Artificial intelligence has become a priority for pet food marketers — but priority and implementation are not the same thing. Jolanta Smulski, founder of Pet Pro Media, will address that gap in her session "The AI marketing advantage: Measure first, scale fast in pet food" at Petfood Forum 2026, Tuesday, April 28, in Kansas City.
Smulski's presentation introduces a measurement-first framework designed to solve three interconnected barriers holding marketing teams back: the measurement gap that prevents companies from justifying AI expansion beyond experimental use, planning paralysis that keeps businesses stuck in evaluation mode, and a scaling challenge that limits adoption to individual or small-team implementation.
A framework in three stages
The framework works in sequence. First, teams establish measurement infrastructure by defining core marketing metrics before selecting AI tools. From there, structured test-learn-scale cycles identify high-impact applications. Finally, measurement data is converted into training curriculum and repeatable processes that can scale across an organization.
"Marketing teams can implement AI systematically right now, with the skills they already have," Smulski said. "The reality is that successful AI implementation is based on defining what success looks like, testing systematically, and scaling what works. Those are capabilities marketing teams already have."
She said a persistent misconception — that effective AI implementation requires technical expertise most teams don't possess — is keeping talented marketers in a cycle of planning rather than executing. Her framework is designed to break that cycle.
For the pet food industry broadly, Smulski sees systematic AI adoption raising the bar on how brands serve pet parents. Better implementation means more relevant product information, consistent messaging across channels, faster responses to consumer questions, and personalized recommendations. She noted that currently only a fraction of brands deliver that level of marketing consistency.
"The methodology for systematic AI implementation doesn't have to be proprietary or resource-intensive — it just needs to be accessible and scalable," she said. "When we equip more marketing teams with these capabilities, brands can compete on how well they serve customers, not just on marketing budget."
The framework grew directly from Smulski's work at Pet Pro Media. After an early focus on helping brands understand what AI could do for marketing, she identified execution — not awareness — as the real obstacle. That insight drove the development of the measurement-first approach she is bringing to Petfood Forum.
AI as strategic capability
Looking ahead, Smulski said AI's role in pet food marketing will shift from an operational tool to a strategic one. Near-term gains center on efficiency — faster content production and better targeting — but the next evolution involves using AI to analyze market dynamics and inform positioning decisions ahead of competitors.
She also pointed to sustainability and transparency as areas where AI will become essential. Pet parents increasingly want to understand sourcing and environmental impact, but that story must be communicated differently across Amazon, direct-to-consumer, specialty retail, and mass market channels. AI, she said, makes consistent communication across all those touchpoints achievable.
The longer-term challenge Smulski sees is brand relationships. As platforms like Amazon and Chewy deploy AI to shape the shopping experience, pet food brands will need their own capabilities to maintain meaningful consumer connections.
"The question becomes: how do we build relationships when platforms mediate the customer experience?" she said. "Brands that develop these capabilities thoughtfully will serve pet parents better — with more relevant products, clearer information, and stronger trust."
Smulski's session, "The AI marketing advantage: Measure first, scale fast in pet food," takes place Tuesday, April 28, at Petfood Forum 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Petfood Forum and Petfood Essentials show dates are April 27-29, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. To register or stay informed on the latest event developments, go to PetfoodForumEvents.com.
