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As we reflect on 2024, the conversation around artificial intelligence has evolved significantly. The sensationalist headlines about AI taking over the world have toned down a notch and we're seeing a more nuanced understanding emerge. AI is a strategic tool that requires thoughtful implementation and clear business objectives to deliver real value.
While last year's discussions centered on whether businesses should adopt AI, this year's focus has shifted to how organizations can implement AI effectively and sustainably. According to industry leaders, the key to success is not rushing to adopt every new AI tool but carefully selecting and implementing technologies that align with specific business goals and operational needs.
We spoke with several marketing leaders about their experiences with AI implementation and their vision for the future. Their insights reveal a maturing approach to AI adoption that emphasizes strategic integration over rapid deployment. This was consistent with the findings in our recent State of AI in Marketing research report, where we surveyed 500+ marketers.
In this post, we’ll share the findings from our research about AI and some insights from marketing leaders about how they plan to use AI in 2025.
In 2024, numerous free AI tools made a splash in the market, including ChatGPT, DALL-E 2, Lumen5, and NotebookLM. Marketers began experimenting with these to determine which use cases were the most helpful in their day-to-day operations. Once they zeroed in on the most impactful AI functions, they invested their marketing dollars accordingly. Our research found that these use cases are already paying dividends, with 93% of marketers reporting a positive experience with AI in the past year!
AI is no longer a nice-to-have for marketers as we move into 2025 — it’s a must-have. Our survey results showed that a whopping 89% of marketers plan to increase their investment in AI this year — that shouldn’t be hard to believe, with so many reporting positive experiences in 2024. Marketers who fail to embrace this new technology will miss out on the efficiency gains their peers are experiencing, causing them to fall behind the competition.
The shift from viewing AI as a collection of point solutions to seeing it as a strategic capability was a common theme among the marketing leaders we spoke to. They're looking for AI to not only analyze past performance but to help predict future trends and illuminate new opportunities.
Elliot Johnson, CMO of Angel Reyes & Associates, describes how his approach to AI has evolved. "In the past, I've used AI fractionally and through embedded features in third-party marketing tools,” said Johnson. “Moving forward, we plan to integrate AI with our core marketing technology platforms and workflows." Johnson sees AI's potential expanding beyond simple task automation to become a central data governance and enrichment component.
Tim Mogler, Senior Segment Marketer at Mutual of Omaha is likewise increasing his use of AI in 2025. “We recently verified that Invoca’s AI model had an accuracy rate of 95%,” said Mogler. “That gave us the confidence we needed to expand our use of it — we’ve since deployed it to help with our Google Ads bidding strategy and to measure the quality of the phone leads we purchase from vendors. It’s helping us maximize the impact of our media budget and prove our results.”
The enthusiasm for AI remains high, but leaders are increasingly focused on practical implementation challenges. Chris Pace, Senior Director of Digital Marketing at Banner Health, emphasizes the importance of problem-first thinking. "Using technology for the sake of using technology is going to be a fool's errand,” said Pace. “Instead, think about use cases where it takes a lot of time to do something that has a perceivably small impact. That’s where AI can shine."
Mike Umbenhauer, Director of Acquisition Experience at DIRECTV, suggests creating clear guidelines for AI use. “Defining the role of AI in a marketer's day to day is very important,” said Umbenhauer. “I recommend creating a RACI on what AI will be used for, who will engineer the prompts and receive the outputs, and where the use of AI should stop."
As marketing leaders look ahead to 2025, several critical factors emerge for successful AI implementation:
The message from industry leaders is clear: AI's value lies not in its novelty but in its ability to drive meaningful business outcomes. As we head into 2025, organizations that take a thoughtful, strategic approach to AI implementation will be best positioned to reap its benefits while avoiding costly missteps.
The future of AI in business isn't about replacing human workers or chasing the latest trends. Instead, it's about finding the right balance between artificial intelligence and human expertise, using each where they're most effective to drive better results and create more value for customers and organizations alike.
Want to learn more about how marketing leaders are using AI in 2025? Check out these resources:
