The Loyalty Debate Is On: AI, Engagement, and the Battle for the Customer Relationship
When I published “Loyalty Is Dead. Google Just Killed It,” I expected it would provoke some strong reactions.
What I didn’t expect was a formal rebuttal — and a live public debate with one of the industry’s most respected loyalty veterans, Denis Huber.
But that’s exactly what happened.
Denis challenged my assertion that AI shopping assistants are poised to disintermediate brands from customers, rendering traditional loyalty programs obsolete. He argued that AI is actually empowering loyalty — making it more relevant, personalized, and data-driven than ever before.
I disagreed.
In the debate, I brought my perspective as someone who spent over a decade building blockbuster video games for EA, Disney, Sega, Ubisoft, and Vivendi. In that world, engagement isn’t a tactic — it’s the product. Players don’t need to be bribed to return. They come back because the experience itself is meaningful.
That’s where I believe loyalty is heading — or rather, where it needs to head. Traditional points-based programs have been quietly losing their influence for years. And now, with AI flattening brand recall and compressing decision-making into a single voice prompt, that decline is about to accelerate.
Loyalty won’t be saved by more tiers or smarter discounts. It will be reborn through emotional resonance, story, narrative, community, and meaningful customer interaction — the same mechanics that make great games unforgettable.
If you missed the debate, you can watch it here.
I’m incredibly proud of the conversation we had — honest, provocative, and packed with insights. Whether you agree with me, side with Denis, or land somewhere in the middle, I encourage you to watch and decide for yourself.
This isn’t just a disagreement between two voices. It’s the start of a much bigger conversation about what the future of customer relationships will look like — and who will own them.
Stay tuned. We’re just getting started.
