AI won’t replace marketers. But marketers who use AI will replace those who don’t.
That line’s been bouncing around marketing circles in recent years, and in 2025, it couldn’t be more accurate.
Back in 2024, AI felt like a supercharged intern: fast, helpful, sometimes a bit clueless. It gave us productivity gains, sped up research, spat out first drafts. Handy, but not essential.
Now? It is essential. In 2025, using AI isn’t an advantage. It’s the baseline. The bare minimum. If you’re not using it, you’re falling behind.
But let’s get one thing straight: AI hasn’t made marketers obsolete. Far from it. What it has done is raise the bar. Great marketing now requires both human intelligence and machine intelligence, working together.
Here’s what’s really shifting:
1. From execution to collaboration: AI’s new role in strategy
This isn’t just about using ChatGPT to write the caption on your Linkedin post. We're talking predictive analytics, automated creative testing, smart media buying. AI isn’t just helping you do marketing, it’s starting to shape your strategy. Think of it like having a brainy assistant who never sleeps (but still needs direction).
Top tip: Try feeding your AI tool actual campaign results and customer data instead of generic prompts. The more context you give it, the smarter its suggestions become.
Use AI to draft three angles for a campaign concept. Then use your judgment to spot the boldest one and refine it. Don’t expect brilliance out of the box, collaborate with it.
2. Customer insight still starts with real people
AI is brilliant at pattern recognition. But it’s got zero emotional intelligence. It doesn’t know what your audience is stressed about right now. It can’t sense a cultural shift before it hits the headlines. It can’t spot a brave idea and say: “Yes, that’s the one.” That’s still on you.
Top tip: Pair AI tools with live audience research - social listening, surveys, sales team feedback. Feed those insights back into your AI prompts.
Use AI to scan thousands of comments or reviews and summarise themes, then you spot the emotional truths or tensions worth exploring.
3. Blending machine speed with human creativity
Speed is important. So is originality. The winning marketers in 2025 are the ones who use AI to move faster, but don’t let it flatten their thinking. AI gets you 80% of the way there. Human creativity gets you over the line.
Top tip: Use AI for works like content calendars, draft outlines, and A/B headline testing. Then focus your brainpower on the big idea.
Set up an “AI first pass” system. Let AI generate drafts or options, but build in time to add your creative flair before anything goes live.
The AI hype is real, but so is the opportunity. Marketers who lean in early are already seeing the results. Stronger performance. More time to think. Less guesswork.
But it’s not enough to just “use AI.” You need to use it well. That means understanding what it’s good at (and what it’s not), weaving it into your workflow, and making smarter, faster decisions because of it.
And yes, that’s a skill in itself.
At Fabric, we’ve got coaches who are right at the forefront of using AI in marketing, from strategic planning to campaign optimisation. They’re not just dabbling, they’re leading.
Want to be coached by someone who’s already ahead of the curve? Check out our brochure here and find out how we can help you stay future-ready.