A new Gartner survey finds that most Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) see AI as a force that will rewrite their role, yet many aren’t truly preparing themselves for it. The gap between expectation and readiness points to a deeper challenge for today’s marketing leaders.

I expect disruption, but not personal change.

• 65% of CMOs say AI will dramatically change their role in the next two years, highlighting a broad expectation that AI will reshape marketing itself.
• Yet only 32% believe they need significant skill changes to succeed in that future.

This mismatch suggests many leaders are treating AI as an operational tool rather than a strategic capability. They expect the world to change but do not see themselves as needing to change at the same pace.

Changes in Leadership

Gartner warns that this “AI blind spot” isn’t just about training—it’s about leadership fluency. AI is already moving past simple productivity tasks (like automated content or analytics) into areas that influence growth strategy, decision making and risk management.

Without personal AI fluency, marketing leaders risk being passive observers instead of active shapers of how AI drives outcomes. By 2027, Gartner predicts a lack of AI literacy could be among the top three reasons CMOs are replaced at large enterprises, elevating AI knowledge from a technical preference to a core leadership requirement.

Dangers for Marketing Teams

• Treating AI as a productivity tool reinforces a narrow mindset focused on tasks rather than strategic impact.
• Outsourcing AI ownership to teams or agencies can keep leaders separated from the core capabilities shaping business outcomes.

The leaders who thrive won’t just adopt AI; they will build fluency in all its possibilities, shifting behavior from “AI as something our team uses” to “AI as something we lead.”

Why It Matters

AI is already influencing market dynamics, but behavior around AI adoption matters as much as technology itself. Organizations that invest in leadership AI literacy, not just tools, are positioning marketing as a growth engine rather than a function left behind. This shift will require CMOs and marketing leaders to rethink not just what AI does, but how they lead with it.