Maya Robertson
B2B marketers are heading into 2026 with artificial intelligence at the top of their investment agenda, according to new industry research examining how teams are reshaping their strategies amid fast-moving technological and buyer-behavior shifts.
A recent analysis of global B2B marketers shows 45% plan to increase spending on AI-powered marketing tools next year, making it the most prioritized category for investment. The data—drawn from an August 2025 survey by the Content Marketing Institute—reflects a market where AI adoption is already widespread: 95% of marketers report using AI in some capacity, primarily for content generation and creative asset development.
Despite the momentum behind AI investment, most teams remain early in their maturity curve. Roughly two-thirds of marketers describe their AI use as exploratory or in development, and while AI has delivered clear efficiency gains, its impact on deeper metrics such as content quality and performance remains inconsistent.
Marketers report that AI has helped accelerate production, but fewer can point to tangible improvements in results. Nearly one in five say they haven’t seen creativity or content quality meaningfully improve, and some note a decline. The findings suggest that while AI solves speed, it does not automatically solve strategy.
The report highlights an emerging shift in the B2B buying process: 80% of global tech buyers now use generative AI as often as traditional search to research vendors, and nearly half rely on it specifically for market discovery. This puts pressure on brands to rethink how they surface expertise, validate claims, and maintain visibility in generative AI-driven environments.
Content strategy effectiveness rose compared to prior years, with 61% of marketers reporting improved outcomes, driven largely by better planning and team capabilities. However, the core challenges remain nearly unchanged from previous surveys:
- Creating content that drives action (40%)
- Resource constraints (39%)
- Measuring effectiveness (33%)
The persistence of these issues reflects a disconnect between rapid tool adoption and slower operational evolution inside organizations.
Almost all respondents say they publish thought leadership, but participation remains narrow. Only 8% of organizations report “substantial” employee involvement, indicating that thought leadership still often sits with a small content team rather than being distributed across subject-matter experts.
LinkedIn remains the top channel for distribution, followed by email newsletters and webinars.
While 91% of marketers collect first-party data, only half consider their strategies mature. Governance presents a key weak point: nearly half of teams operate without established standards for data quality, access, and compliance.
Marketers cite targeting improvements and deeper customer insights as key benefits of first-party data, but challenges around data quality, management complexity, and resourcing continue to slow progress.
Experiential marketing regained momentum in 2025, with 78% of marketers allocating budget to events and live experiences. Yet maturity remains low, with only 30% rating their programs as established or beyond. Many teams also struggle to evaluate impact: more than half have not measured how experiential touchpoints affect sales timelines.
Those who do measure see a pattern—51% report shorter sales cycles when experiential elements are included—suggesting strong potential for brands willing to invest.
Although nearly all B2B marketers personalize content, most describe their efforts as basic and limited to email. Only 1% report “comprehensive” personalization across all touchpoints, signaling a gap between ambition and execution as buyer expectations continue to evolve.
Account-based marketing remains a critical strategic lever, yet 51% of marketers report not using ABM or ABX at all. Even among adopters, personalization tends to rely on broad industry or role-based messaging rather than behavioral or account-specific insights.
Still, ABM shows performance advantages: 65% of users say ABM outperforms traditional marketing, even when programs are still maturing.
Looking ahead, B2B marketers plan to increase spending in:
- AI tools (45%)
- Experiential marketing (33%)
- Owned media such as websites, blogs, and newsletters (32%)
- Content personalization (24%)
- Tech infrastructure (21%)
The lowest priority: talent and training, with only 9% planning to expand budgets—despite data showing that improvements in marketing effectiveness often stem from team skills and alignment rather than tools.
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