As artificial intelligence reshapes global markets, personalization has emerged as one of the most powerful drivers of growth, trust, and competitive advantage. At the Harvard Club of Boston, leaders and scholars gathered to explore what has been called “The $2 Trillion Personalization Prize”—the immense value created when organizations deliver truly personalized experiences at scale.
The event featured insights from Professor David C. Edelman (Harvard Business School), alongside industry leaders David Dintenfass and Paul Baier, highlighting how AI-enabled personalization is transforming customer engagement across industries—from healthcare and banking to technology, retail, and travel.
Drawing on research and real-world applications, the discussion reinforced a central message:
personalization is no longer a marketing tactic, but a strategic leadership imperative.
The framework presented emphasized five core promises of personalization:
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Empower Me – Deeply understand individual customer needs
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Know Me – Build trust and earn permission to use data responsibly
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Reach Me – Engage the right customer, in the right channel, at the right time
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Show Me – Deliver relevant, AI-enabled content at scale
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Delight Me – Continuously improve experiences so they feel effortless and meaningful
The session underscored that organizations delaying their personalization journey risk falling behind in an increasingly AI-driven economy. For CEOs and senior leaders, the real challenge lies not in understanding AI—but in executing personalization strategies that create trust, relevance, and long-term value.
As global competition accelerates, personalization stands out as one of the clearest examples of how technology, leadership, and human insight must converge to shape the future of business.
— Matthew Mustafa Gul
Editor-in-Chief, New York Business Excellence (NYBE)
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