Modern Retail+ Research: Marketers’ AI Use Rises, but Tech Skills Stall

Why It Matters

Widespread AI adoption promises richer customer insights and automation, but the lag in technical skills threatens to dilute ROI and slow competitive advantage in the fast‑moving marketing landscape.

Key Takeaways

• AI investment among marketers grew from 44% (2022) to 86% (2025)
• Adoption increase outpaces growth in internal AI expertise
• Skill gaps risk underutilizing AI-driven campaign automation
• Agencies face pressure to upskill staff for generative AI tools
• Market competition intensifies as AI becomes baseline capability

Pulse Analysis

AI has moved from a niche experiment to a core pillar of modern marketing. Modern Retail’s latest research documents a steep climb in adoption, with 86% of surveyed brands and agencies now allocating budget to AI solutions—a jump of 42 percentage points in just three years. This surge reflects broader industry trends, where generative models, predictive analytics, and AI‑driven personalization are reshaping how companies attract and retain customers. The rapid uptake signals that AI is no longer a differentiator but a prerequisite for staying relevant in crowded digital channels.

Despite the enthusiasm, the survey uncovers a stark talent shortfall. While firms pour capital into AI platforms, the proportion of marketers who feel confident in the underlying technology has plateaued. This skills stall hampers effective implementation, leading to underused features, longer rollout times, and missed optimization opportunities. Agencies, in particular, are feeling the pressure to bridge the gap, as clients demand sophisticated AI‑enabled campaigns without the internal bandwidth to manage them. Upskilling initiatives, partnerships with AI vendors, and hiring of hybrid data‑science talent are emerging as critical strategies to close the divide.

Looking ahead, the convergence of AI with emerging capabilities such as agentic AI and AI‑enhanced search will deepen the technology’s impact on marketing. Companies that invest simultaneously in tools and people will unlock higher ROI, faster time‑to‑market, and more granular customer insights. Executives should prioritize continuous learning programs, cross‑functional AI task forces, and clear governance frameworks to ensure ethical and effective use. In a market where AI competence is quickly becoming a baseline expectation, the firms that align technology adoption with skill development will secure a sustainable competitive edge.