8: Agentic AI and the attention economy: Insights from Ryan Fleisch, head of product marketing for Adobe Real-Time CDP, and audience manager at Adobe

Marketing Beyond with Alan B. Hart

Ryan Fleisch is the head of product marketing for Adobe Real-Time Customer Data Platform (CDP), and audience manager at Adobe. He is also a recent first-time girl dad and Alan's go-to technology whisperer. Ryan has experience on both the agency and brand sides of digital marketing and has been with Adobe since 2014. His current role, coupled with his previous leadership roles in solution consulting, has allowed him to understand the technical nuances of marketing and advertising technology and the big-picture trends that are transforming the industry at large.

In today’s episode, Alan and Ryan reconnect for another interview at Adobe Summit 2025 to discuss Adobe’s new marketer-first data collaboration tools and what marketing professionals need to know to help them stay ahead of the curve. When it comes to winning impressions in the crowded attention economy, using data wisely is the difference between standing out and blending in with the thousands of ads consumers see daily. Ryan also explains how agentic AI can help marketers move from data synthesis to action, allowing them to scale their impact as individuals and departments.

Key quotes:

“Agentic AI doesn't just understand my business data. It actually understands my business processes and my goals” - Ryan Fleisch, head of product marketing for Adobe Real-Time CDP, and audience manager at Adobe

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to understand the attention economy

Why “clean sketches” may replace “clean rooms”

What agentic AI could mean for your marketing strategy

Key highlights:

[02:05] “The sleep deprivation is real.”

[03:30] Ryan’s path to Adobe

[06:00] Understanding the attention economy

[08:25] The data tradeoff between scale and accuracy

[10:30] Launching Real-Time CDP evaluations

[11:30] Old “clean rooms” versus new “clean sketches”

[14:45] AI empowering humans to do what they do best

[16:40] Generative AI versus agentic AI

[20:10] Sorry Spock, Emotions Drive Business

[22:45] An experience that defines you: Don't fear the bunk bed

[25:30] Advice to your younger self: Look at the big picture

[27:05] A topic marketers need to learn more about: Agentic AI and physical art

[28:50] Subcultures to follow: Appreciate artists

[29:35] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers today: Pairing content with data

Resources mentioned:

Ryan Fleisch

Adobe

Adobe Real-Time CDP

Adobe Audience Manager

Announcement of new Adobe Real-Time CDP collaboration

Follow the podcast:

Listen on Apple Podcasts  

Listen on Amazon Music 

Listen on Audible 

Listen on iHeart Radio

Listen on Spotify  

Connect with Ryan Fleish and Adobe

Ryan Fleisch on LinkedIn

Adobe on X

Adobe on Instagram

Connect with Alan Hart and Deloitte Digital:   

Alan Hart on X

Alan Hart on LinkedIn 

Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn 

Deloitte Digital on Instagram 

Deloitte Digital on YouTube 

Deloitte Digital on Threads