Your AI Strategy Is Only as Good as Your Data Layer

Jeff Lunsford, CEO of Tealium, says that as enterprises rush to deploy agentic AI, batch processing and siloed systems won’t cut it: AI strategy lives or dies on the quality — and speed — of your data. In this episode, we explore what a true real-time data layer looks like, why most companies are underutilizing their marketing tech, and how brands must prepare for a world where AI agents — not humans — are initiating customer interactions. From identity tokens and authentication to agent-to-agent negotiation, we look at what’s coming next and what that means for marketers. For Additional Reading:  Tealium achieves AWS Generative AI Competency, advancing enterprise AI at scale: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/17/3239448/0/en/Tealium-achieves-AWS-Generative-AI-Competency-advancing-enterprise-AI-at-scale.html Tealium Adds AI Features for Real-Time Customer Engagement: https://www.cmswire.com/customer-data-platforms/tealium-adds-ai-features-for-real-time-customer-engagement/ The secret to happy customers is… your data layer: https://martech.org/the-secret-to-happy-customers-is-your-data-layer/ More about Jeff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefflunsford/   Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1715735755