According to a new report from Infosys, AI is taking the world of marketing by storm. The report, titled CMO Radar Report 2024reveals that almost all (96%) marketers are deploying AI in their businesses, but only 52% see business value in their investment.
The study, which expanded its scope by surveying 2,600 marketers across 14 industries, makes a compelling case for AI and those already taking the lead in its adoption.
In an interview with afaqs!, Balaji Sampath, Senior Vice President and Segment Head of Marketing at Infosys, pulled back the curtain on the new marketing landscape being radically reshaped by artificial intelligence.
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Balaji Sampath
The report identifies seven key marketing activities where AI is being adopted, including ad spend management, post-campaign insights and analytics, campaign planning and deployment, website or e-commerce personalization, tools and sales support repositories, chatbots and content creation.
The most striking revelation is the near-universal adoption of AI technologies. A staggering 96% of marketers have deployed AI in at least one of these marketing functions, and 73% of them are using the technology in multiple areas. Yet this widespread implementation tells a more nuanced story of technology integration.
“Only 13% of organizations are what we call ‘leaders’ in AI adoption,” notes Sampath. “The majority of them – around 60% – are in the “learners” quadrant. The report ranks organizations into three tiers based on their AI proficiency: leaders, learners and laggards.
“Banking, automobiles, telecom, retail, travel, hospitality and insurance are leading the way,” points out Sampath.
The growing role of CMOs
Industry developments are also having a tangible impact on the role of CMOs. “Around 62% of respondents clearly highlighted that marketing as a function directly influences their business strategy and growth,” reveals Sampath. This represents a fundamental reinvention of the marketing role, from creative gatekeeper to strategic facilitator.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents reported growing influence in technology decisions, business model innovation and customer experience design. “Today’s marketers need to be complete professionals,” emphasizes Sampath. “They need to understand how technology can amplify their capabilities, build better connections with customers and improve efficiency.”
Implementation challenges
Despite this optimistic outlook, significant challenges persist. Only 52% of organizations currently see tangible business value from their AI investments. “It’s part of the natural process of adopting technology,” notes Sampath. “There is an initial phase of enthusiasm, followed by a more measured approach to integration.”
Organizational culture, lack of management support, and an unclear vision or strategy are among the least significant barriers preventing the full integration of AI into marketing efforts. Interestingly, a growing number of organizations, including Eli Lilly, WPP, Coca-Cola and M&C Saatchi, have introduced roles such as Directors of AI or Directors of Generative AI to address these challenges.
The main obstacles include:
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Develop a complete 360-degree customer view
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Guarantee data confidentiality and security
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Create robust databases
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Integrating front-end marketing applications with back-end business systems
According to Sampath, three main areas will benefit from continued investment in AI. These include content creation, campaign management and performance marketing. To this end, Infosys also has its own Al-amplified marketing suite called Infosys Aster to help brands improve their marketing efforts.
Ethical considerations and responsible AI
“It is becoming extremely important to have responsible AI safeguards in place,” emphasizes Sampath. It also highlights the critical need for collaboration between CMOs, CIOs, legal teams and finance leaders.
“AI regulations not only change between countries, but also within countries,” he explains. “The partnership between CMOs and IT has never been more crucial than in today’s AI-driven world.”
As organizations continue to expand in this area, the message is clear: technological adaptation is no longer optional. The most successful marketing leaders will be those who know how to combine technological innovation and deep human knowledge, creating more personalized, more effective and more meaningful customer experiences.
“Ultimately,” Sampath notes, “marketers who adopted AI in more than five marketing activities saw significantly higher returns than those who adopted AI in fewer marketing activities .”
