AI’s real power in sales automation with tech entrepreneur Rory Clark

Do you get the chills when you cold-call or email any new prospect? You’re not alone – that’s where AI now steps in to make the process feel like a warm hug with an old acquaintance. 

Today, sales and marketing professionals can lean on powerful automation tools that not only take the fear out of cold outreach but make it completely personalised, localised and that best reflects your values, tone and ideas. 

According to Rory Clark, founder of NeuralNet Chat, now is the time to pay attention to the demand in AI automation while we still are in AI’s infancy. 

Speaking with Azadeh Williams, managing director of AZK Media, Clark likened today’s AI moment to the early 2000s tech boom, when companies like Amazon and Facebook were just starting to take off.

“We’re at that dot-com moment again,” Clark says. “There are so many AI opportunities emerging daily, and businesses that act now will gain a huge competitive edge.”

Part 1: Azadeh Williams interviews Rory Clark on the topic of AI opportunities.

Why AI is changing the path for sales and marketing

AI’s core power lies in its ability to automate the grunt work – those repetitive, manual tasks that slow down productivity and creativity in sales teams.

Clark explains that technologies like agentic AI – AI models that can make autonomous decisions – are transforming the way companies operate by aggregating vast data sets, identifying prospects, and enabling salespeople to spend more time on strategy, storytelling and customer engagement.

This is the vision behind NeuralNet Chat’s tool, NeuralNet Leads. It scrapes live data from 15 different web sources and uses AI to generate hyper-personalised outreach. 

“We can find almost anyone, in any industry, and generate emails that feel tailored to their exact location and job role,” says Clark.

For example, a real estate agent in Parramatta or Brooklyn, New York, might receive an email referencing their work and location specifically – an approach that enhances relevance and trust right out of the gate. 

“People open those emails and think, ‘How do they know so much about me?’ That’s the reaction we want,” adds Clark.

Part 2: Azadeh Williams interviews Rory Clark about AI's power in sales automation.

From cold outreach to connection

In traditional sales funnels, building rapport in an authentic manner takes time. But NeuralNet Leads compresses this process by using contextual personalisation – making the recipient feel seen, not spammed.

This kind of hyper-localisation has clear value in high-volume outbound sales strategies, particularly across industries where relationship-building is essential. And while it starts with automation, Clark is quick to point out that the human element isn’t lost – it’s enhanced.

Can AI deliver authentic customer conversations?

One concern raised by Williams was whether AI can ever truly deliver authentic human interaction – especially when it comes to customer service and ongoing engagement.

Clark’s take is that authenticity doesn’t have to mean doing every step manually. 

“With prompt-based AI systems like ours, teams can refine messaging continuously. Nothing is set in stone – we’re always improving based on feedback and performance.”

Rather than relying on rigid scripts or generic templates, users can adjust AI-generated outreach as they go.

“AI gets smarter every day,” Clark adds. “And we’re using that intelligence to build more natural, human-sounding interactions.”

Part 3: Azadeh Williams interviews Rory Clark on the topic of AI and authentic human storytelling.

Cutting through the noise of "AI washing"

The conversation also turned to a growing frustration in the tech community: AI washing. This is when companies overstate or falsely claim to use AI, often to ride the wave of hype and attract customers or investors.

“AI washing is just a PR stunt, really,” Williams remarks – and Clark agrees.

“AI is a buzzword right now, and that makes it harder to stand out with genuine value,” says Clark. 

“A lot of tools are being labelled as ‘AI-powered’ when there’s barely any real AI behind them.”

To cut through the noise, Clark leans on his background in big brand marketing and behavioural psychology, integrating tried-and-tested strategies into his AI tools. 

“We’re not just building tech for tech’s sake. We’re creating marketing funnels that convert – backed by real insight into how people think and buy.”

Part 4: Azadeh Williams interviews Rory Clark on the subject of AI washing.

The future belongs to those who blend human storytelling and AI power

AI will never replace human connection – but it can amplify the impact of every interaction. From automating lead generation to scaling personalised outreach and enabling more strategic conversations, AI-powered sales tools are proving to be an asset rather than a threat.

As Clark puts it: “The companies that adopt AI now won’t look back. They’ll be glad they jumped in early.”

But that doesn’t mean chasing every trend. The future belongs to businesses that combine smart automation with authentic engagement, marketing savvy, and a strong understanding of their customer journey.

AI is here to stay (just like the internet) – but how you use it is going to make all the difference.

Authored by Jessica Phillips, Senior Social Media and Communications Specialist at AZK Media.

At AZK Media, we specialise in helping global technology companies and tech start-ups get noticed in new and emerging markets. We make driving your growth, our business. Contact us today to see how we can strengthen your expansion efforts.