Only 27% of CMOs have fully integrated AI into marketing workflows despite 94% viewing it as a growth enabler.

A new global study by IBM’s Institute for Business Value reveals a widening gap between aspiration and execution in AI-powered marketing. While 94% of high-performing Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) see artificial intelligence as a key driver of business growth, only 27% have successfully embedded AI into their daily marketing operations.

The study, titled “Beyond Agility: Marketers Unlock the Power of AI,” surveyed more than 1,900 CMOs across 75 countries and 26 industries. The findings point to a growing recognition of AI’s potential in areas such as personalized customer engagement, real-time analytics, and marketing automation—but also highlight persistent roadblocks in martech infrastructure, data silos, and AI talent acquisition.

AI Adoption Remains Uneven

CMOs leading financially outperforming companies—classified as "growth drivers" in the report—are 59% more likely to invest in AI tools than their peers. These marketing leaders are actively deploying AI to enhance customer experiences, generate content, and improve decision-making.

Yet despite enthusiasm, scaling AI across marketing functions remains a challenge. Just over one in four CMOs surveyed report successful integration of AI into workflows. The gap reflects operational issues such as fragmented martech ecosystems and a lack of collaboration with tech and data teams.

Data-Driven Marketing Rises in Priority

Among the growth-driven CMOs:

• 46% use real-time insights powered by AI to optimize campaign performance.
• 37% employ AI for delivering large-scale personalization.
• Predictive analytics, customer segmentation, and generative AI tools are emerging as top use cases.

However, many marketing teams continue to face barriers in accessing unified data, aligning Martech tools, and deploying AI at scale. Siloed systems and outdated infrastructure often hinder real-time execution and personalization.

Skills and Strategy: The Missing Links

The talent gap in AI and data science remains a top concern. CMOs say that while they recognize the strategic value of AI, a lack of skilled professionals within their teams limits effective deployment. Additionally, cross-functional alignment with CTOs and CIOs is critical but often lacking.

IBM suggests that marketers adopt a "test, learn, and scale" model, starting with smaller AI initiatives before expanding organization-wide. Upskilling internal teams and modernizing martech stacks are also recommended to unlock AI's full potential.

Martech Outlook: From Potential to Performance

As AI becomes central to marketing strategy, the pressure is mounting on CMOs to move beyond experimentation and deliver measurable business outcomes. According to the report, those who succeed in embedding AI at scale will be better positioned to drive innovation, customer loyalty, and sustainable growth.

The findings align with broader trends in the martech ecosystem, where automation, personalization, and data-driven decision-making are rapidly becoming non-negotiable capabilities.