Every B2B marketer I know is obsessed with AI tools. They’re signing up for ChatGPT Pro, buying Jasper subscriptions, and attending webinars about “AI-powered everything.” Meanwhile, they’re completely missing the point.
AI isn’t about the tools. It’s about the strategy. And most companies have no strategy at all.
The AI Tool Addiction Problem
Here’s what drives me crazy: marketers are treating AI like a shopping list instead of a competitive advantage.
“We need an AI writing tool!” “What’s the best AI for social media?” “Should we get that new AI analytics platform?”
Wrong questions. All of them.
The right question is: “What specific business problem are we trying to solve, and how might AI help us solve it better than we can today?”
Companies like Ivanti figured this out when they integrated AI tools from 6Sense strategically, resulting in $18.4 million in revenue. But here’s the key—they didn’t start with the tool. They started with the problem: scattered data after multiple acquisitions.
Why Your AI “Strategy” is Actually Just Tool Collecting
Most B2B companies don’t have AI strategies. They have AI tool collections.
They buy AI writing tools but don’t change their content strategy. They implement AI chatbots but don’t rethink their customer service approach. They use AI for lead scoring but don’t change how they follow up on leads.
This is like buying a Ferrari and using it to haul groceries. Technically it works, but you’re missing the entire point.
Intermedia Global’s research shows that marketers suffer from “ADOS” (Attention Deficit ‘Oooh Shiny!’)—buying tools just because everyone else is. With AI, this problem is on steroids.
The Real AI Success Stories (And What They Actually Did)
Success Story #1: Vanguard’s Transparency Play
Vanguard partnered with Persado’s AI platform and increased conversion rates by 15%. But the win wasn’t the AI—it was their approach to transparency and testing.
They didn’t just implement AI and hope for the best. They built systematic testing processes and clear measurement frameworks.
Success Story #2: Slack’s Human-First AI
Slack’s AI helped users reclaim a million hours by summarizing 600 million messages. The genius wasn’t the technology—it was understanding that people wanted time back, not more features.
The Pattern: Strategy First, Tools Second
The companies succeeding with AI aren’t the ones using the most AI tools. They’re the ones solving real problems with AI as an enabler, not the main event.
The AI Marketing Myths That Are Costing You Money
Myth #1: “AI Will Replace Our Marketing Team”
No, it won’t. AI will replace marketers who don’t learn to use AI strategically.
There’s a huge difference. AI can’t understand your customers’ unspoken needs. It can’t navigate office politics to get buy-in for campaigns. It can’t build relationships with your sales team.
AI can help you do these things faster and better, but it can’t do them for you.
Myth #2: “We Need AI for Everything”
This is the fastest way to waste money and confuse your team.
Start with one specific use case. Master it. Then expand. As one expert put it: “AI is just the latest incarnation of shiny. The answer is still the same: understand your requirements.”
Myth #3: “AI Will Automatically Improve Our Results”
AI amplifies what you’re already doing. If your strategy sucks, AI will help you execute a sucky strategy more efficiently.
Fix your strategy first. Add AI second.
What Actually Works: The Strategic AI Framework
Step 1: Audit Your Biggest Time Wasters
Don’t start with AI capabilities. Start with your team’s biggest frustrations.
- What takes forever that shouldn’t?
- What requires manual work that could be automated?
- What decisions are you making based on gut feel instead of data?
Step 2: Pick One Problem and Solve It Completely
One problem. One solution. Massive impact.
Step 3: Measure Human Impact, Not Just Business Metrics
Here’s something most companies miss: one in 12 CMOs say martech makes their job less enjoyable, and 13% report negative impact on team morale.
If your AI implementation makes your team’s work more frustrating, you’ve failed—even if the numbers look good.
The Hard Questions You Need to Ask
About Your Current Approach:
“Are we using AI to solve real problems or just to say we’re using AI?”
About Your Team:
“Is AI making our people more effective or just busier?”
About Your Results:
“Can we directly tie our AI investments to business outcomes that matter?”
The Uncomfortable Truth About AI Marketing
Most AI marketing initiatives are just expensive ways to feel innovative while avoiding the hard work of strategic thinking.
It’s easier to buy an AI tool than to fix your content strategy. It’s easier to implement an AI chatbot than to improve your customer service processes. It’s easier to use AI for lead scoring than to align sales and marketing.
But easy isn’t effective.
Your AI Reality Check
Week 1: The Strategy Audit
- List every AI tool your team is currently using or considering
- For each tool, write down the specific business problem it solves
- If you can’t clearly articulate the problem, eliminate the tool
Week 2: The Integration Assessment
- Map how your AI tools work together (or don’t)
- Identify gaps where tools don’t communicate
- Calculate the total cost of ownership, including training and maintenance
Week 3: The Human Factor Review
- Survey your team about AI tool satisfaction
- Identify which tools actually save time vs. create busywork
- Document which tools require the most troubleshooting
Week 4: The Results Measurement
- Connect AI investments to specific business outcomes
- Calculate ROI based on real impact, not theoretical benefits
- Kill any AI initiatives that can’t prove their value
The Bottom Line
AI is a powerful enabler of good marketing strategy. It’s a terrible substitute for good marketing strategy.
95% of businesses are using or planning to adopt AI by 2025, but most of them are doing it wrong.
They’re collecting tools instead of building capabilities. They’re chasing features instead of solving problems. They’re measuring activity instead of impact.
Don’t be most companies.
Build an AI strategy that makes your marketing more human, not less.
Marissa Homere 