of users.

• Amount of initial training for users – Minimal, usually confined to configuration screens. Many of the AI tools transparently enhance other components of the Oracle CX Cloud marketing stack, such as Responsys; meaning, users of those solutions will gain new capabilities without needing to learn specific new software.

• Data sources – Any available through the Oracle CX Cloud stack.

• Notable process changes – None as a result of turning on the solution. Some organizations will use the AI tools to enhance existing campaigns. Some will roll out new contact channels, such as voice agents, which could lead to changes in attribution and campaign design.

Can you test the product before purchase?

Oracle does not promise try-before-you-buy, but you may be able to negotiate it from an account rep.

Does it come with any consulting or implementation services?

You get enough to turn the lights on. Additional consulting is available at cost.

Who “owns” it over time and where does it sit?

Whoever in the organization already owns the CX Cloud relationship.

What’s the enterprise pricing model?

The AI tools are billed on a usage basis on top of existing Oracle CX Cloud spending.

What’s the projected time to ROI?

Oracle isn’t publishing ROI figures at this time.

What’s the solution’s competitive advantage?

Oracle has enhanced its already-rich slate of cloud marketing tools with better intelligence, and doing so with a direct line to its deep database and data integration capabilities.

What’s an analyst’s take?

“The market opportunity for artificial intelligence and AI-enabled applications is substantial…. The success of these solutions greatly depends on the quality and quantity of the ingested data, which determines the resulting recommendation, action, or output delivered. Vendors with a strong foundation of first- and third-party data to fuel the machine learning have a clear and distinct advantage in the market providing strong targeted AI-enabled solutions for their customers,” David Schubmehl, research director, Cognitive/Artificial Intelligence Systems at IDC, states in Oracle’s press release.

Where can I find more information?

• Check out the Oracle Adaptive Intelligent Apps splash page

• Read reviews of Oracle solutions on G2Crowd

About the Author

Ginger Conlon found freelance writer Jason Compton shoved in a desk drawer by her predecessor at CRM magazine. He has covered CRM and marketing topics extensively since 1999, largely in her service.​

Find him at @jpcwrites and on LinkedIn.