CroAI at Dani komunikacija: Your Next Customer Isn't Human Anymore, It's an AI Agent

At this year's Dani komunikacija in Rovinj, the CroAI association organized a highly attended panel discussion titled “Your Customer Isn’t Human Anymore”. The panelists opened one of the most critical questions of the moment for both the creative and tech industries: what happens when a human audience is no longer the only one making decisions, and that role is taken over by advanced AI agents?

Two Internets: One for Humans, Another for AI Agents

While the concept of artificial intelligence is widely known, AI agents are still a novel concept outside the tech sector. While ChatGPT currently only answers queries, AI agents go a step further—they autonomously execute complex tasks by browsing the web on behalf of the user.

Davor Aničić (Co-founder of Velebit AI and CroAI Board Member) pointed out that today's AI agents browse an internet that was primarily built for humans, which carries certain risks. His prediction is that in the future, we will witness a split into two separate internets—one optimized for machine-reading and AI agents, and another designed for humans, which will protect user integrity.

Explosive Growth in AI Traffic and New SEO Rules

Trends show that the impact of artificial intelligence on business is no longer just a theory. Andrej Tonković (Head of Sales at Arbona, and member of HURA & IAB Croatia) shared striking data: website visits originating from AI tools have grown by as much as 400%, while the number of users who reached e-commerce stores via ChatGPT and completed a purchase skyrocketed by an incredible 1,200%.

This shift directly impacts the digital presence of brands. Content optimization is no longer just about humans and traditional search engines; it is now about the AI systems that act as new intermediaries between a brand and its customers. Companies are advised to start setting up custom tracking channels within their analytics to monitor traffic coming from AI sources and to check what large language models actually know about their business.

Key Takeaways from the Panel:

• Algorithmic Gatekeepers: Marketing is no longer just a battle for human attention; it is about how to pass the filters of AI systems that select and screen information before a human ever sees it.

• Emotion vs. Efficiency: Although AI search drives pure efficiency, Tena Turčinović Barukčić (Marketing Project Manager at Solflare) emphasized that the final level of connection with the user still depends on the emotional strength of the brand itself.

• Two Paths of Automation: Companies are currently choosing between two paths—radical automation aimed at reducing headcount, or using AI technologies to empower existing teams and free them from repetitive tasks.

What Lies Ahead for the Media?

In the discussion moderated by attorney Stefan Martinić, the panelists also touched upon the future of media and journalism in a world where AI aggregates content. The conclusion was that despite major threats to media monetization, the need for authentic journalism and the protection of copyrighted content will never cease to exist, though it will require new legal and technological frameworks.

Given estimates that artificial intelligence doubles in capability every six months, the message from the Rovinj panel is clear: learning about AI agents and integrating them into business operations is no longer optional—it is the only way to survive in the market.