Artificial intelligence is on everyone’s lips, especially those of marketing professionals. It’s everywhere : in strategic roadmaps, executive committee presentations, professional debates, CMO communities, and marketing events. It inspires both fascination and apprehension, promising speed, efficiency, and performance.

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But amid this storm of tools and speeches, a deep disconnect is emerging. What if, collectively, we are losing our way, treating AI as an end in itself, rather than as a lever serving strategic objectives ?

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The AI frenzy : a symptom of marketing losing its bearings ?

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Within marketing departments, we’re witnessing true frenzy. Everyone is rushing to “check the AI box,” at the risk of being labeled outdated. This disorderly behavior turns organizations into headless chickens, running in every direction without purpose.

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But this obsession with speed comes at a cost : widespread disillusionment, wasted time, and sometimes even a loss of credibility for the marketing function.

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We’re seeing a growing gap between AI’s potential and marketing’s real priorities : supporting growth and business, improving efficiency, and creating value. Instead, many chase tools : content generators to publish LinkedIn posts, real-time personalization for emails, automation at scale to launch campaigns in a few clicks, magical prompts and templates, starter packs… but without asking the only question that really matters : Why? For what purpose?

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Tools without strategy are just empty promises

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Let’s remember : every major technological revolution has sparked the same frenzy. The rise of the Internet in the early 2000s radically changed how we worked and did marketing. Then came CRMs, hailed as miracle solutions for customer relationship management. More recently, social networks were adopted with the hope of unlimited organic reach.

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Disconnected from a clear strategy, however, these tools become little more than tech gadgets. Floating above the organization, never truly integrated in useful or structural ways. AI is heading down the same path. Its power is real, and its applications are numerous. But its impact will be zero if it remains a totem to wave around for reassurance.

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To truly make an impact, AI must be used as one building block within a broader strategy, while recognizing the time, investment, and resources it requires.

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AI is a tool, not a magic wand

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So, what should we do ? First, slow down. Take the time to ask the right questions : Why do we want to integrate AI ? To save time ? Cut costs ? Improve quality ? What specific objectives are we trying to achieve ?

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Then, resist the tyranny of immediacy. Just because a leadership team asks, “Where do we stand on AI?” doesn’t mean we should rush blindly. Marketing should be a space of discernment, not a dumping ground for passing trends. Let’s not forget : today, the greatest luxury in marketing is still time.

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AI is not a miracle, it’s a tool. And like any tool, it demands time, training, and real integration work. It cannot be handed off to an enthusiastic but isolated team member, nor treated as a feature to be “tested.” It requires vision, commitment, and long-term reflection. It comes with costs, development, deployment, change management. And these costs must be seen as investments.

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We must also surround ourselves strategically. AI touches technical, legal, and organizational domains. Its implementation requires cross-functional leadership, diverse expertise, and disciplined execution. And we must accept the long game. AI transforms, it doesn’t replace. Like CRMs before it, it requires gradual adoption and carefully orchestrated integration.

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Digital, too, was once explored tentatively. Then it became a top priority project, before finally blending into the landscape. Today, no one talks about “digital transformation” : it has already happened. AI is following the same path. It is seeping into our tools, processes, and habits.

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So, the question is not about chasing AI solutions. It’s about choosing a strategic direction, into which AI will naturally infuse.

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