AI makes it personal

13th October 2026 |   Chris Daly FCIM

Why it’s vital to close the AI skills gap without losing customer trust.

Today’s generation of marketing and sales professionals are privileged and challenged to be facing the most aggressive collision of operational efficiency and brand equity in the history of modern commerce.

As artificial intelligence begins to reshape how marketing and sales departments operate, the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) commissioned research into the views of more than 2,500 marketing decision makers and consumers to discover how organisations are adapting to the rise of AI, and how the public view the technology.

There are fears that the boardroom’s current interpretation of this technology is still too narrow, and view AI purely through the lens of cost reduction and short-term productivity gains. However, it is encouraging to see that many organisations recognise that, while cost savings remain a factor, AI’s real value lies in its ability to act as a competitive differentiator.