Understanding generative AI's use cases, opportunities, and risks is the top AI investment priority for media CMOs worldwide, cited by 34% of respondents, according to a January report from Dentsu.

42% of UK/US B2B tech CMOs say declining performance from traditional search channels is driving them to adapt for generative engine optimization (GEO) and zero-click search, tied with the 42% who say AI is changing how buyers discover and evaluate brands, according to a December report from 3Thinkrs.

Omnicom’s IPG deal reshapes agency power dynamics, causing CMOs to eye independent agencies and new talent.

Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and allow Sora users to create short-form videos featuring more than 200 Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters. User-generated material opens a new potential spigot of low-cost content for Disney+, which is under increased pressure to compete with YouTube. The move marks a major shift for a conglomerate that has historically held its IP close to the chest.

What CMOs say they expect to gain from AI: Efficiency and cost savings top the list of perks the industry hopes to gain from the disruptive tech.

The news: AI is revolutionizing the way social media managers (SMMs) work, but spending on the tools is surprisingly low. 73% of SMMs, content creators, entrepreneurs, and marketers use AI, per Metricool’s 2025 State of AI in Social Media report. Two-thirds create at least half their content with it. Over half (52%) spend nothing on AI tools each month, and only 8% spend over $50 per month. Our take: Failing to monitor AI’s benefits and limitations could hinder teams’ ability to optimize content or justify investment to higher-ups. CMOs should recognize that adoption alone is not a strategy: Tie outputs to performance data, invest in secure tools, and incentivize teams to move beyond surface-level use to capitalize on AI’s potential.

The summer boom for marketing interns was more of a thud: A report found that the number of ad industry internships has sharply declined since 2022.

Major creators will hold event to vie for YouTube ad dollars: The Spotter Showcase will unveil crucial data and content slates to draw marketers away from traditional TV.

27% of CMOs are hesitant to adopt AI, but the tide is changing: CMOs without any implementation plans risk falling behind high-performance companies.

AI is popular in the workforce, but marketers should remain cautious: Despite massive adoption, overuse could still fracture consumer trust.

CMOs are under increasing pressure to drive measurable business growth. Success requires more than marketing expertise—it takes strategic leadership to build AI-powered ecosystems, align data and technology, and improve consumer experiences for better marketing ROI.

As cookies face an uncertain future, marketing leaders have shifted away from creating data-gathering strategies and are exploring how to better utilize the data they have. In February 2022, 58.3% of CMOs said their company had created a stronger data strategy to capture better information, compared with 41.9% who said the same in September 2024. In addition, fewer CMOs are offering customers incentives to provide access to their data (down more than 8 percentage points).

In 2024, social will move from being a siloed, ancillary tactic to a core part of the marketing mix. And as more companies recognize the value of culture and community in driving conversions, creators will also shape more marketing plans.

Marketers across industries still need to produce impactful campaigns despite having fewer resources and increased scrutiny on ad spend. To meet business goals and stretch ad dollars, marketers should stay hyper-focused on customer acquisition and meeting audiences where they are.

In a recent survey, 85% of CMOs agreed that being able to make data-driven decisions is a critical competitive advantage. Yet, most CMOs today also happen to be drowning in marketing data.

Thirty-five percent of CMOs today want to expand their relationships across the C-suite. This is just one of their priorities over the next 12 months.

In 2022, digital ad spending will grow across all B2B industries. Despite the pandemic and ongoing economic uncertainty, B2B marketers will devote an increasing share of their budgets to digital through 2024.

Marketing technology is the most important and difficult purchasing decision. CMOs rely on marketing technology to justify investment, navigate privacy regulations, and prove revenues have grown.

B2B content marketers rely on campaigns, plans, and calendars—but none of these equate to a marketing strategy. Simply producing more content can affect the quality and dilute messaging, draining overall value.

CMOs grapple with challenges of data growth: Survey of marketing execs shows split sentiment on whether increased volume and sophistication of data hurts or hampers creativity.