Just two years ago, AI in marketing felt like a distant promise — something handled by specialized data science teams or experimental innovation hubs. Today, it’s front and center. Generative AI (gen AI) has democratized access to powerful capabilities, enabling marketers to create, optimize, and measure at a speed that was unimaginable just a few years back.
But while the tools are now widely available, the real competitive advantage lies in skills. The emergence of AI is reshaping not just the work marketers do, but the skills profiles of entire teams and leadership roles.
AI literacy is no longer a niche requirement — it’s a must-have.
At BrainHackathon, we see this a lot: enterprises that invest in AI skills are moving faster, experimenting more, and driving measurable results. Those that delay risk watching competitors leap ahead.
This article takes a closer look at the growing importance of AI skills for marketing teams, the new roles and responsibilities emerging, and — most importantly — how leaders can prepare their people for the future.
For years, marketers relied on corporate IT or data science departments to implement AI-driven solutions. That era is over. Gen AI tools are now directly accessible to marketing teams — requiring only basic data preparation and cloud access to start building useful applications.
This shift has given birth to a new role inside marketing departments: the AI marketing specialist. These are the professionals who combine data management skills with a deep understanding of marketing workflows. They can:
The rise of these specialists means marketing no longer waits in line for corporate tech.
Teams can build and launch AI-driven initiatives themselves — provided they have the right skills in-house.
👉 Tip: If you don’t yet have AI specialists on your marketing team, make it a 2025 hiring priority. Even a small number of embedded specialists can unlock exponential value.
Hiring trends confirm what many CMOs already feel: AI skills are in high demand. According to Indeed Hiring Lab, demand for AI-related skills in marketing nearly tripled between 2022 and 2023, outpacing most other competencies.
At the same time, marketing leaders report that two-thirds of their departments plan to recruit for AI-related roles this year. That’s a dramatic shift in how marketing teams are structured.
But here’s the nuance: it’s not just about hiring “AI experts.” The real premium lies in hybrid skills — marketers who understand brand, content, or performance marketing and can use AI tools effectively.
The real premium lies in hybrid skills — marketers who understand brand, content, or performance marketing and can use AI tools effectively.
👉 Tip: Don’t just look for data scientists. Look for marketers with curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to translate AI into campaigns, creative, and insights.
The most visible impact of Generative AI has been on routine tasks. Individual marketers use AI to:
These applications save time and reduce creative bottlenecks. But the real strategic shift comes when leaders embed AI into the operating model itself.
For CMOs, this means moving beyond “AI for productivity” toward “AI for growth.”
That involves:
In fact, 84% of senior marketing leaders now say they are directly involved in researching and recommending new technology tools, up from 70% in 2022 (MarTech Survey, 2024). Recent surveys show nearly 80% of marketers expect to increase investment in software tools, and marketing leaders are taking a more strategic role in researching and recommending tools.
👉 Tip: Treat AI selection and integration as a strategic leadership function, not a side project.
The half-life of skills in the AI era is short. What worked six months ago may already be outdated. That’s why continuous learning is the most valuable investment a marketing leader can make.
The best marketing teams are treating AI like a language: something that requires daily practice and fluency. They’re running internal hackathons, creating learning squads, and building safe sandboxes for experimentation.
The best marketing teams are treating AI like a language: something that requires daily practice and fluency.
👉 Tip: Make AI upskilling part of your culture. Give every marketer hands-on exposure to AI tools. Celebrate early experiments, even if they fail — because learning is the real ROI.
To make this practical, here’s a checklist for marketing executives:
✅ Baseline AI Literacy – Ensure every team member can use gen AI for research, drafting, and ideation.
✅ Creative Collaboration – Train teams to co-create with AI, not just automate. Run AI-driven creative tests.
✅ Storytelling with AI – Keep outputs authentic, amplify creator/community voices, and strengthen brand values.
✅ Tool Selection & Integration – Treat AI platform selection as a strategic function aligned with business KPIs.
✅ Personalization at Scale – Deliver the right message to the right audience at the right moment.
✅ Continuous Optimization – Focus on business outcomes (sales, LTV) and let AI adjust dynamically.
✅ Data Management – Specialists should be able to isolate, clean, and store datasets for AI applications.
✅ AI-Powered Analytics – Use predictive models to uncover intent, attribution, and incremental impact.
✅ Governance & Ethics – Embed transparency, bias checks, and disclosure into every AI workflow.
✅ Continuous Learning – Establish ongoing training, peer-sharing, and AI hackathons to keep skills fresh.
The rise of AI has permanently changed the skills equation in marketing. From individual productivity tools to embedded AI specialists, from automation to orchestration, the shift is underway.
For leaders, the lesson is clear: waiting for corporate IT or external agencies to deliver AI is no longer enough. The future belongs to teams that embed AI expertise directly into their own ranks, build hybrid skill sets, and learn continuously.
Waiting for corporate IT or external agencies to deliver AI is no longer enough.
At BrainHackathon, we believe marketing can be the AI laboratory of the enterprise — where experimentation meets execution and where the future of customer engagement is written. The winners will be those who navigate this transition with clarity, responsibility, and courage.
Now is the time to prepare your teams, recruit for skills, and build a culture of continuous AI learning. Because in the next wave of marketing, AI won’t just be an advantage — it will be the baseline.
