At Algomarketing we know the value of benchmarking business performance and behaviors against market trends. This is why we conducted research across 300 global marketing leaders in businesses with 10,000+ employees, to create our inaugural AI & Automation Index for Global Marketing Operations. The research provides insight into the current state of AI and automation implementation within B2B enterprise marketing operations, uncovering current challenges, opportunities, and aspirations for the future.
Key insights:
- Two-thirds of enterprise B2B marketers are seeing a return on investment of over 50% when implementing AI and automation techniques.
- Only a quarter of global marketers (23.2%) have adequate internal resources to successfully implement AI and automation.
- Half (44%) of respondents stated ‘governance and ethical considerations’ to be one of their biggest concerns regarding data within their organization.
How are AI and automation currently being used within marketing operations?
What are the proven benefits of implementing AI and automation techniques?
Our results show that almost 70% of enterprise B2B marketers are seeing a return on investment (ROI) of between 50%-74%, and a quarter report an ROI of more than 75%. Not one enterprise team in the study of the world’s biggest companies reported less than a 50% increase in ROI.
What are the challenges of implementing and adopting AI within marketing?
We found that a skills shortage and a talent gap is the biggest challenge being experienced by marketers. Almost half of those surveyed (44.4%) said they have issues finding people who have the skills in marketing and AI to undertake projects. Only a quarter (23.2%) have adequate internal resources to take advantage of new technologies with more than half (52%) opting for a blended skills approach to AI implementation using in-house staff, alongside external suppliers.
If a skills shortage is not addressed, companies are likely to find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. AI and Automation are continually evolving and will continue to play a pivotal role in all areas of marketing strategies, without having the team in place to harness its potential, performance and ROI could be at risk.
Ethical considerations
Of course, there is no conversation around AI without the mention of ethics and bias. More than three-quarters (77.5%) of firms have been forced to delay implementation of AI and automation due to concerns about bias and fairness, with a third (32.7%) saying delays have been significant, and crucially, almost half (44%) of respondents stated ‘Governance and ethical considerations’ to be one of their biggest concerns regarding data within their organization.
Analysis
This research reflects Algomarketing’s experience in supporting advanced AI and automation implementation within enterprise marketing operations for the world’s leading tech brand. The investment has already begun, with many companies using AI in some capacity for at least three years. The time to benchmark your approach and revisit your strategy is now.
With numerous challenges cited, it may seem like a daunting task to synchronize your MarTech and streamline your operations through automation. But none of these challenges need to be blockers to accessing the possibilities of AI. Starting with small incremental pilots, we help our clients build a strong business case for further investment, building trust in our approach through demonstrable ROI.
Data does not need to be a paralyzing challenge.
“Striving for constant data perfection is a highly laborious task that can lead to unnecessary delays. Providing that marketing teams have the right expertise and tools available to them, trust in data can be built over time through small, incremental trials with a training data set.”
Yomi Tejumola, CEO, Algomarketing
By harnessing the power of algorithms, we unlock incredible efficiencies, drive innovation, and scale operations like never before through AI, automation, and machine learning expertise. We empower marketing leaders to confidently make data-driven decisions, ultimately driving increased ROI.
Find out how we can help you harness the power of AI to empower and transform your organization.
