Global marketers place AI at the center of their plans for 2026, according to new data from the CMO Barometer, a research project from Serviceplan Group, the University of St. Gallen, and Heidrick & Struggles. The study draws on responses from 805 senior marketing leaders across 15 markets and shows how fast AI is moving from experiment to daily practice. You see this shift in the way CMOs talk about skills, budgets, and their expectations of agency partners.
The report’s authors frame the moment as a reset for the function. As Florian Haller of Serviceplan Group puts it, “AI is no longer a side project – it is core to the function.” That statement reflects a broader trend you’ve likely seen in your own work: AI is shaping workflows, reshaping job descriptions, and challenging teams to update processes that once felt stable.
The findings show 68 percent of respondents view AI as the single most important topic for 2026. Brand building and personalization follow at a distance, though both rely on the same data systems that power AI tools. A few markets break from the pattern. Switzerland, France, and the UK place equal weight on customer experience and ROI-focused data work, which signals that AI is part of a larger push for efficiency rather than a goal in itself.
Economic confidence stays uneven. Only one in five CMOs expect conditions to improve next year, and nearly a third anticipate a downturn. Budget forecasts mirror this tension. A third expect increases, a third expect cuts, and the rest see steady spending. Industries tied to tech and finance remain upbeat, while automotive leaders brace for rougher conditions. You’ll likely feel these shifts in your planning cycles, especially if you’re balancing short-term performance with long-term brand investment.
Skill priorities continue to move. Digital and tech capabilities now top the list, replacing leadership skills, which ranked highest last year. Customer orientation follows closely. Cadbury’s global brand VP, Guilherme Ferreira, grounds this change in a return to basics: “It’s about telling a compelling story about why your brand exists and anchoring that in business impact.” His point speaks directly to your day-to-day challenge: using new tools without letting them flatten creative thinking.
Quotes from leaders in the study also hint at rising internal pressure. As Sara Terraneo of Arcaplanet notes, “CMOs today can’t just run marketing departments.” That expectation touches nearly every part of the job, from data literacy to team culture. You may feel this as you juggle demands that reach far beyond comms planning.
Agency relationships remain a sticking point. Creativity and original thinking still rank first among CMO expectations, followed by innovation and proactive ideas. Forty-four percent now want agencies to support internal change, which suggests many marketing teams feel stretched. Only 12 percent expect agencies to lead on AI skills, implying brands see AI as something they need to own. If you work with agencies, this could affect briefs, scopes, and how you assess value.
The study also shows where CMOs turn for industry updates. Social platforms lead, followed by insights from agencies and consultancies, then events. Prof. Dr. Sven Reinecke from the University of St. Gallen says academic journals alone no longer deliver what marketing leaders need. You may share that experience, especially if you lean on short, digestible formats to keep pace with rapid change.
For marketers, the significance of the CMO Barometer lies in its broad view of how your peers are adjusting to a fast-moving environment. AI is reshaping planning cycles. Budget signals stay mixed. Expectations of talent and agencies continue to shift. These factors will influence how you set priorities, hire, work with partners, and defend long-term brand investment in a climate where short-term decisions still dominate.
The CMO Barometer now enters its seventh year, and this edition points to a field still searching for steady ground. As 2026 approaches, you’ll likely face the same tension many respondents describe: balancing new tech with the craft of brand building, while keeping teams and budgets stable enough to deliver.