Shifting expectations of the CMO role

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I've now talked with 5 CMOs and left each conversation more worried than the last.

These aren't small players either – we're talking enterprise marketing leaders who've shaped the industry for years. People you'd actually recognize for their accomplishments.

They're all facing a gap. Most can't articulate how they're incorporating AI in their stack. Not just using ChatGPT to brainstorm or write copy, but truly upleveling the operations of their team, their programs, their process.

Meanwhile, I know this Director of Marketing who's been spending an hour daily with their Product team learning about LLM architecture and inference patterns. No fancy title, just pure hunger to learn.

This is the future of marketing leadership:
↳ You're a practitioner first
↳ You get your hands dirty with the tech
↳ You move with urgency
↳ You lead by example

The divide is growing:
→ CMOs who deeply understand AI capabilities + current limitations
→ Those who delegate + leave the understanding to their teams

Here's what I'm seeing across my clients: CEOs aren't looking for traditional marketing leaders anymore. They want hybrid leaders who can bridge the gap between strategy and execution [a true player/coach].

Just like they say when you're investing: Past success won't guarantee future results.

And the reality...The next generation of marketing leaders aren't waiting for permission. They're building, testing, and learning daily.