A recent report from Gartner reveals that the lack of understanding in artificial intelligence (AI) could become the third main reason for the replacement of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) in large companies by 2027. Despite 65% of marketing leaders acknowledging that AI will transform the industry, 20% believe they do not need to modify their skills in this area, and 48% only foresee minor changes in the next two years.
Change? No, for what?
This mismatch in the perception of AI capabilities has led to a low level of trust among CEOs in the ability of CMOs to manage this technology, which could result in these positions being seen as replaceable. According to the report, this gap is not just a matter of skills, but reflects an erosion of trust and credibility, putting the role of marketing as a growth driver in companies at risk.
Gartner also points out that many CMOs often delegate the management of AI to IT departments, which can contribute to a misunderstanding of the fundamentals of the technology. Some marketing leaders mistakenly believe that language models generate fact-based responses, without recognizing their tendency to provide misinformation. Additionally, the lack of investment in complex prompt engineering skills can result in low-quality generic outputs.
This scenario culminates in what Gartner describes as a “disaster cycle,” where 84% of brands find themselves trapped in the difficulty of measuring results, which in turn leads to tighter budgets for the future. The leaders who thrive in this context, according to the report, will be those who prioritize high-impact use cases, develop fluency in the limitations of models, and ensure accountability from agencies regarding their claims about AI.