At this point, we can all agree that marketing AI tools are here to stay. As this technology rapidly evolves, marketing teams find themselves in a sink-or-swim situation. Recent research reveals a stark reality — the AI skills gap is widening, and organizations that fail to invest in technology literacy will be left behind.
As a marketing team leader, it is up to you to ensure your team is maximizing these tools to their full potential. Let’s dig in!
The Current AI Skills Landscape
While marketers are accepting of AI technology, albeit a bit hesitantly at times, there is a skills gap that many teams are facing. According to the 2024 State of Marketing AI Report, 23% of marketers rate their understanding of AI terms and capabilities at a beginner level. Meanwhile, 64% of businesses believe that artificial intelligence will help increase their overall productivity. Thus, there is both a challenge and an opportunity for forward-thinking organizations.
The skills gap in AI marketing literacy stems from several key factors:
- Rapid technological advancement outpacing traditional learning methods
- Complex technical concepts that seem intimidating to non-technical marketers
- Limited accessible, practical AI training programs
- Fear of job displacement rather than viewing AI as an enhancement tool
Bottomline: Training is needed.
Recent research by McKinsey finds that for AI to be implemented successfully, “basic organization-wide training on responsible AI should be developed and rolled out to foment a broad understanding of the dynamics of inbound risk and how to engage with the technology safely.”
Preparing Your Marketing Team for the AI Shift
If your marketing team isn’t AI-ready, you risk falling behind competitors harnessing this transformative technology. Here’s how to bridge the skills gap and empower your team to succeed in the AI-driven era.
1. Upskill teams in AI tools and technologies
The foundation of AI readiness is education. Your team should understand how to effectively use AI tools and interpret their outputs. Here are a few tips to get you started on a training program:
- Start with the basics. Offer workshops or online courses on AI fundamentals tailored to marketing, such as tools for content creation, predictive analytics, and customer segmentation. If you don’t have the resources to create the courses yourself, platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and HubSpot Academy offer accessible courses.
- Invest in hands-on training. Encourage your team to experiment with AI-driven tools. Create a mock marketing project that they can use for testing tools. Real-world practice builds confidence and competence.
- Focus on data literacy. AI thrives on high-quality data. Train your team to collect, clean, and analyze data effectively, ensuring better results from AI-powered campaigns.
- Get the team involved. Designate team members as “AI champions” to mentor others and lead internal training initiatives.
- Create continuous learning programs. Teaching your team about AI tools isn’t a one-and-done thing. Help your team grow by establishing quarterly AI skill refresh sessions, creating internal knowledge-sharing platforms, and offering mentorship programs by pairing AI-savvy team members with those still learning.
2. Encourage cross-functional team involvement
Integrating AI into marketing isn’t just about adopting new tools — it’s about embedding them into broader strategies across the organization. Breaking down silos and opening up cross-functional collaboration is key to success. Creating teams that include members from various teams (marketing, IT, sales, customer service, etc.) ensures AI solutions align with business objectives.
Working together, these teams can evaluate where AI adds the most value and share successes, challenges, and insights with the greater organization.
When everyone is involved, it fosters a culture of innovation and continuous learning.
3. Ensuring AI training success
Before you create the programs, start by assessing your team’s current AI literacy and identifying training opportunities.
It’s critical to frame AI as a powerful collaborative tool — not a replacement. The most successful marketing teams will be those who view AI as an intelligent assistant, amplifying human creativity and strategic thinking.
“To create value, organizations must have all the elements in place — domain reimagining abilities; relevant skill sets (including the upskilling of nontechnical colleagues); a robust operating model; proprietary data. It’s only when those factors are in place that organizations will be able to unlock impact and move from experimentation to scale.” —Alexander Sukharevsky, Senior partner and global co-leader of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey
Future-proof your marketing team
Closing the AI skills gap isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity for marketing teams looking to remain competitive. By proactively addressing the skills gap, investing in comprehensive training, and fostering a culture of continuous learning, marketing leaders can transform potential disruption into a significant competitive advantage. The organizations that will thrive are those that see AI not as a threat, but as the most powerful innovation tool in their marketing arsenal.
With the right preparation, your marketing team can not only adapt to AI but thrive in the era of intelligent marketing. And, while you are busy training your team, we can keep your marketing programs moving forward. Whether you need a few pieces or a whole campaign, our team of human content professionals is ready to jump in and get started. Reach out today!