Critical skill or distraction? B2B marketers on the need to understand AI

There has been no avoiding the AI furor over the past few years. As the technology continues to develop, B2B marketers are taking notice, and their priorities from a skills perspective appear to be changing as a result. According to Marketing Week’s State of B2B Marketing research – which surveyed 600 B2B marketers – the vast majority (84.5%) believe understanding AI is more important today than it was three years ago. Reflecting on their own roles, over half (58.7%) of the research sample say their focus on technology and AI has ramped up further over the past 12 months. Most interesting, however, is how B2B marketers see their roles evolving in the future. It’s clear that few expect the AI hype to die down. Rory O’Neill, CMO at B2B payments platform Checkout.com, agrees understanding AI is a “must” for marketers. In part, that’s so the marketing team can control the narrative around it, he suggests.