Information Technology
IBM Study: Profit-Driven CMOs See AI as Growth Driver, but Operational Hurdles Slow Them Down
According to the study, only 23% of surveyed CMOs feel employees are prepared for the cultural and operational shifts brought by AI agents, and 67% of respondents see reshaping culture for emerging technology as their responsibility. With 64% of surveyed CMOs now responsible for profitability and 58% accountable for revenue growth, the research underscores the need for greater technology integration and improved cross-functional collaboration to drive business performance. In fact, respondents who report internal collaboration challenges experienced slightly lower (12%) revenue growth in 2024 versus their higher performing peers (13%) – a seemingly modest 1-point gap that could represent $140M in potential upside for an average $14B revenue base.
"The companies that will dominate the next decade are the ones with the deepest AI integrations. This means starting with AI at the core of the organization and building the right operating model and team on top of that," "For many CMOs, this means being willing to admit that our current marketing model—no matter how comfortable, how familiar, or how challenging to replace—is not delivering what is needed and actively sabotaging our future."
Other key findings include:
To view the full study, visit: https://www.ibm.com/thought-leadership/institute-business-value/en-us/report/2025-cmo
The IBM Institute for Business Value, in cooperation with Oxford Economics, surveyed 1,800 Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and Chief Sales Officers (CSOs) across 33 geographies and 24 industries between March and May 2025 . Survey topics include executive priorities, growth objectives, customer experience initiatives, technology adoption, collaboration and talent.
The IBM Institute for Business Value, IBM's thought leadership think tank, combines global research and performance data with expertise from industry thinkers and leading academics to deliver insights that make business leaders smarter. For more world-class thought leadership, visit: www.ibm.com/ibv. To receive more insights, subscribe to the IdeaWatch newsletter: https://ibm.co/ibv-ideawatch.
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
Marisa Conway
IBM Corporate Communications
conwaym@us.ibm.com
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