Author: Katja Forbes
Katja Forbes
Katja Forbes is the author of Machine Customers: The Evolution Has Begun, featuring a foreword by Don Scheibenreif, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner and the researcher who identified machine customers as a critical business trend. With 30 years leading CX strategy for major global organisations including Qantas, Commonwealth Bank, and leading international financial institutions, Katja has witnessed firsthand how AI agents, autonomous buyers, and algorithmic systems are fundamentally reshaping customer relationships.
At 6.47 am, Natalia’s inbox explodes. Tyler, Maya’s AI assistant, wants one ergonomic desk chair with sustainability certifications and machine-readable warranties. A smart city’s building management system needs 200 chairs and API integration for their municipal procurement system. A large multinational’s corporate AI platform invites real-time negotiations for bulk office furniture. Three machine customers. Three versions of AI that buys. Three completely different behaviours. By lunch, Tyler has chosen a competitor with structured data. The smart city has selected a vendor with better API integration. The multinational has closed deals with three other suppliers while Natalia is still figuring out…