Marketers Lag in AI, Struggle with Agility

Key Takeaways 

Below are some of the key takeaways from the complete report:

• Only 18% of marketers consider themselves leaders in AI adoption, revealing a critical gap between the promise of AI and its real-world execution. 
• Marketers overwhelmingly believe in AI’s potential, with 80% expecting it to help build better audiences, 78% aiming to personalize content, and 76% looking to optimize marketing outcomes, yet most are still constrained by fragmented roles and outdated workflows. 
• Positionless Marketing frees marketing teams from the limitations of fixed roles, giving every marketer the power to execute any marketing task instantly and independently.

The AI Gap: High Expectations, Low Adoption 

AI has become the centerpiece of every modern marketing roadmap. The majority of marketers expect AI to: 

• Build better audiences (80%) 
• Personalize content (78%) 
• Optimize marketing outcomes (76%) 

Yet, just 18% of marketers say they’re at the leading edge of AI adoption. That stark divide between potential and practice highlights a deeper problem: technology alone isn’t enough. The way marketing teams are structured is holding them back. 

Agility is the Goal, But Not the Reality 

Agility is the most sought-after trait by today’s marketers. In the study: 

• 87% of marketers said becoming more agile is critical 
• 82% say it takes too long to get campaign performance insights, and 
• 80% still wait on data teams to access segments and audiences 

Marketers aren’t short on ambition; they’re short on autonomy. Most teams still operate as assembly lines where insights, creative, and execution are owned by different departments, and teams wait on one another. Every campaign requires multiple handoffs, leading to delays and missed opportunities. 

Collaboration is the True Bottleneck 

Surprisingly, the biggest roadblock isn’t technology, it’s teamwork. 

• 70% cite collaboration across teams as a top barrier to becoming more agile 
• 69% struggle with finding appropriately skilled talent 
• 75% say access to real-time data is a major challenge 

This shows that traditional marketing assembly lines no longer serve today’s needs. Teams are forced to wait on each other, slowing down campaign delivery and limiting personalization, even with the right AI tools in place. 

Positionless Marketing as the Solution 

Optimove’s Positionless Marketing model addresses this exact gap. It breaks down the traditional marketing silos by giving every marketer three essential capabilities: 

• Data Power: Immediate access to customer insights without relying on analysts 
• Creative Power: Instant generation of channel-ready assets without waiting on designers 
• Optimization Power: Self-optimizing campaigns and journeys run without constant oversight 

This allows one marketer to launch a campaign, from segmentation to execution, independently, in minutes, not days or weeks. It’s how leading brands have already transformed their workflows. 

The Forrester study shows that agile, AI-powered workflows are now mission-critical: 

• 88% expect AI to deliver better personalized experiences 
• 86% cite transformation to agile workflows as a top priority 
• 83% want faster creation of campaign assets 
• 80% are focused on building multiskilled teams 

These stats point to a major shift: the era of rigid roles and linear campaign development is ending. The marketers who succeed will be those who are empowered to adapt, personalize, and act without waiting. 

Report Methodology

Forrester surveyed 153 decision-makers responsible for marketing strategy based in the US and UK. Respondents were from the e-commerce retail, financial services, and travel and hospitality industries with at least $200 million in annual revenue. 
 
To download the report, click here. 

In Summary

The study confirms what many marketers already feel: despite the promise of AI, most teams are still stuck in outdated workflows. Unlocking agility isn’t just about adopting new tools, it requires rethinking how marketing works. 
 
Positionless Marketing offers a clear path forward. By removing dependencies and giving marketers end-to-end ownership, it empowers teams to act on insight the moment it matters most.

For more insights on Optimove’s Positionless Marketing platform, contact us to request a demo.     

Published on

August 21st, 2025

updated
August 20th, 2025