A new report from the Association for Data-Driven Marketers (ADMA) has revealed that AI usage in the industry has surged but formal training and understanding of the technology among marketers is low. Specifically, the report—AI, Talent & Trust: A New Blueprint for Marketing Leadership—found that while three-quarters of marketers use AI weekly, just 29 per cent have formal training, revealing a clear skills imbalance. This gap, ADMA said, exposes weaknesses in marketing technology, data management, and automation that could limit marketers’ ability to fully harness AI’s potential. AI is no longer a curiosity on the side; it’s already in our workflows, campaigns and customer conversations,” says Andrea Martens, CEO of ADMA. It also found that only 36 per cent of Australians say they trust AI, highlighting the fragile foundation on which adoption currently sits.