Is AI improving marketers’ work?

Remember the time when we wrote every word, designed every pixel, and typed every line of code? Feels like it was just yesterday.

Nowadays, there’s a little robot helper on our shoulders.

And while the AI debate is still boiling hot, we asked you—our readers—about your experience with AI so far. After all, who can tell us better? And thank you for that.

Now it’s time to reveal the results, so buckle up.

Key takeaways

🔵 More than half of marketers use AI every day. A 15% jump from half a year ago. 

🔵  Most marketers (85%) say AI helps them save time. Many are also using it to unlock new capabilities like coding. But with that convenience comes increased expectations and a need for strong human oversight.

🔵There’s a strong correlation between frequent AI use and optimism about its impact. Over half of marketers who use AI daily feel it’s transforming their work. 

🔵 Many remain careful about over-relying on AI, especially due to concerns around output quality, brand voice, and creativity.

It’s unanimous—AI is a time saver 

If marketers can unite around one idea, it’s that AI saves a lot of time. 

And can you really argue? 

First, let’s see the things marketers find AI super useful for: 

Almost 85% of all respondents save a lot of time. You’ve probably experienced it too—when sorting data, coming up with a new strategy, or writing content or copy. 

It’s just too convenient.

 I’ve created a custom GPT for one of my PR clients. Now, whenever there’s a potential podcast, I ask it to help me customize the pitch to that specific outlet. It’s a huge time-saver to have everything in one place, and to be able to customize without spending hours on each one.

But other than that, 40% of respondents say it helps them do things they couldn’t before, like coding, or designing, for instance. That’s true. 

At Stacked Marketer, we also managed to build multiple “internal tools” that help us track engagement and growth data, for example. So we can vouch that it certainly helps. 

The upside: You can now expand your skill set and create faster, smarter campaigns, content, and even tools without relying as heavily on specialists.

The downside: The same thing. Higher-ups will have even bigger expectations from “AI marketers” or generalists, which could leave even bigger burn marks.

AI has certainly helped me do things I couldn’t, like create code for interactive landing pages, or it added additional copy ideas to consider. But AI doesn’t “drive the bus”, so it’s not “winning” anything in my work.

Furthermore, 29% say AI helps them save money. Which means marketers can reduce costs by automating tasks, minimizing outsourcing, and streamlining workflows with AI tools.

On the flip side, many marketers might end up without work for the same reason, no? 

Today, AI tools are a core part of marketers’ daily life

What was unimaginable a few years ago is now the norm.

According to our findings, every second marketer you know will use AI every day:

At the end of last year, we asked our readers the same question as a part of our State of Marketing 2025 report. Back then, 41.8% used AI tools every day.

Now, half a year later, there’s a 14% jump in daily AI usage among marketers. A trend that is expected to continue as we approach 2026. 

We used AI to produce zero click marketing content from video transcripts. Massive timesaver and amazing quality content in our brand voice.

You know what this means: AI is quickly becoming a daily essential in marketing, and if you don’t adapt, you risk falling behind in creativity and efficiency. That’s the harsh truth.
A smaller chunk of marketers (36%) experiments with different AI tools occasionally, but still hasn’t embraced them fully.

 I use AI as a research and reference tool so it speeds up a lot of research and helps to enrich the work I’m developing. I’ve also used it to become better at coding to help automate tasks that would otherwise need to be expensively outsourced.

The most telling part is that only 10% don’t use AI at all. Out of those,4.4% are actively avoiding it. Our advice? Don’t fall into this category.

Staying on the sidelines will make your job harder as competitors keep widening the gap.

Most marketers use AI to create content

Admit it. You’ve probably used AI to create content. 

Whether it’s blog posts, ad or email copy, or even videos with new, sophisticated tools, there’s no doubt AI has made the creation part simple. 

But what else has gone into overdrive since AI came about?

So 75% of all respondents use AI to create more content. Understandable.

Then, 54% use AI for campaign ideation and brainstorming. 

A lot of our readers also noted the same—with some using it for strategic purposes, others to create buyer personas, pitch their services, and more.

 I used AI to develop a 3-month marketing plan that tackled social media, SEO & email marketing. It suggests daily tasks based on my work hours that will work towards our overall business goals. I’m the solo marketer for my company so this was a great win!

Then, 43.8% of marketers use it for data analysis and reporting. We use it as well. Who knows, maybe even for this report…

Jokes aside, using AI for better, more accurate reporting can be a lifesaver for marketers reporting to higher-ups or clients.

Pro tip: Try prompting AI to surface unexpected insights in your data or to turn complex findings into ready-to-send slides or client summaries. 

You’ll save time, and they’ll appreciate it. 

…but are unsure of the output

However, with all the upside in efficiency, there’s some downside to even it out:

So while we’re mostly used to creating content with AI, we’re also afraid that the content will lack quality, accuracy (62.5%), or lose human touch or brand voice (54%).

