A new global study titled Marketers and GenAI: Diving Into the Shallow End by SAS and Coleman Parkes Research reveals that while 90% of organizations plan to invest in generative AI [GenAI] for marketing by 2025, an equal percentage of CMOs admit they do not fully grasp the technology or its potential impact on business processes.
This lack of in-depth understanding among senior marketing decision-makers may be limiting the broader adoption of more advanced GenAI applications. These applications hold the potential to significantly enhance organizational efficiency, boost marketing effectiveness, and offer a sustained competitive advantage.
Beyond the Basics, AI in Marketing
Currently, 75% of marketers are utilizing GenAI in their daily tasks, putting marketing ahead of other business functions, including IT. However, many marketers are focusing on basic applications like copywriting, editing, and content creation. They are barely tapping into the broader possibilities AI offers. When it comes to more sophisticated marketing applications, the percentages are low:
18% use GenAI to build audiences
16% for customer journey mapping
14% for price optimization
19% for audience targeting
This limited use is problematic, as marketers report significant returns when they do employ GenAI. Benefits include improved personalization [92%], increased customer satisfaction and retention [89%], enhanced ability to process large data sets [88%], and greater accuracy in predictive analytics [88%].
Read Why SAS Leads in Customer Analytics Technologies
GenAI Potential Hindered by Lack of Understanding
“It’s no surprise that marketers lead in GenAI adoption, as the field encourages experimentation and creativity—key traits of marketing,” said Jenn Chase, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President at SAS. “However, the lack of AI understanding at the CMO and senior management level is hindering organizations from fully realizing the potential of this transformative technology. Education and training are vital, as GenAI can increase productivity, enhance customer experiences, and drive business growth.”
Looking ahead, marketers are optimistic about expanding GenAI usage in the next one to two years. Key areas of focus include saving time and costs [63%], improving risk management and compliance [62%], and more efficiently processing large data sets [60%]. Immersive technologies like adaptive virtual reality are also expected to grow, with one in five marketers anticipating their rise—three in ten among those who have fully adopted GenAI.
However, obstacles remain. In addition to a lack of strategic direction from CMOs, concerns about privacy and trust are significant. Sixty-one percent of marketers cite data security as their primary concern, with an equal number worried about data privacy. While a third of organizations have established comprehensive data governance frameworks, only one in ten have done so for GenAI. Among those that have fully implemented GenAI, four in ten still lack a comprehensive framework.
“A considerable gap exists between the potential of GenAI in marketing and what’s being achieved today,” said Jonathan Moran, Head of MarTech Solutions Marketing at SAS. “The research underscores the need for organizations to focus on education, enablement, and data governance. Addressing these gaps will help build consumer trust and maximize the potential of AI in enhancing marketing and customer experience.”
