Gartner: Industry must grasp 'AI nettle' or wither on vine

The advertising and marketing industry must finally grasp the “AI nettle” to make 2026 the year when platforms like ChatGPT and Google AI move from the periphery to be embedded in all activity, in a make or break 12 months which is likely to determine whether businesses thrive or die in the data and tech driven marketing era.

That is according to a new analysis by Gartner, which follows a raft of industry studies which have claimed that, while AI use is widespread, the vast majority of projects are stuck in the pilot stage due to scattered initiatives, insufficient capabilities, and cautious leadership.

Gartner reckons the new imperative is being driven by the urgent need to deliver sustainable revenue growth amid stagnant budgets and radical changes in customer behaviour and outlines five critical priorities for CMOs seeking to navigate this challenging landscape and secure their role as business “market shapers”.

The rise of hybrid human-agent teams
The traditional marketing department structure is obsolete. Gartner urges CMOs to immediately adopt hybrid models where human talent and AI agents collaborate seamlessly. In this new dynamic, AI agents will manage complex, data-intensive tasks – such as real-time creative optimisation and audience prioritisation – acting as autonomous “actors” in the workflow.

This operational integration frees human teams to focus on strategic oversight, creative direction, and maintaining the emotional context essential for branding. The result, Gartner predicts, will be smaller, more nimble, and significantly more efficient marketing units.

Zero-based channel strategy and GEO
The “always-on” approach to every marketing channel is no longer viable. CMOs must adopt a “zero-based” mentality, re-evaluating every touchpoint for its relevance in an AI-mediated world. A new frontier in optimisation is emerging: Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).

As generative AI platforms like ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews increasingly mediate customer research and purchasing decisions, brands must optimise their content for discoverability within these engines. This requires planning for dual customer journeys: one for human interactions and another for the AI agents that are beginning to research and purchase on behalf of consumers.

CMOs as ‘market shapers’
Gartner calls for CMOs to break out of the traditional marketing silo and actively shape broader business growth strategies. A significant gap currently exists, with only 34% of CEOs and CFOs agreeing on marketing’s role in driving revenue. CMOs must bridge this divide by aligning their capabilities with clear, executive-level outcomes. This involves sophisticated “dual-horizon” planning that balances immediate demand generation with the long-term cultivation of brand equity and trust, says Gartner.

The authenticity imperative
As AI floods digital channels with synthetic content, authenticity becomes a critical brand differentiator. Maintaining emotional resonance and trust is paramount. Human touchpoints will become scarcer but more impactful, requiring CMOs to invest in meaningful personal interactions. Implementing robust governance and data provenance frameworks is crucial to ensure ethical AI use and protect the integrity of the brand.

Optimising the martech stack
Finally, the existing martech stack requires a critical overhaul. CMOs must ensure their technology foundations are ready for an AI-first future. This demands mastery of first-party CRM data; the “customer graph” that will fuel effective AI initiatives. Gartner recommends a comprehensive audit to identify and consolidate fragmented legacy tools, prioritising unified data systems that improve ROI and control costs in the coming years.

Gartner: Industry must grasp ‘AI nettle’ or wither on vine

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