20.7
22.4
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23.4
M
1
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The focus on tech/AI within my role has increased over the past 12 months
%
58.7
CMO
YuLife
Lauren Berkemeyer
Like anything that becomes very trendy to talk about, it can [distract from] some of the more important, foundational aspects of building a really high-performance team and high-growth marketing engine.
CMO
Kingsley Napley
Leor Franks
If we’re giving all of that basic work to AI, which will do it quickly and efficiently and probably better than a junior member of staff, how do we train the next generation of managers or directors or CMOs? That is a worry.
CMO
Checkout.com
Rory O’Neill
I personally don’t think that people will lose their jobs or their roles because of AI, but they might lose them to someone who understands AI better than them.
4. Leaning into AI
Knowledge of artificial intelligence is deemed a more critical skill for B2B marketers than an understanding of data and analytics or cross-functional collaboration.
Knowledge about artificial intelligence has emerged as the most in demand skill for B2B marketers over the next three years, over and above understanding data and analytics, cross-functional collaboration and an appreciation of performance marketing.
As a result, more than half of respondents say the focus on tech/AI within their role has increased over the past 12 months, while over 80% believe an understanding of AI is more important than it was three years ago.
Regardless of seniority or the size of business a marketer works in, understanding AI is considered the most critical skill for marketers going forward. Well over half (58.2%) of CMOs, marketing directors and vice-presidents, for example, say gaining insight into artificial intelligence will be the most critical skill for B2B marketers over the next three years.
By contrast, just 18.8% of respondents cite understanding financial reporting as a key skill, despite almost half (45.5%) saying making the case for marketing investment is 'difficult' or
'very difficult'.
Under a quarter (23.9%) of senior marketers rate knowledge of financial reporting as a crucial skill B2B marketers should develop over the next three years, which drops to 16.7% of managers and 12.6% of their junior colleagues.
• Some in the industry believe understanding AI is a must for marketers, in large part so they can control the narrative around it. For many brands, experiments with AI are still in their infancy and it is important to navigate around the hype. Convening groups across the team to share their experiences of working with AI can help keep everyone included.
57.4
%
84.5
%
Understanding of AI will be a critical skill for B2B marketing leaders over next three years
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An understanding of AI is more important than it was three years ago
Lessons
%
Having a seat on the C-suite would help me secure investment
%
If would be easier to secure investment if the CEO and CFO were not solely fixated on ROI
%
If the CEO and CFO understood marketing metrics it would be easier to gain investment
• Experimentation is key, but within the parameters you set out as a brand. It might be a business sees the value in AI for generating short-form content and helping marketers become more efficient, while others report seeing creative benefits. Whatever the approach, the advice is to experiment to find solutions that make a genuine impact on your business.
• Marketers should be realistic about the use cases for AI and not get swept up in seeing it as the solution for every problem. Nor should they lose sight of other key skills such as data analysis, collaboration or financial fluency in their pursuit to master AI. Given the importance being placed on AI, upskilling the entire team will be key.
Marketers on meeting the AI challenge