Marketers have always operated within the constant push and pull between art and science. We need to balance performance metrics with creative instincts, speed of execution with customer engagement, and short-term ROI with long-term brand building.
Now, as AI becomes more deeply embedded in how we work, that tension feels clearer than ever.
We not only need to ask how the technology can serve as a growth accelerator for faster, more efficient marketing. We need to ask how it can make marketing better: more impactful, more strategic, and more human.
Marketing’s Value Has Never Been More Critical
Marketing is one of the few functions that connects all parts of the business – product, sales, customer experience, culture, etc. It is our job to translate business strategy into stories and activations that inspire and influence people. In the AI era, that connective power is even more essential.
AI won’t replace marketers, but it will demand that we evolve to become more technically fluent and more intentional in how we create value and where we infuse creativity. Think strategically about what you hand off to the algorithm and what you keep close so you can use AI to supercharge your impact, not to flatten your voice.
AI won’t replace creativity, storytelling, or strategy. But it will change what skills matter most. The marketers who will thrive in this next era aren’t necessarily the most technical; they’re the ones who are willing to experiment, learn, and find new ways to add value.
This is not the time to pull back. It’s the time to lean in.
From Efficiency to Effectiveness
Too often, conversations about AI revolve solely around speed and scale. But just because something is efficient, doesn’t mean it’s effective.
We need to think beyond impressions and clicks, ensuring AI meets KPIs while you focus on crafting authentic messages and activations that reinforce your brand identity. It’s about finding a way to let data and storytelling work together. That’s how we deliver personalized, high-impact experiences at scale. And that’s how we keep us, the marketers, at the center of marketing.
The Future of Programmatic Is Personal, Predictive and Purposeful
One of the things that excites me most about AI in programmatic is the orchestration: the ability to connect the dots between performance and branding.
The technology has advanced to allow marketers to tailor content in real time, based on behavior, context, and intent without sacrificing tone or authenticity.
This is the future that programmatic originally promised: where creative and data are no longer siloed, so every impression reflects your brand and respects the consumer. Some of the world’s most iconic brands like The Coca-Cola Company are already leaning into AI to elevate both optimization and creative strategy.
Elevating Strategy, Not Just Execution
At PubMatic, we’re designing AI-powered tools that help marketers lead, not just optimize. PubMatic for Buyers automates the heavy lifting and streamlines the entire media buying process, from inventory discovery and forecasting, to curation, activation, and optimization. It’s built to put marketers in control, with real-time insights, more transparency, and the flexibility needed to execute brand and performance strategies in harmony.
When we use AI to align these forces, we create better outcomes for everyone. Here are a few ways marketers can begin building AI into their workflows right now:
- Automate the right things. Start by identifying the repetitive tasks that take up time but don’t require creative input.
- Evaluate your partners. Choose vendors who are applying AI to make your job easier and more impactful, not just selling buzzwords.
- Build internal fluency. Encourage your team to explore AI tools and experiment. Comfort breeds confidence and innovation.
Leadership in the Age of AI
As CMOs, we have a responsibility, and an opportunity, to lead this transformation within our organizations and for our brands. The best marketers will not only adopt new technologies but will help define how they drive enterprise impact.
The more powerful the tech becomes, the more essential creativity, empathy, and humanity become.
At PubMatic, we’re building tools that help marketers automate operational tasks so they can focus on what only they can do: shape culture, build brands, and connect with people in meaningful ways.
AI may power the future of marketing, but it’s marketers who will shape it.
