Marketing and sales AI adoption outpaces skills, increasing risks related to AI governance and brand safety

More than two-thirds of sales and marketing professionals (68%) use AI at work, and more than half (51%) use AI agents, new research from General Assembly found. However, less than one in five (17%) received comprehensive, job-specific training on AI, creating risks related to governance and brand safety.

General Assembly surveyed more than 300 marketing and sales employees in the United States and the United Kingdom, and found that most (55%) use AI less than five times a day. However, 20% are using it more than 10 times per day. Respondents say they use AI for content creation (57%), market research and analytics (49%), sales operations (47%), customer relationship management (42%) and advertising (41%).

“Sales and marketing teams have been early and avid adopters of AI, but a persistent skills gap prevents them from reaching their full potential,” said Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Business Officer at General Assembly. “Generic, one-size-fits-all AI training might have worked three years ago. Today, every department needs role-specific training. As AI agents handle increasingly complex tasks, it’s critical to brand safety and governance that marketing and sales teams have the skills to implement and manage them effectively.”

Nearly one-third (32%) of sales and marketing professionals say they received no formal AI training, while 20% received training that was too generic, 15% report their training was too focused on concepts over real applications and 16% sought out AI training on their own.

A lack of training also serves as a barrier to AI adoption for those who don’t use it yet. More than two-thirds of such respondents say they have received no formal training on AI. In terms of what would motivate them to start using AI at work, 39% of sales professionals want hands-on training specific to sales tasks and workflows, while 49% of marketers want clear examples of how AI can help with daily responsibilities.

AI is already delivering positive outcomes for sales and marketing teams, with 67% reporting that AI has freed up their time to focus on more strategic work and 56% saying their teams have become more productive.

But most (61%) can’t say they are very confident that their use of AI increases revenue, and nearly half (46%) aren’t very confident that it improves the customer experience. Additionally, nearly a quarter (22%) say AI has not impacted their team’s productivity, and 18% say AI has created more work for them and pulled them away from other strategic priorities. This reinforces the need for targeted, role-based training that can help sales and marketing professionals maximize ROI from AI adoption.

To learn more and read additional findings from the survey, click here.

About General Assembly

General Assembly (GA) is the leading talent and upskilling community that helps individuals and businesses acquire the real skills required to succeed in an increasingly complex technological era. Founded in 2011 to make tech-centric jobs accessible to anyone and meet the demand of fast-growing tech companies, GA evolved into a center of excellence in training people from all backgrounds to upgrade their practical knowledge of tech skills now required in every company and in any role. With a global presence, hands-on instruction, and a passionate alumni community, GA gives learners 360-degree support as they take the next step in their career journey. As part of the Adecco Group and partner of premier talent solutions provider LHH, GA matches the right talent to business needs. All day, every day: GA puts real skills to work.

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