Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, 71% of CMOs plan to allocate more than $10 million annually to Generative AI (GenAI) over the next three years—up from 57% last year. A new survey by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals growing optimism, with CMO confidence in GenAI adoption rising from 74% in 2023 to 83% in 2025, while concerns continue to decline.

More than one-third of CMOs report that GenAI has already improved customer experience, content quality, and content output. However, fewer respondents than last year cited efficiency gains from productivity or reduced manual work. Still, 60% of CMOs expect GenAI to generate at least 5% revenue growth in their core focus areas.

The findings are part of BCG’s latest report, How CMOs Are Scaling GenAI in Turbulent Times, based on a survey of 200 CMOs across Asia, Europe, and North America conducted in April–May 2025.

Key Investment Areas: Content, Personalization, and Agentic AI

  • Content Creation: Video generation is emerging as the next major focus, with 30% of CMOs planning to expand investment in immersive and video-based media.
  • Personalization: Predictive analytics is widely adopted for product recommendations, timing outreach, and next-best content. Advanced pilots in churn prediction, personalized offers, and audience optimization are the next wave, with personalized offers delivering 3x higher returns than mass campaigns.
  • Agentic AI: AI-powered agents are becoming a priority for marketing workflows. One-third of B2B CMOs and nearly one-quarter of B2C CMOs rank this as a high investment area.

Shift in Priorities: ROI Measurement vs. Talent Development

Interestingly, measuring marketing ROI with GenAI ranked lowest on CMO investment priorities. Many are leveraging existing investments in first-party data, deprioritizing new ROI measurement initiatives.

At the same time, CMOs are heavily investing in workforce development. With GenAI talent scarce, companies are focusing on upskilling internal teams through hackathons, AI incubators, and practical demos rather than relying solely on external recruitment.

“GenAI is no longer experimental—it’s becoming embedded in the marketing function,” said Mark Abraham, Managing Director at BCG. “CMOs are moving from pilots to scaled use cases that enhance personalization and operations.”

Lauren Wiener, BCG’s Global Marketing Lead, added: “What sets leaders apart is not just their technology adoption but their investment in people. CMOs who build both talent and tools are rewriting the rules of modern marketing.”

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