A huge chunk of respondents also believe that relying on AI tools too much will lead to shallow work. 

So it’s a bit of a catch-22: We want to use AI to create content, but we also don’t want it to be low quality, or inaccurate. We want AI tools to make us more efficient, but we don’t want to rely on them too much. 

The solution? Don’t lose what makes you human. Treat AI as a creative partner and use it to accelerate first drafts, surface insights, or overcome creative blocks.

AI helped me create photorealistic images that would have previously needed a photoshoot.

But always refine outputs through a strong editorial process, clear brand guidelines, and human judgment…

The output issue seems to be much higher in the eyes of marketers than ethical or copyright concerns (27.8%), or data privacy and security (31%). 

This creates another problem to think about. For most marketers, the immediate concern isn’t whether AI should be used, but whether it’s producing content that’s good enough to represent their brand and deliver results.

Selfish or pragmatic?  

What’s bugging AI users?

With AI, we’re still making baby steps, so naturally there are bottlenecks. 

But what are some biggest obstacles marketers face? 

50% are worried about output accuracy or quality, which correlates with earlier findings. Marketers want to use AI, but they’re frustrated with sub-par or false results.

What can you do: To make AI reliable, you need workflow with human editing, including brand voice checks and smart prompting. AI drafts, human finishes?

Another issue is choosing the right tools (44.5%). With hundreds of new AI “solutions” popping up every day, it’s hard to find what works. 

So try not to waste time on tools that overpromise. Focus on those that solve a clear problem in your workflow.  

Some of the other problems include:

• No clear ROI or measurable benefits (21.4%): If you struggle to prove AI is worth it, start small and track metrics like time saved, content volume, or increased test velocity. Then build a case for a wider adoption.
• Poor integration with existing platforms (21.4%): Solution? Consider tools with native integrations. 
• Steep learning curve or technical issues (19.2%): Pick tools with low-friction UX and solid tutorials. Bonus if they have built-in templates and onboarding support.
• Lack of internal support or buy-in (14.8%): Showcase small wins. A/B test AI-generated copy or run a side-by-side efficiency comparison to build internal confidence.

This should be a good start to get the AI wheel turning inside your organization…

If you’re not testing AI, you’re falling behind

We have drawn this from a simple logic: More than half of your peers are actively experimenting and learning with AI. 

Most marketers recognize AI isn’t a passing trend. The time you save, production efficiency, data analysis, ideation… It’s all simply too valuable to ignore.

Meanwhile, the 24.4% who only “somewhat” engage likely reflect those still figuring out where AI fits in their daily flow. Or simply haven’t felt the pressure to fully adapt yet. 

The smaller group that feels overwhelmed or disinterested suggests that there’s a skill gap or fear of irrelevance. This could only grow as expectations rise.

Naturally, you’d want to be among the majority of those who are actively experimenting. Even if it’s not always easy.

What can you do: Pick one task you do weekly and then automate it with AI.

Instead of waiting to “get good at AI,” start by choosing a single recurring task. For example, creating social post captions or turning all data from a single platform into a report. 

Automate it. Make it a time-saver. 

It might be a small win. But it saves time and helps you explore more complex uses without the overwhelm. Brick by brick…

There’s loads of optimism around AI, but mostly cautious

A glimpse of the future looks like AI sandwiched between enthusiasm and caution.

Check it out: 

Over half (54%) of marketers are optimistic about AI, claiming that it is transforming their workflows. This percentage correlates with the number of people using it daily.

What does that mean: The more marketers use AI and the more they feel familiar with tools and possibilities, the more optimism they feel about AI marketing in general. 

According to our data, at least.

The remaining segments—those that are skeptical, concerned, or indifferent—are small but also important to consider.

Why the hesitation? It may stem from unclear ROI, ethical concerns, poor past results, or lack of AI literacy. Some are even personally so against AI that they refuse to use it.

The Crew’s take: The more you’re hands-on, the more confidence you’ll have. 

Once marketers understand how to integrate AI effectively into their workflow, they might start to see real benefits. Too optimistic? We’ll see.

On the flip side, skepticism largely comes from distance. 

Those who don’t use AI regularly often cite concerns about quality, ROI, or ethics. In some cases, it’s a lack of exposure. In others, it’s a lack of skills. Or even an ideological stance.

Marketers’ little helper

AI is becoming a daily essential for many.

Most marketers admit AI will help them save time or unlock new capabilities. The more marketers get familiar with it—and the more it improves—they’ll probably feel even better using it. 

But while optimism is growing, caution still lurks. How you’ll adapt and experiment will depend on whether you’re successful or not.

The Crew’s tip? Start small, stay hands-on, and be the one who guides the new tech. Not vice-versa. That’s where the biggest advantage lies.