As the year ahead approaches quicker than a Donald Trump U-turn, a new global study confirms that, like it or not, AI will continue to spread through the industry at speed although it seems UK CMOs are not quite so hung up on the tech.
That is according to CMO Barometer from Serviceplan Group, University of St. Gallen, and Heidrick & Struggles, and based on exclusive insights from 805 marketing decision-makers across 15 countries and regions.
Now in its seventh year, the standout conclusion, according to Serviceplan Group chief executive Florian Haller is that “the marketing system as we knew it is being rewritten”.
He added: “AI is no longer a side project – it is core to the function. CMOs must now be visionaries and transformation leaders, guiding their teams through systemic change.”
But while over two-thirds (68%) of marketers reckon AI will be the defining topic of 2026, budgets remain uncertain; 32% expect increases, 30% expect cuts, and 38% predict stability.
This is due to waning economic optimism, except in the Middle East where more than half of CMOs still expect growth.
In fact, AI ranks among the top two priorities in nearly every country surveyed. When asked about the most important aspects of integrating AI, most CMOs pointed to efficiency and integration (51%) as key, followed by the need to rethink how humans and machines collaborate in day-to-day marketing work (20%).
However, the UK, Switzerland and France, stood out as exceptions: in these countries, AI was not the standalone priority. CMOs placed equal emphasis on customer experience, personalisation, and ROI-driven data marketing.
Despite the tech optimism, economic confidence is in short supply. Only 20% of CMOs expect economic conditions to improve in 2026, while 29% anticipate a downturn. The majority – 51% – expect things to remain stable.
Marketing budgets reflect this general caution: while 32% expect increases and 30% expect cuts, most CMOs (38%) believe budgets will remain flat. Regionally, Italy is the most positive market (45%), closely followed by the UK, the Middle East, and the Netherlands.
When it comes to industry sectors, banking, IT, and telecoms are the most bullish ones, with energy and healthcare showing moderate confidence. Meanwhile, industries like automotive continue to lead the budget pessimism charts and are bracing for turbulence, with 52% expecting worsening conditions.
When asked what they want from agency partners in 2026, CMOs still rank creativity and original thinking at the top (69%), followed by innovation (61%) and proactivity (54%). But for the first time, support in managing internal transformation also makes the list (44%).
Surprisingly, only 12% expect agencies to lead on AI-specific skills – indicating that brands see AI as their own strategic challenge, not something to outsource.
Future Marketing executive partner Julia Zimmermann commented: “Marketing is no longer about colourful visuals or sales promos. It’s become a performance engine where brand, trust, and technology must align. Agencies that understand this – and reignite a sense of joy and momentum in their client relationships – will be the ones that thrive.”
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