Opticon London: When AI Becomes the Engine (Not Just Another Feature)

If you attended Optimizely's Opticon London on 30th September, you'll know this wasn't your average conference. Between the AI generated movie opener, immersive demonstrations, and the energy of the keynotes, Optimizely reminded us all why they're leading the charge in digital experience innovation.

But beyond the spectacle—and it was quite a spectacle—something more profound emerged. This event marked a pivotal moment in how we should be thinking about AI in marketing operations.

New York Started It, London Proved It

Some of you may have read my reflections following Opticon New York earlier this year, where I explored how AI is transitioning from feature to engine . Opticon London reinforced that thinking, but with added urgency and clarity. 

At the heart of Optimizely One sits Opal—not as a bolt-on AI feature, but as the intelligent infrastructure powering the entire platform. Whilst other vendors scramble to add AI capabilities to existing architectures, Optimizely has fundamentally reimagined what's possible when AI becomes the engine rather than the enhancement.

The demonstrations in London showcased something we're seeing accelerate across our client base: marketing operations that don't just move faster, but operate autonomously. Specialised AI agents handling research, content creation, experimentation, and optimisation—not in sequence with human handoffs, but concurrently, continuously, and intelligently.

This isn't incremental improvement. This is the paradigm shift we've been anticipating.

The Opportunity (and the Challenge)

 Here's where things get interesting for Optimizely customers.

As of this announcement, all Optimizely Opal customers now receive 200 free credits monthly. That's a significant commitment from Optimizely and a genuine opportunity to experiment with AI-driven marketing operations at scale.

But—and this is critical—we're hearing three consistent questions from clients:

"We don't have a solid AI strategy in place yet. Where do we even start?"

The gap between having access to powerful AI capabilities and knowing how to deploy them strategically is wider than most organisations realise. Your teams may understand the technology conceptually but lack the frameworks to implement it effectively within your specific business context.

"How does using Opal align with our organisation's AI policies and governance?"

For enterprises navigating regulatory requirements, data governance, and brand safety concerns, deploying AI tools isn't just a technical decision—it's an organisational one. You need clarity on how Opal integrates with your existing AI governance frameworks, what data considerations exist, and how to maintain appropriate oversight. 

"What's the commercial model, and how do we forecast our investment?"

Those 200 free credits are generous, but what happens when your usage scales? Understanding the commercial implications—how credits are consumed, what different use cases cost, how to model ROI—is essential before you commit to AI-driven operations at scale.

These aren't just reasonable questions. They're the right questions. And they're precisely why we're launching our Opal Enablement Programme.

 How We Can Help: Free Opal Enablement Workshops

We're offering 10 complimentary Opal enablement workshops designed specifically for Optimizely customers navigating this transition.

These aren't product demonstrations or sales pitches. They're hands on, strategic working sessions where we'll help you:

- Develop your AI strategy: 

Map how Opal's capabilities align with your business objectives and operational priorities

-Creating true differentiation: 

Exploring how we create competitor standout through your use of AI

- Navigate governance and compliance: 

Understand how Opal integrates with your organisational AI policies and data governance frameworks

- Model the commercial implications:

Build realistic forecasts for credit consumption, understand cost drivers, and calculate potential ROI

- Identify quick wins: 

Pinpoint specific use cases where Opal can deliver immediate value whilst building towards longer-term transformation

- Prepare your teams: 

Develop the skills and processes your organisation needs to orchestrate AI agents effectively

These workshops are limited to 10 places, and we're already seeing significant interest following Opticon London.

Register your interest here or email lorna.foott@26-dx.com directly.

Why This Matters Now

The organisations that will dominate the next era of marketing operations aren't waiting for perfect clarity. They're experimenting intelligently, building AI literacy across their teams, and preparing their processes for autonomous execution.

The 200 free credits Optimizely is offering aren't just a generous trial—they're a runway for experimentation. But only if you have the strategic framework to use them effectively.

Two years from now, AI-powered marketing operations won't be a competitive advantage. They'll be table stakes for relevance. The organisations making this transition thoughtfully now aren't just improving efficiency—they're fundamentally repositioning themselves for a market where intelligent infrastructure separates leaders from laggards.

The Engine Revolution Has Begun

If you're watching the DXP and CMS space—or wondering how AI will reshape marketing operations—now is the time to lean in. 

The gap between what marketing teams need and what current platforms deliver has never been wider. Teams are drowning in operational complexity whilst AI capabilities that could solve those problems are advancing exponentially.

Optimizely's Opal represents the first serious attempt to close that gap at enterprise scale. And Opticon London made it abundantly clear: we're witnessing the moment when AI stops being a feature and becomes the engine that drives everything else.

The question isn't whether this transition is coming. The question is whether your organisation will be ready when it arrives.

Want to explore what's possible? Register for a complimentary Opal enablement workshop or contact lorna.foott@26-dx.com

To read more about why this engine shift matters more than most realise, the questions you should ask when evaluating AI-driven platforms, and how early adopters are already seeing exponential advantages, read my full analysis here