Artificial intelligence will redefine CMOs’ role over the next two years, research finds

Artificial intelligence is expected to significantly change the work of marketing directors over the next two years. According to a Gartner survey conducted between August and October 2025 with 402 marketing leaders from North America and Europe, 65% of the CMOs interviewed agreed with this forecast.

However, the study, released in February 2026, reveals a gap between the expected impact and professionals’ preparedness. Only 32% of CMOs said that significant changes would be needed in their profile and skill set.

How artificial intelligence can change the way we work

The transformation goes beyond text or image generation. Generative AI tools are already being used for data analysis, market research, content creation, campaign personalization, and report preparation.

With the advancement of so-called AI agents—systems capable of executing sequences of tasks with less human intervention—these solutions are also on marketing teams’ radar.

This may displace part of the professionals’ work. Instead of spending most of their time on operational execution, teams may need to define goals, review results, and decide how the technology will be applied.

A marketing campaign is a case in point. AI can help produce different versions of a message, analyze performance data, and identify behavior patterns. However, the decision about audience, positioning, and business goals still depends on the business context.

The challenge is not just learning tools

A study by the IBM Institute for Business Value, published in 2025, reinforces this difficulty. Among the CMOs interviewed, 65% said that professionals with knowledge of AI are important to achieve priority goals, but only 21% said they had the necessary talent for the next two years.

The research also identified a gap in creating rules for the use of technology. Only 22% of organizations had established clear guidelines for automated decisions made by AI.

This means that the transformation involves more than knowing commands or tools. Professionals need to understand how to evaluate results, identify limitations, and establish criteria for using AI systems.

AI also changes the skills that are valued

The change in marketing is accompanied by a broader transformation in the job market. A LinkedIn report on recruitment showed that 73% of talent acquisition professionals interviewed believe that AI will change the way companies hire.

Among professionals who have already experimented with or integrated generative AI into recruitment, the technology reduced an average of 20% of weekly work time. The time saved can be directed to activities considered more strategic, such as candidate evaluation and relationship building.

The movement indicates an important change: AI does not act only on tasks, but also on the combination of skills expected in certain roles.

For marketing professionals, this may involve knowledge of data analysis, automation, strategy, evaluation of AI-produced content, and understanding of model limitations.

What professionals can learn from this change

The Gartner research also points out that the gap between the expected impact and leaders’ preparedness may become relevant for organizations. The company predicts that by 2027, lack of AI literacy will be among the top three reasons for replacing CMOs in large companies. This is a Gartner forecast, not an observed fact about actual replacements that have occurred.

For those in the job market, the scenario reinforces the importance of understanding technology beyond one-off experimentation. Useful knowledge includes:

• identifying tasks that can be automated;
• creating and evaluating prompts;
• critical analysis of model responses;
• using AI for research and productivity;
• care for data, privacy, and confidential information;
• understanding the impacts of automation on processes.

The trend also appears in other areas. In recruitment, for example, LinkedIn identified an increase in demand for AI-related skills, while at the same time placing greater importance on skills such as communication, relationship building, and adaptability.

The transformation predicted by CMOs, therefore, does not depend solely on the arrival of new tools. It involves changes in processes, responsibilities, and the skills required of professionals. For the next two years, the main trend pointed out by research is the increasing integration between professional knowledge and the use of AI.