AI in the Marketing Org: Myth and Reality

Hello!

Using AI for content creation was an easy adoption for marketing orgs. Where have we gone since then? And where are we headed?

Startups are shrinking and “right-sizing” their marketing teams, not just because of budget pressure, but because they aspire to have AI take over the work.

Founders are hesitant to hire. And increasingly, they don’t.

Shopify and Duolingo have said they won’t fill a role unless AI can’t do the job. Klarna rolled out an AI assistant that performs the work of 700 people, they’ve since softened the initiative and are bringing some humans back into the equation.

The learning is still happening, but it’s clear that this IS the direction of businesses that want to scale fast.

And startups, unburdened by legacy systems or bloated headcount, are often the first to adopt a new model.

Vision Meets the Messy Middle

An AI-first marketing org isn’t just a team using ChatGPT to write copy faster.

It’s a re-architecture of how work gets done, where systems replace roles, and loops replace linear campaigns. The goal isn’t to scale content. It’s to scale outcomes.

Well, that’s the vision. 

AI is transforming marketing fast, but we’re still in the messy middle.

From what I’ve seen across companies, tools, and marketing teams AI is dramatically reshaping how work could be done, but:

• Legacy expectations and distraction still dominate “Can you make this viral?”  “Get us in WSJ.”  “Send champagne to our ICP.”
  

• Processes are duct-taped together: AI tools are powerful, but orchestration is still clunky.
  

• Humans still carry the strategic lift: positioning, creative judgment, prioritization, cross-functional alignment. And that may remain true for a while.
  

• Leaders expect AI efficiency without changing the system. They want leaner teams and big output without treating AI like a real transformation.

So yes, while AI-first is the direction, the day-to-day still includes a mix of brilliance, brute force, and BS.

In the AI First Marketing Org, Strategy Still Leads, but Execution is Embedded

You still need a sharp go-to-market strategy:

• Who are we for?

• What do they care about?

• What triggers action?

• How does our product meet that moment?

But in an AI-first model, strategy isn’t something you finalize in a doc and revisit quarterly. It lives inside the system. You still have to do the work.

With AI embedded in execution your ICP, messaging and content aren’t locked in decks, Notion, or just tagged in a database. They are built into systems that feed targeting models, power AI-driven variations, and inform campaigns in real-time.

Strategy becomes modular, testable, and adaptable.

Strategy and AI work together in the best-performing marketing orgs.

🔁 Execution Moves from Campaigns to Loops

Traditional marketing = Plan > Build > Launch > Wait > Optimize

AI-first marketing = Build once, loop forever.

Here’s what the loop looks like: