Long-term study on AI in marketing: growth yes, but potential remains untapped
The fifth wave of the long-term study "AI - the future of marketing" shows that artificial intelligence (AI) is established in marketing. Its use has increased by 176 % since 2018, but many companies are not exploiting the possibilities - mainly due to a lack of skills and inadequate training.
The study conducted by Prof. Dr. Claudia Bünte from the SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences shows a clear trend: 73 % of marketing managers from the DACH region use AI, but only a fraction exploit the full potential. While some market leaders achieve competitive advantages through the targeted use of AI, around 20 % of the potential effects remain unused in many companies. In the fifth wave of the long-term study, marketing managers were asked about the current and future significance and use of AI in marketing as well as the impact of AI on company success and team composition in marketing.
Lack of know-how
The biggest challenge is the lack of training. 60 % of respondents state that there is a lack of training, while 58 % feel overwhelmed by the multitude of AI tools. There is also a noticeable knowledge gap at management level: managers are 21 % less proficient in AI tools than their teams and have less of an overview of the tool landscape - which is slowing down the potential transformation. 79 % of companies confirm that their marketing departments are not sufficiently trained for the use of AI.
AI as a success factor - but only with know-how
The study also shows that companies that use AI systematically are often more successful. More than two thirds of those surveyed see AI as a decisive success factor. According to the respondents, AI will also determine the future of companies.
"But without targeted further training and strategic integration, the potential remains limited," says study director Prof. Dr. Claudia Bünte. "Companies need to invest in AI knowledge now in order to remain competitive in the long term."
The study is based on a survey of 208 marketing managers from the DACH region and is the longest continuous study on the use of AI in marketing in the German-speaking world.
