Tension between rapid technological change and stagnant organisational skills is threatening the UK’s marketing competitiveness, with the vast majority of professionals lacking the cross-functional AI and digital skills to deploy resources effectively.
That is according to the European Marketing Agenda 2026, supported by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, which warns that while 78% of CMOs expect marketing budgets to remain stable or grow in 2026, brand owners must see this moment as a pivotal opportunity to invest in skills development if they are to fully harness AI’s potential, meet regulatory obligations and improve staff retention.
Surveying over 1,800 marketing and sales professionals across Europe, Asia and Africa, the report identifies AI as the top strategic focus for 2026 (43%), alongside sales and performance marketing (43%). Brand management was the third (38%) area of focus, followed by the transformation of internal capabilities and marketing operations (20%).
The UK is slightly more reluctant to prioritise AI compared to their European counterparts, ranking sales and performance marketing (41%) ahead of AI (37%) – behind countries such as Portugal (52%) and the overall European average.
Just 5% of European professionals who were surveyed were making no use of AI within their organisation, although fewer than one in eight (12%) globally had professionalised and scaled their AI usage.
The absence of a comprehensive skills and competency framework to support marketing teams is identified as a key barrier to unlocking the full potential of AI. Nearly half (45%) of respondents highlight the lack of “expertise within the team” as the primary difficulty in selecting and applying AI applications.
While just one in ten (11%) have a granular skills framework in place aimed at enhancing skills and capability, along with a dedicated programme and adequate budgets.
New forms of AI such as agentic AI, where autonomous multi-agent systems can analyse information, make decisions and act without human input – are highlighted in the report as a major force set to empower and reshape marketing roles across Europe. The disciplines expected to benefit most from these technologies include automated content creation (54%), lead generation and qualification (49%), and automated social media listening (47%).
CIM chief executive Chris Daly, who is also vice chair of the EMC Board, said: “AI is reshaping our profession; this report reinforces just how urgent it is for businesses to close the gap between their teams’ AI literacy and the accelerating pace of technological advancement.
“Building marketing capability is not simply a financial investment or a nice-to-have; it is a strategic necessity. It underpins growth, differentiation and long-term value creation, while ensuring marketing professionals remain equipped to engage with emerging technologies and developments across the sector.”
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