AI Now Core to Marketing, Not Just Experimental

A new study by Callan Consulting, involving 19 B2B and B2C tech companies including NetApp, finds AI has shifted from experimental tool to embedded standard in modern marketing. The State of AI in Technology Marketing 2026 report, based on interviews with CMOs and senior leaders, shows AI is now integrated across content, research, campaign optimization, and analytics. The report notes the rise of companies that built marketing operations around generative AI from the start, with data quality and governance emerging as top priorities. NetApp CMO Gabie Boko said clean, accessible data allows teams to move from managing chaos to making real business decisions.