Contentful, in partnership with Atlantic Insights, released a study titled ‘When Machines Make Marketers More Human’, which challenges the idea that AI will replace marketing roles and instead shows how it enhances marketers’ creativity, impact, and effectiveness.
The report, based on surveys and interviews with hundreds of senior marketing leaders around the world, finds that “evidence-based creativity” is emerging as the defining capability of modern marketers. Whether on skills – 46% of respondents cited data analysis and interpretation as the top skill needed in the profession today – or on measuring efficacy – 34% of successful marketers define success according to strong performance metrics or ROI – it’s clear that data-driven marketing is only accelerating in the age of AI. The ability to combine human creativity with AI-driven insights is becoming essential to producing, testing, and scaling ideas with measurable impact.
Beyond creativity, the research highlights a broader evolution of the marketing skillset. A new generation of “full-stack marketers” is taking shape. They are fluent in creating AI-enabled workflows, writing effective prompts, navigating diverse technology stacks, and embedding AI tools into daily operations. Nearly half of marketers report using both AI copilots in productivity software (49%) and generative tools for content creation (48%), underscoring how quickly these tools are becoming part of the day-to-day workflow. Combined with growing expertise in digital experience design, personalization strategy, and governance, these capabilities signal a fundamental shift in what it takes to succeed in marketing today.
“There is a growing fear that AI will erase marketing jobs, but that concern is misplaced. The real risk is failing to use AI strategically,” said Elizabeth Maxson, Chief Marketing Officer, Contentful. “When marketers invest in the right tools that support their teams’ daily work and prioritize marketing talent that blends creativity with analytics, that’s when AI stops being hype and starts delivering meaningful results.”
“Marketing is a deeply creative industry, but there is an urgent need for marketers to start thinking more like engineers in order to keep pace with the rise in AI,” said Alice McKown, Publisher, The Atlantic. “Tomorrow’s most valuable marketing leaders won’t be defined as creative or analytical. They’ll be both.”
Key Findings from the Report
Evidence-based creativity is the new marketing superpower — and organizations are investing to get them there.
- The marketing skills that matter most today are data analysis and interpretation (46%) and digital experience design (40%), followed by personalization strategy (37%), and writing for AI tools (37%).
- 33% of marketers rank campaign testing and optimization as a top skill — reflecting a shift toward data-informed creative instincts.
- 45% of organizations are already offering AI training, a clear marker of organizational maturity.
The “Optimism-Execution Gap” reflects the chasm between AI’s potential and reality; ROI is still a work in progress.
- AI investment is a priority for marketers, with 74% investing in the technology and 34% allocating at least $500k toward AI marketing tools or initiatives over the next 12-36 months.
- Despite the investment, two-thirds of marketers say their current marketing technology stack isn’t helping them do more with fewer resources (yet).
- 89% of marketing teams are already using AI tools, but only 18% say it has reduced their reliance on developers or data teams
AI’s key opportunities and challenges differ by region, with Europeans prioritizing compliance and Americans focusing on rapid experimentation.
- EMEA marketers adopt a methodical, compliance-ready approach, with 58% selectively testing AI tools under a defined plan. Nearly a third (32%) emphasize governance skills such as brand voice, compliance and quality standards.
- U.S. marketers emphasize experimentation and rapid testing, with 37% focusing on campaign optimization (vs. 26% in EMEA). U.S. teams measure success by high content quality (45%) and flexibility (39%), while EMEA teams lean toward operational excellence and speed (43%).
To see how evidence-based creativity is a defining capability of modern marketers read the full report here.
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About the Report
Research from the report was conducted by Contentful in collaboration with Atlantic Insights, and included three primary components:
- Quantitative survey – 425 marketing decision-makers across industries, company sizes, and regions, executed by Cint.
- Diary studies – Ten-day live user testing with marketing professionals using AI tools in their real workflows, executed by Dscout. Participants completed eight activities, including content creation, campaign optimization, translation/localization, personalization, and A/B testing, while recording their screens and providing commentary.
- Subject matter expert (SME) interviews – In-depth interviews with Contentful executives, team leads, and partner organizations to contextualize quantitative findings and capture emerging best practices.
