“AI-Powered” Hype or Useful Tech? What Marketers Must Learn from UFC, IBM, and the Database Hype Cycle
IBM’s UFC “Insights Engine” is pure marketing theatre: slick graphics, exultant broadcasters, and the word “AI” slathered everywhere. But strip away the hype and you’re looking at retrieval-augmented generation paired with text-to-SQL—a database search interface dressed in generative AI clothing. This isn’t breakthrough innovation; it’s rebranding infrastructure. The real problem: 95% of enterprise AI pilots fail to deliver business impact, yet marketers keep falling for the same hype cycle. As regulators tighten enforcement against AI washing and CFOs demand measurable ROI, brands must stop buying into vendor theatre and start demanding transparency. Marketers who act boldly, measure fiercely, and champion honest communication will write the playbook for 2025. The rest will fade into undifferentiated noise.