AI and human collaboration reshape marketing ROI

A new report from the CMO Council, developed in partnership with WongDoody, highlights a growing divide between marketing organizations that effectively combine artificial intelligence with human expertise and those that do not.

The study, based on a global survey of 371 senior marketing leaders, shows that success depends less on rapid AI adoption and more on how teams integrate it into their workflows.

Titled Marketing’s Power Partners: AI and the Human Essence — How to Enable Success in the Age of AI, the report identifies a group of high-performing organizations described as “Power Partners.” These companies align AI capabilities with human judgment, creativity and emotional intelligence to deliver stronger results.

Performance gap widens as collaboration improves outcomes

The findings point to clear differences in performance between organizations that integrate AI effectively and those that lag behind. Seventy-three percent of Power Partners report exceeding return on investment expectations or achieving measurable returns, compared to 22 percent of other organizations.

In addition, nearly 70 percent of Power Partners consistently build strong emotional connections with customers, while only 40 percent of their peers achieve similar results. Campaign performance also differs significantly, with 86 percent of Power Partners reporting moderate to major impact on ROI, versus 43 percent among others.

Tom Kaneshige, Chief Content Officer, CMO Council: "Together, AI and human marketers can forge deeper customer relationships, achieve stronger brand differentiation, and realize measurable performance gains. Those who move decisively will build lasting advantage, while those who hesitate risk falling further behind as the gap continues to widen."

Workflow transformation defines successful AI adoption

The report identifies workflow redesign as a critical factor in unlocking value from AI. Seventy percent of Power Partners indicate readiness to restructure workflows for AI and human collaboration, compared to just 7 percent of their peers.

Meanwhile, 94 percent of Power Partners have established collaborative content processes, significantly higher than the 42 percent reported by other organizations. The report outlines an operating model based on continuous feedback loops, where AI supports scale and pattern recognition, while human marketers guide strategic decisions and interpretation.

Barriers slow progress despite growing investment

Despite widespread interest in AI, many organizations struggle to operationalize its potential. Key barriers include limited training and skills, lack of trust in AI-generated outputs, and concerns about maintaining brand authenticity in automated interactions.

Additional challenges stem from poor data readiness and unclear role definitions between human marketers and AI systems. These issues often lead to stalled initiatives and limited returns, as teams attempt to integrate AI into existing processes rather than redesigning them.

Regional differences shape adoption and outcomes

The report also highlights regional variations in AI adoption. Organizations in the United States show stronger progress in implementation and ROI but face challenges maintaining emotional engagement at scale. In Europe, fragmented data environments limit effectiveness, while in the Asia-Pacific region, cultural resistance slows adoption despite increasing investment.

Differences also emerge across business models. B2C and hybrid organizations demonstrate greater readiness to redesign workflows and achieve stronger ROI. In contrast, B2B organizations often treat AI primarily as a productivity tool, limiting its broader impact.

Human insight remains central to AI-driven marketing

As AI continues to influence customer behavior and decision-making, the report underscores the importance of human contribution. Brands increasingly market not only to people but also to machine-driven systems that shape purchasing choices.

Skyler Mattson, CEO of WongDoody: "This research shows that AI delivers its greatest value when paired with human intuition. The leaders in this space aren’t just adopting AI—they’re intentionally designing collaboration into their marketing. The real competitive edge isn’t the volume of data AI can process; it’s the human insight that turns that data into a compelling brand story."

The full report can be accessed here

www.cmocouncil.org

www.wongdoody.com

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