In boardrooms from Mumbai to New York, artificial intelligence is blurring the once-clear divide between marketing chiefs and technology chiefs. Senior executives say AI is not just a buzzword but a driving force that forces CMOs (chief marketing officers) and CTOs (chief technology officers) to rework who calls the shots. Industry surveys show almost universal acceptance: 99% of Indian executives now view generative AI as vital for business success, and 83% of Indian firms have even added a “chief AI officer” role to fast-track AI projects. Under pressure to leverage AI for growth and efficiency, CMOs are rushing to adopt AI-driven marketing tools, while CIOs and CTOs increasingly control the technology and data budgets. This shift is prompting CMOs to get more technical and CTOs to focus more on customer-centric outcomes to share power and ownership of AI initiatives.
Global marketing conglomerates are already riding the AI wave. WPP, the world’s biggest ad agency, has built an internal AI lab led by Chief AI Officer Daniel Hulme, and its CEO Mark Read says generative tools can cut campaign costs “10 or 20 times”. In India, WPP teamed with Mondelez (Cadbury) on an AI-driven Diwali campaign, using AI to customize 130,000 local-store ads featuring Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. Another example is Nestlé. Its global CMO Aude Gandon reports that AI engines can answer campaign briefs “with great ideas… fully on brand and on strategy,” supplying creative inspiration that human teams then polish. These cases illustrate how AI is shifting the marketing playbook and why marketing chiefs must become fluent in tech while technology leaders learn the language of branding and customers.
Even as consumer brands experiment with AI-powered content, research shows a tug-of-war over who “owns” AI in the enterprise. A Capgemini survey finds that more than 55% of AI projects are currently funded and controlled by IT and tech teams, not marketing. Less than 40% of CMOs today control their own martech budgets, meaning CIOs and CTOs are effectively reining in marketing’s decision-making power. In practical terms, IT departments often pick the AI platforms and data architectures, while marketing still bears the results responsibility. The result is friction. Marketing leaders feel hamstrung if they lack direct control of data or infrastructure. One industry analysis bluntly concludes that power has “quietly shifted toward CIOs and IT teams,” forcing CMOs to operate “with one hand tied” unless roles are realigned.
This trend is global. Leading consulting firms note that an “AI-first CMO” must now partner closely with the CTO to break down silos. A Boston Consulting Group report says AI is “redefining marketing as a growth engine and repositioning the CMO as a chief growth architect.” In practice, the AI-savvy CMO will co-create a martech stack with the CTO so that demand signals and customer data flow directly into company strategy. BCG advises CEOs to support CMOs expanding beyond traditional roles, for example by co-owning technology budgets and data governance, so that marketing and technology leaders can unlock value together.
In India, companies are aggressively restructuring to cope with AI. An AWS study reports that 83% of large Indian enterprises now have a Chief AI Officer, with another 15% planning to appoint one by 2026. These AI executives often report to the C-suite and coordinate projects across marketing, sales and IT. The same report finds 98% of Indian firms are using generative AI tools and 95% are actively experimenting with them, while 43% say AI is fully integrated into workflows. Not surprisingly, CEOs and CTOs often spearhead these initiatives. AWS notes that most generative AI programs are led by CEOs, CTOs and innovation officers. Indian CMOs themselves recognize that technology modernization is now a key part of their agenda. An IBM industry study found that 63% of Indian CMOs are directly accountable for profitability and over half for revenue growth, and many list technology modernization and AI integration as top priorities. Yet that same study reveals a capability gap. Only 44% of CMOs feel ready to integrate advanced AI, and just 26% believe they have the talent to do it. This disconnect, high expectation and low preparation, has created a mandate to realign CMO and CTO duties in AI projects.
Indian business leaders echo the need for that new alignment. In consumer and retail sectors, marketing heads say they must speak the language of data and algorithms. Gaurav Mehta, Chief Marketing Officer at Noise, observes that “the emergence of a Chief AI Officer… signifies a concentrated effort towards AI’s potential,” and argues that today’s CMOs “must now be tech-savvy and data-driven and speak the language of algorithms and insights.” He adds, “Understanding technology, data analytics, and AI-driven insights is no longer optional; it’s essential for navigating the digital era and steering brands towards the future.” Similarly, Vanda Ferrao, CMO of WOW Skin Science, believes CMOs should embrace AI as an imperative, not a perk. “For CMOs, embracing technology and AI isn’t just a plus; it’s an imperative for driving success in the digital age across various business functions.”
