Business-to-business (B2B) marketing teams are rapidly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into their strategies, according to a recent Forrester study titled “The State of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Adoption in B2B Marketing 2024.” The study reveals that 25% of B2B marketing teams have incorporated AI/ML into their production processes, while 24% utilize these technologies for advertising and media buying. Additionally, AI/ML is employed for marketing analytics and personalization by 24% of teams, and 23% use it for predictive scoring.
Expanding Applications
Beyond these primary uses, AI and ML applications extend to chatbots and virtual assistants (22%), marketing automation and tactic orchestration (21%), social media intelligence and management (21%), segmentation (21%), and intent monitoring (20%).
Among these adopters, 23% are classified as leading adopters based on their extensive and deep use of AI/ML. Notably, 42% of these leading adopters have already implemented generative AI (GenAI) systems, compared to just 11% among other respondents. These leading adopters predominantly come from technology-adjacent sectors, including high-tech manufacturing, IT and tech services, and financial services. According to Forrester, these industries are well-positioned to leverage AI due to their data-rich environments and robust data governance frameworks.
Challenges Faced
Despite their advanced adoption, leading AI users face significant hurdles, particularly related to intellectual property (IP) protection and data privacy. Forrester highlights that 25% of leading adopters cite poor data accessibility as a major challenge, compared to 19% of other respondents. To address these issues, leading adopters are encouraged to establish data centers of excellence. They also experience fewer concerns about aligning business goals and expectations, with only 17% expressing this issue compared to 21% of others.
Talent acquisition remains another critical challenge, with 21% of leading adopters struggling to find the right talent for AI initiatives, versus 16% of other respondents. Forrester suggests that B2B marketers should consider upskilling existing employees to bridge this talent gap.
Generative AI Challenges
For those focusing on GenAI, leading adopters report specific difficulties. Data privacy and security are cited as the most pressing issue by 34% of these leaders, compared to 29% of non-leading adopters. Additionally, integration with existing infrastructure and copyright concerns are significant challenges for 27% of leading adopters, versus 20% and 18% respectively for others.
Widespread AI Adoption
A separate report by CleverTap reveals that 81% of marketers are using GPT models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s AI Gemini (formerly Bard). Specifically, 55% describe their GenAI adoption as partially integrated across selected marketing functions. Content teams are the primary users of AI capabilities, with 71.4% of respondents indicating this focus.
AI’s impact on operational efficiency is notable, with 82% of marketers reporting improvements through streamlined workflows and automated content generation. Furthermore, 54% have leveraged AI for faster content creation and campaign rollout. Popular AI applications include crafting emotionally resonant content (43%), automating segmentation based on conversion likelihood (39%), and conducting large-scale experiments (39%).
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