The news: AI is becoming more embedded across marketing departments, with significant growth expected in areas like customer service and strategic planning.

According to Boathouse, AI integration in marketing strategy has more than doubled in two years, climbing from 28% in 2023 to 63% in 2025. Adoption has also surged in customer service and analytics, with 74% of US CEOs now reporting AI use in both areas—up from 52% and 65%, respectively.

At the same time, foundational tools that support AI-driven operations dominate today’s tech stacks. Per Twilio, customer relationship management (63%), customer analytics (58%), and customer data platforms (52%) are among the most commonly used solutions globally. These same categories are also receiving fresh investment, suggesting continued momentum.

Why it matters: This acceleration of AI use in marketing is triggering changes across tech stacks and budget allocation. Data management platforms, customer engagement platforms, and marketing automation tools are among the top investment priorities this year, according to Twilio. That reflects a shift toward systems that enable faster activation of insights and improved personalization at scale.

Marketers are also planning to pour more money into digital channels well-suited for AI-enabled targeting, creative testing, and performance optimization. Per Nielsen, 29% of global marketing professionals plan to increase social media spending by more than 50% in the next year, with strong gains expected in video, display, search, and CTV, as well.

Our take: The marketing tech stack is being rebuilt around AI-readiness, leading to a redistribution of resources toward systems that capture and act on customer data in real time. But the rise in investment isn’t just about tech—it also reflects a deeper change in how marketers think about speed, personalization, and measurement.

As AI adoption grows, the gap will widen between organizations that embed these tools into decision-making and those that treat them as bolt-ons.