Research from NewtonX, which surveyed 500 industry professionals on behalf of ADWEEK, found that 81% of respondents think marketers overstate their AI proficiencies, and another 47% believe senior leadership lags behind all other employee levels.

A study from the global research firm Gartner yielded similar results: just 15% of surveyed CEOs believed their CMOs had the AI savviness to lead in 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.