Three days. Thousands of marketers. Countless ideas.
Last week, I attended INBOUND, HubSpot’s marketing and sales conference, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. I spent three days listening and speaking to some of the best marketers and AI leaders in the world. The speaker lineup included everyone from SNL star and podcast host Amy Poehler to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to HubSpot’s Yamini Rangan and Dharmesh Shah, YouTube creator Marques Brownlee, CEO and Co-Founder of Perplexity, Aravind Srinivas and the host of Hot Ones, Sean Evans and so many more.
While AI dominated the conversations, one theme kept coming up: people are craving real, human interaction.
Here are some of the things I learned during my time at INBOUND.
It’s Not You vs. AI. It’s What You Can Do With AI.
INBOUND 2025 kicked off with a keynote from HubSpot’s CEO, Yamini Rangan. She explained that AI is forcing us to rethink everything, human value, roles and the future of work. AI isn’t just a tool, it’s a teammate. The future of work is hybrid, with humans and AI working side by side to move faster and work smarter.
Rangan said that 60% of Google searches now end without a click. With AI overviews answering questions directly, brands need to show up as part of the answer. But brands also need to develop a strong voice to stand out in such a crowded market.
“AI needs a point of view, and that is the point of you,” said Rangan.
In his talk AI to the Power of You, HubSpot Co-Founder Dharmesh Shah encouraged attendees to stop asking “Where is AI going?” and instead ask, “Where are you going, and how can AI help you get there?”
Dario Amodei, the CEO and Co-Founder of Anthropic, explained on the second day of INBOUND that AI is evolving at an exponential rate, faster than any technology wave before it. Anthropic has gone from zero to billions in revenue in just a few years, and Amodei believes that within the next one to three years, AI could surpass human knowledge, make scientific discoveries and transform industries like medicine and business. He stressed the importance of safety and trust when it comes to AI. Listening to all three, I kept thinking about how this mirrors the conversations we’re already having at Noble Studios. We’re focused on using AI in a transparent way to make work better and more efficient for our clients, so we can spend more time on strategy and creativity.
“How do you leverage AI without taking away creativity and authenticity? Those will be the marketers who win.” Kimberly Storin, CMO at Zoom, said in a session titled From Lead to Loyalty: Is B2B Too Obsessed With The Funnel.
The Introduction of Loop Marketing
HubSpot announced its new Loop Marketing at INBOUND 25. This is a new growth playbook designed for the AI era. The typical funnel no longer works the way it used to. Buyers aren’t moving neatly from awareness to conversion to decision. Instead, buyer journeys are longer, more complex, and scattered across more channels than ever before.
Unlike a funnel, the loop is dynamic and always learning. It meets customers where they are, uses AI to personalize at scale, and treats every interaction as an opportunity to improve.
The Loop has four stages:
- Express – Define your brand identity, tone and point of view. Lock in your positioning and make sure your messaging stays consistent.
- Tailor – Personalize at scale. Go beyond “Hi [First Name]” by creating contextual, relevant experiences based on real customer signals.
- Amplify – Show up where your audience spends time, from TikTok and podcasts to AI-powered search. Every channel matters.
- Evolve – Iterate quickly. Instead of running six-month campaigns, use AI to measure, predict and adapt in real time. Every loop makes the next one smarter.
Storytelling That Builds Trust in the Age of AI
One of my favorite sessions I went to was led by Bryetta Calloway, Founder & CEO of Stories Seen. In her session, “The Science of Visibility: Storytelling That Builds Trust,” she emphasized that stories are how brands stand out.
With trust on the decline and markets flooded with sameness, marketers need to be connecting on an emotional level. According to Calloway, audiences are 3X more likely to trust a brand that blends logic with empathy, and 55% more likely to buy if they actually love the story. Facts inform, but stories are what inspire action. She explained that in a world where AI-generated content is everywhere, storytelling is what cuts through the noise. People don’t want to feel like they’re being sold to; they want to feel seen. They want to be the protagonist in their own story. This felt very aligned with the B2P (Business-to-People) approach we have at Noble, helping brands connect with audiences in authentic, human ways.
INBOUND Fueled My Curiosity
This year’s Noble Studios theme is “Better Curiosity.” All year, we’ve been challenging ourselves to get curious and ask better questions. This was the topic of the CEO and Co-Founder of Perplexity, Aravind Srinivas, in his talk on the last day of Inbound titled “Curiosity at Work.”
He talked about how the people who are asking the best questions will be the ones who are going to succeed. Success is only limited by the questions you ask.
“The most curious teams are always going to be winning,” said Srinivas.
He explained that AI is good at providing answers, but people are the ones who ask the questions. This isn’t new. We’ve seen it throughout history. Some of the greatest inventions happened because someone asked if there was a different way to do things. The people asking the best questions are the ones who will succeed and change the world.
“Progress has always been made by people who are curious and asking if there’s a better way,” said Srinivas.
HubSpot Hot Ones With Sean Evans
Sean Evans is one of the best when it comes to asking good questions. As the host of the popular YouTube show Hot Ones and the owner of First We Feast (or, as he described himself, “a chicken wing talk show host of the highest dignity,”) he’s known for his thoughtful, unexpected and extremely well-researched questions.
On the final day of INBOUND, I watched him interview HubSpot Co-Founder Brian Halligan while they tackled the famous Hot Ones challenge on stage. At one point, Halligan stopped mid-answer and asked, “How the hell even do you know that?” after Evans asked him about his mom leaving him cookies on his nightstand as a kid.
That’s the power of asking better questions. They surprise, they connect and they open up real conversations. As marketers, those are the kinds of questions we should be asking our teammates and clients.
Making Meaningful Connections at INBOUND ’25
On the first day of INBOUND, I went to seven sessions (which is honestly too many sessions). But I felt like I wasn’t really connecting with other attendees. So I made a point to step outside my comfort zone and talk one-on-one with other attendees. I chatted with people while waiting in line for sessions, I explored the vendor activations and participated in INBOUND’s small group activities.
I attended a Spark Studio session, a small group exercise where each person came up with a business idea and the group picked one to develop further. This was a fun way to problem-solve right on the spot while connecting with new people. I also stopped by The Spot, which had a fun “college campus” activation with things like a class photo booth, bookmark decorating, board games and even a scavenger hunt where participants asked other attendees questions to earn swag.
I even took part in a Taylor Swift-focused Braindate, a 30-minute small group meet-up on how Taylor Swift impacts marketing strategy. Turns out, nothing breaks the ice faster than talking to other Swifties.
What I Learned at INBOUND ’25
As I wrapped up three days at INBOUND, I felt inspired and reassured. So much of what we’re already doing for our clients at Noble Studios is right in line with what was talked about at INBOUND. We’re embracing AI, leaning into our B2P approach and keeping our focus on creating meaningful connections.
Here are some of my takeaways from INBOUND:
- People buy from people. Use stories and emotion to connect with your audience, then back it up with data.
- Curiosity drives progress. The best teams ask the best questions.
- Every touchpoint matters. With longer buyer journeys, consistency and personalization can’t be an afterthought.
- Trust is everything. Facts inform, but stories inspire action.
Inbound 2025 reminded me that while the tools are changing faster than ever, the fundamentals of marketing haven’t really changed. It’s still about people, trust and making meaningful connections.
Want To Market Smarter in the Age of AI? Let’s Talk.
If you’re ready to rethink your marketing for the AI era without losing the creativity and authenticity that actually connect with people, let’s talk. At Noble Studios, we help brands embrace curiosity, build trust and create meaningful connections that drive real results.
Reach out to start a conversation.
