In 2025, Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t just considered as simply a tool for marketing. Instead, it’s the backbone of strategies that are designed to improve efficiency, engagement, and decision-making. The UK’s AI market is projected to reach £15 billion this year, and we are already seeing it spread to critical sectors including finance, healthcare, and transportation. Within the marketing sector, AI is evolving from a fringe addition to a core element in daily operations, with 88% of marketers incorporating it to streamline workflows and improve decision-making.

As AI continues to become integral to the marketing process, businesses are moving toward integrated solutions that support the entire marketing ecosystem. By automating repetitive tasks, marketing teams free up time to focus on the important things, such as creative, strategic work. One of the most visible examples of AI’s influence is the rise of chatbots, which now handle customer support 24/7. These intelligent systems go beyond basic responses, as they analyse conversations in real time and offer personalised recommendations that drive customer satisfaction and loyalty, streamlining the customer experience.

How AI is shaping marketing strategy

AI is also changing how businesses approach their marketing strategies. This idea of agentic AI (where multiple AI systems collaborate to make autonomous decisions) has gained significant traction in recent months. It allows companies to optimise their campaigns in real time, adjusting digital ads or pricing strategies in response to market conditions, without needing human input.

In the UK, businesses are already seeing the benefits of this shift, with 1 in 6 businesses embracing at least one AI technology. By leveraging AI for dynamic pricing or refining digital ads based on performance, brands can respond quickly to changes in the marketplace. This is especially important in an era where the speed of digital marketing decisions is critical to staying competitive.

Improving personalisation with AI

One of the most impactful areas of AI’s influence is in customer segmentation and personalisation. As we now know, one of AI’s strongest capabilities is analysing vast amounts of data. In the world of marketing, this permits it to target specific customer groups with precision. Take Netflix, for example, which uses AI to suggest content that matches individual preferences. Businesses can follow this model by using AI to deliver highly personalised marketing messages and offers, in turn boosting engagement and improving customer retention.

Generative AI has further enhanced the ability to create relevant, personalised content at scale. Brands like Wowcher have used AI to tailor their social media and advertising content, adapting their messaging based on customer preferences. This isn’t limited to environment or retail. In fact, AI’s ability to personalise transcends industries, which makes it a key asset in any marketing toolkit.

The ROI on marketing ROI

According to recent data, 93% of businesses using AI in their marketing have met their goals faster, and 56% have increased their marketing output. What’s more, 50% of marketers have seen improvements in the quality of their marketing content, showing how AI speeds up processes and raises the bar in terms of creativity and relevance. With AI helping brands to produce more content, engage with customers more effectively, and improve campaigns in real time, the ROI is significant. Companies that embrace AI are seeing better results, faster.

Closing the talent gap

While AI offers clear benefits, one of the biggest hurdles to its adoption in marketing is the growing talent gap. Many teams lack the in-house expertise to implement and scale AI effectively. Whether it’s data science, machine learning, or AI prompt engineering, the right skills are in short supply and demand is rising.

This demand is reflected in job market trends. Recent data shows that job listings across all sectors that mention AI advertise salaries 20% higher than those that don’t. For marketing roles specifically, AI expertise commands a premium, with marketing specialists with AI skills earning £14,800 more on average than their peers without them. This wage gap is a clear signal that AI capabilities are not just a nice-to-have. They are becoming essential.

To stay competitive, organisations need to prioritise upskilling. That means creating a culture of continuous learning, where marketers are encouraged to build AI fluency and collaborate closely with data and engineering teams. The companies that get this right will turn this into a strategic advantage.

How AI will shape marketing’s future

As we move into 2025 and beyond, AI will continue to drive significant changes in how UK businesses engage with their customers. The integration of AI extends beyond simply automating tasks. In fact, it’s critical that AI is embedded into the marketing strategy. This means personalising interactions and improving decision-making to stay ahead of the competition.

For businesses that are ready to embrace AI, it’s clear to see that the opportunities are there for the taking. Those who strategically embed AI into their operations will have the capacity to work smarter, innovate and disrupt more effectively, and (most importantly) gain a significant edge in a competitive marketplace. The key to success will be moving beyond basic adoption and fully integrating AI into marketing practices, which will ensure that it becomes a driving force behind future success.

Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash

• Yogin Patel is the VP of AI engineering at Sprinklr, an enterprise software company for all customer-facing functions.