Nearly half of marketers surveyed believe their senior leadership is the least AI-savvy group in the organization, according to new research from NewtonX and ADWEEK. The finding signals a widening competence gap at a time when marketing leaders are expected to guide AI integration across their teams.
The study surveyed 500 industry professionals and found that 81% of respondents think marketers overstate their AI proficiency. A separate survey from Gartner reinforced the finding: only 15% of CEOs believed their CMOs had the AI knowledge needed to lead effectively by 2026.
CMOs have fallen into a trap of thinking that while AI will impact the industry at large, it won't fundamentally reshape their roles, said Lizzy Foo Kune, distinguished VP analyst at Gartner, who helps CMOs and their teams become more literate on AI.
Why senior leaders are falling behind
The research points to a misalignment between perception and reality. While many marketing organizations race to implement AI tools at the team level, their executive decision-makers aren't keeping pace. The gap matters because AI adoption decisions - budgets, tool selection, training priorities - often sit with the C-suite.
For the 47% of respondents who said senior leadership lacks AI savviness, the concern goes beyond embarrassment. A leader who doesn't understand the technology may push for the wrong tools, miss competitive opportunities, or fail to spot when a vendor overpromises.
Gartner's research suggests the problem is mid- to senior-level marketing leaders rather than the entire C-suite. The AI Learning Path for CMOs directly addresses the skills gap identified in the survey, offering role-specific training for marketing executives.
The overstatement problem
The survey's finding that 81% of marketers believe their peers overstate AI skill levels is not a minor trust issue. If a marketing team tells its CMO it has AI expertise, and the CMO has no way to verify that claim, the organization makes bets on shaky foundations. Confident claims from team members about AI proficiency may mask the need for actual hands-on training.
Those marketing leaders who want to close the gap can start with structured education focused on strategic evaluating abilities. AI for Executives & Strategy resources target the decision-making layer of organizations where the skills deficit was measured.
Why this matters for marketing professionals
If your senior leader cannot distinguish useful AI from hype, your team's budget gets wasted, your tools get misused, and you protect yourself from being overruled by a boss who doesn't understand the technical tradeoffs. The data suggests that many marketers should treat their own leader's AI claims for the same scrutiny they apply to vendors - until they see proof of competence.
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