Simon Cetin, founder and partner at iPROM and founder and head of the Retoba laboratory, spoke with the Slovenian Marketing Association about the future of marketing in the age of artificial intelligence. In the interview, he emphasized that artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer merely a tool for increasing efficiency, but a strategic interlocutor in thinking, creating, and decision-making. He shared his insights with the Slovenian Marketing Association on how AI will reshape marketing practices and what opportunities and responsibilities this transformation brings for companies and individuals.
Cetin highlights that we are witnessing a paradigm shift as AI becomes the infrastructure of intellectual work. As he points out, cases like DeepSeek demonstrate that even smaller teams with a clear vision and well-thought-out strategy can develop breakthrough solutions. The key no longer lies in developing complex models but in how we integrate them intelligently, efficiently and responsibly into daily workflows.
“DeepSeek proves that it is possible to build powerful systems with limited resources if you have a clear goal, a precise strategy and the courage to go beyond conventional boundaries,” explains Cetin.
A turning point came when he realized that AI is no longer merely a tool for task automation but a means to expand human thinking. With a well-crafted prompt, AI can generate strategy, structure and systems. According to him, the prompt is becoming a new form of intellectual property that will play a central role in the future of creative and strategic work.
At the Retoba laboratory, the focus is on exploring how AI can truly support managerial decision-making, effective team collaboration and the development of new products and services. They are researching how AI can relieve executives of routine tasks, improve team dynamics and enable organizations to adapt more rapidly to changes in their environment.
“We experiment with decision-making models, personalized AI applications and the development of data products that support strategic decisions and the creation of new solutions. At the same time, we are actively exploring how AI can become more human, not just efficient but also empathetic,” Cetin explains.
He notes that Retoba also devotes significant attention to testing safety mechanisms and building trust between users and systems.
Cetin stresses that companies can no longer afford to wait. Preparing for the future is not a technical issue. It is a strategic one.
“They need to start with themselves. Preparing for AI is not a technical matter but a strategic and cultural one,” he emphasizes.
Companies must allow room for experimentation with AI tools, foster rapid learning and recognize opportunities for personalization and improving the user experience. At iPROM, artificial intelligence is already used today in managing digital campaigns and supporting strategic decision-making through a proprietary AI assistant that simulates market scenarios, analyzes data and advises on resource allocation.
“AI is no longer an experiment. It is the foundation. That means faster decisions, less guesswork and more clarity in daily operations,” says Cetin.
Ethics, he says, is a key component of AI development. Systems that affect people’s lives, such as in hiring, lending or healthcare, must be explainable, correctable and supervised. Ethics must be embedded into the architecture of the system, not added as an afterthought.
The conversation with Tanja Kavran, Executive Director of the Slovenian Marketing Association, also offered insight into Cetin’s perspective on the role of humans in the age of AI. He believes that humans will remain the essential connecting element, responsible for judgment, evaluation and creation. His advice to young people is to become the creators of the future, not just its users, and to develop courage, the ability to collaborate with AI and systems thinking.
The full interview was originally published on the website of the Slovenian Marketing Association under the title Prompt is the Intellectual Property of the Future and in the newspaper Finance under the title Artificial Intelligence is a Catalyst for Solutions.