Marketing’s new mandate: Why AI is forcing CMOs to think like ‘mini CEOs’ 

“The CMO is basically a mini CEO,” says Dara Treseder, chief marketing and commercial officer at U.S. software company Autodesk. Speaking during Fortune’s Conversations from Cannes webinar, she says: “A CMO is looking after things at an enterprise-wide level. This is the golden era for marketers who master the technology and the tools and know how and when to use them.” 

New York-based executive search company Russell Reynolds describes the modern CMO as “an architect of enterprise-wide growth and customer connection.” According to its research, more than 90% of CMO job descriptions posted in 2025 required performance expertise alongside experience leading and developing teams. 

For many marketing leaders, AI is accelerating that shift, forcing CMOs to rethink not only how brands communicate, but how marketing contributes to growth across the business. 

Taking a lead on technology 

Donna Smith, EMEA Partnerships at marketing and media business Monks, describes the CMO as one of the most valuable roles in the C-suite. “The position has become so multifaceted,” she says. “You have to be very technology savvy now to be a CMO.” 

But while AI is becoming central to the marketing toolkit, leaders remain cautious about how far it should shape creative work. Fortune and Morning Consult’s survey of 1,100 finance and marketing decision-makers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada found that 78% are either somewhat or extremely concerned that AI-generated content could reduce consumer trust in brands.  

“There’s so much out there that’s mediocre and ineffectual, and you’re being bombarded with it constantly,” Smith says. “It can make it hard to think creatively.”  

This has not prevented some companies from experimenting with AI in their ad campaigns. Coca-Cola has previously commissioned artificial intelligence studios to develop its Christmas adverts, with its CMO Manolo Arroyo claiming that AI made ad development faster and cheaper—cutting production time from a year to one month. 

While Smith acknowledges that AI is here to stay, she believes that marketing departments must be more discerning in how and where the technology is used. “We’re getting very good at dismissing content that’s created by AI,” she says.  

Treseder agrees: “It has never been easier to make something beautiful, polished, and completely forgettable.” 

As AI-generated content floods digital channels, she argues that human taste, judgment, and originality are becoming more valuable. “AI is raising the floor, but it is human ingenuity that is going to give you your competitive advantage,” Treseder says. “You need to create something that’s truly unique, truly differentiated, and truly interesting to break through and that is something that I still believe humans are going to create.” 

Understanding when to introduce AI to the creative process will become a crucial skill for marketing leaders. It is also expected to reshape creative teams. More than half (53%) of the marketing and finance decision-makers polled by Fortune thought AI would either replace creative functions or significantly reduce the need for human creativity.  

Having knowledge of tech platforms and how they work will be important for setting an AI strategy. “You need to determine when humans should be in the lead and when it’s okay to use machines,” Treseder adds. “You cannot fully understand how to bring those two things together if you haven’t learned how to master the tools.” 

For Treseder, there are certain parts of the creative process that should never be delegated to AI. “You want to prime humans to love your brand, so humans should be in the lead when developing the idea and the message,” she says.  

AI is better placed for helping to develop the distribution method and tailoring the campaign to different audiences, she adds. “I never want my idea to come from AI. I want to have an original thought. I’m not here trying to be a second-hand thinker.”  

AI search gives creators the edge 

AI is also changing how brands are found online. Half of consumers use AI-powered search,  according to McKinsey, and it predicts that $750 billion of consumer spend will come from AI search by 2028. “AI discovery has turned everything on its head,” Treseder says.  

As ChatGPT, Google Gemini and other large language models (LLMs) become default search destinations for consumers, marketers must develop effective GEO (generative engine optimization) strategies. 

Consumers remain skeptical of AI-generated content, but those using AI search are more than four times more likely to make a purchase than those using traditional search engines, according to Semrush’s AI Visibility Index 2026.  

Content creators are also becoming an increasingly important point of differentiation for brands in the AI-search era, according to Treseder. “AI discovery has matured and it’s really given creators that much more of a seat at the table,” she says. “Creators are now the protagonists. They are no longer just an add-on to your distribution strategy, they’re a channel unto themselves.” 

Content creators are able to lend brands a sense of authenticity. Semrush analysis identified a 410% increase in job listings for content creator roles since 2023. “These creators are so powerful, they’re critical to your AI discovery of your brand, and they’re an important validation of your story and your message,” Treseder says. 

C-suite executives are also becoming more involved in content creation and are using their own social media channels to promote their business, services, and products. Treseder advises marketers to “start thinking about how to leverage your C-suite executives to get your message out there.”  

Despite the increased focus on the role of creators, only 12% of marketers and finance leaders said they were using influencers to build brand credibility and trust in the age of AI, the Fortune survey found. 

“Our brand purpose cannot be something we manufacture easily, it has to be something we create thoughtfully and intentionally to build and earn trust with our customers,” Treseder adds. 

With AI impacting the way brands are discovered online and questions remaining over technology’s role in the creative process, the CMO’s remit is only becoming broader. But despite the pace of technological change, trust remains the profession’s most valuable currency. As Treseder notes: “Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.”