Technology leaders in India are also adapting. Future Generali India Life Insurance has both a CMO and a Chief AI Officer focusing on marketing outcomes. Its CMO Geetanjali Chugh Kothari notes that the CAIO role exists “to align AI capabilities with marketing goals, thereby enhancing the precision and effectiveness of marketing campaigns.” She stresses that the CMO must become an orchestrator, integrating AI into every customer touchpoint. “The CMO acts as the orchestrator of this collaborative effort,” Kothari explains, ensuring “AI initiatives align with broader business objectives and effectively harness the expertise of diverse teams.” In practice, insurers and banks are using AI to optimize pricing, tailor customer journeys and automate service, forcing marketing and tech teams to work hand in glove. Even established manufacturers are getting on board. TVS Motor recently named Mahesh Calavai as Chief AI Officer, signaling that Indian engineering firms now vie for AI talent as fiercely as startups do.
Data on budgets and authority underline the shift. Globally, CMOs report marketing budgets around 5 to 7% of revenue, and often flat or shrinking despite the AI imperative. In fact, one study notes marketing budgets have shrunk to just about 5% of company revenue, even as CMOs are expected to deliver more results. With limited funds, CMOs find many AI and analytics investments falling under IT or shared digital transformation budgets. In India too, CIOs and CTOs are lifting the lion’s share of AI spending. Gartner projects Indian IT spend will reach $160 billion in 2025, driven by AI-related software and infrastructure. A bulk of these funds flow through IT channels. Meanwhile, Indian CMOs say they are upping their own spending on AI in marketing. For example, one insurance marketer reports reinvesting savings from AI-driven automation back into personalized customer experiences.
These trends have prompted some firms to rethink org charts. A common solution is to create joint governance for AI and data. MarketingAI Institute research indicates that 98% of marketers now use AI in some way, but many lack full understanding of it. Companies are forming cross-functional AI councils or centers of excellence that tie marketing goals to IT execution. In India’s tech startups and digital-first companies, it is increasingly typical for the CMO and CTO to share KPIs and even meet regularly. As one media executive put it in a 2018 panel, “ten years ago, the marketing head also needed to wear the content hat and the tech hat… the CTO… therefore comes in as a stakeholder.” This observation highlights that success now depends on coordinated workflows, not isolated silos.
Even legacy organizations in non-IT sectors are being pulled along. In FMCG and retail, executives note that AI can transform customer targeting and supply chains alike. Indian retail giants are piloting AI-powered pricing and loyalty models, often led by their analytics teams under CTO oversight. In banking and insurance, AI-driven credit scoring and risk models increasingly involve both the CMO, for customer acquisition, and the CTO, for data integrity and algorithms. For example, Gartner has found Indian IT leaders are prioritizing AI investments in customer service, marketing and even legal compliance, blurring the line between product innovation and customer outreach.
The bottom line is that technology decisions and marketing decisions are colliding. As marketing channels become software-driven, CMOs can no longer throw campaigns over the wall to IT, and as AI embeds into products and services, CTOs must account for customer impact. The historical pattern, CTOs owning tech and CMOs owning messaging, is giving way to co-ownership of digital strategy. CEOs and boards are responding. Many now demand that CMOs co-own AI budgets and that CTOs engage in revenue strategy discussions.
Indian business leaders stress the need for balance. Nalin Jain, CMO of Godrej Capital, notes that a CMO partnering with a CAIO can “bridge the gap between the technical aspects of AI and the human touch required in marketing.” Similarly, Alok Arya of Research & Ranking says CMOs must add creative human insight onto AI outputs. “CMOs must use strategic thinking to infuse human elements into marketing with AI creatively. Precise personalization requires agility and an understanding of the target audience.” These experts agree that when CMOs embrace AI literacy and CTOs embrace business strategy, the company wins. A recent study by Forrester suggests about 91% of marketers see AI boosting their efficiency and 93% say it helps organize their work, but only if CMOs and tech leaders align on goals.
In short, artificial intelligence is rewriting the rulebook of corporate power. Technology and marketing are converging into hybrid domains. Where once the CMO was the steward of consumer insight and the CTO the guardian of infrastructure, both must now act as joint stewards of data, algorithms and value creation. The power balance is shifting toward a partnership model. CMOs are expected to become growth architects with deep AI skills, and CTOs are expected to become architects of digital business models. Indian and global executives alike warn that this transition will not be smooth. As one commentator notes, “it’s much easier to think about all the jobs that will be disrupted than all the jobs that will be created.” But companies that get the CMO–CTO collaboration right will define marketing and competitive advantage in the AI era.
Disclaimer: All data points and statistics are attributed to published research studies and verified market research. All quotes are either sourced directly or attributed to public statements.
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