It feels like you can't have a conversation about marketing at the moment without AI coming up.
From content creation and campaign planning to analytics, automation and customer research, new tools are changing how marketing teams work.
And naturally, that's starting to influence the skills businesses look for when recruiting.
But with so many new tools, platforms and capabilities appearing all the time, there's a question worth asking.
Does every marketer really need to be an AI expert now?
AI skills are becoming increasingly important
There's no doubt that AI is becoming a more established part of marketing.
Research published by the Chartered Institute of Marketing earlier this year highlighted a growing gap between the speed at which AI is developing, and the skills businesses have available to use it effectively.
In the research, 45% of surveyed professionals identified a lack of expertise within their teams as a key difficulty when selecting and applying AI tools.
That tells us something interesting.
Businesses aren't necessarily struggling to access the technology. They're struggling to understand how best to use it.
And that's where marketers who can combine practical AI knowledge with their existing experience have an opportunity to stand out.
Knowing how to use AI isn't the same as understanding marketing
It's easy to become distracted by the number of tools available.
One week it's a new image generator. The next it's an automated reporting platform or a tool promising to create an entire marketing campaign in minutes.
But being able to generate content quickly doesn't necessarily mean that content is any good.
You still need to understand your audience, develop a strategy, recognise what makes a brand different and know whether something is likely to work.
The same applies to analysing data.
AI might help identify patterns or produce a report, but someone still needs to understand what those findings mean and what the business should do next.
The technology can support the work.
It doesn't automatically replace the thinking behind it.
Not every marketing role needs the same level of AI knowledge
This is where expectations can become a little unrealistic.
A marketing analyst, content creator, brand strategist and CRM specialist might all benefit from AI, but they'll use it in very different ways.
For some, AI might help with everyday tasks, such as:
- Researching topics and organising information
- Developing initial content ideas
- Summarising campaign results
- Supporting reporting and data analysis
- Automating repetitive administration
For others, particularly those working in marketing operations, automation or technical disciplines, a much deeper understanding may be required.
The important thing is recognising what's genuinely relevant to the role.
Expecting every marketer to be highly skilled in every emerging AI tool isn't particularly realistic, especially when the technology itself is changing so quickly.
The fundamentals of great marketing still matter
Interestingly, some of the skills that make a great marketer are becoming even more valuable as AI becomes more widely used.
Creativity, curiosity, communication, commercial awareness and the ability to understand people are all difficult to replace.
A good marketer knows when something doesn't feel right for a brand.
They can challenge an idea, understand the wider business objectives and recognise the difference between content that simply looks polished and content that actually connects with an audience.
These are the skills that give technology direction.
And when everyone has access to similar tools, the ability to think differently and apply genuine expertise may become an even bigger advantage.
So, how can marketers keep up?
The good news is that you don't need to master everything at once.
A more useful approach is to focus on how AI could improve the work you're already doing.
Start with a few practical questions:
- Which parts of my role take up the most time?
- Where could AI help me work more efficiently?
- Which tools are genuinely relevant to my specialism?
- How can I check the quality and accuracy of AI-generated work?
- What skills would make me more valuable to my team?
Experimenting with tools, staying curious and developing a practical understanding will often be more useful than trying to become an expert in every new platform.
And for businesses, providing time and support for people to develop these skills is just as important as expecting them to arrive with the knowledge already in place.
Final thoughts
AI is going to remain a big part of marketing, and being comfortable working with it is becoming increasingly valuable.
But we shouldn't confuse being good at AI with being good at marketing.
The strongest marketers will be the people who understand how to use technology to improve their work, while continuing to bring the creativity, judgement and experience that great marketing relies on.
So, no, every marketer doesn't need to be an AI expert.
But being open to learning, experimenting and understanding where AI can genuinely add value is a very good place to start.
If you're exploring your next step in Marketing, Digital or Creative, take a look at the latest opportunities on the Beyond The Book website. We're always interested in hearing from people who are continuing to develop their skills and approach to the industry.
