New Research: GenAI Adoption Insights for Marketing Leaders

As content demand surges and marketing budgets tighten, it's only natural to explore cost-effective solutions like Generative AI (GenAI) for faster content creation. But here's the challenge: how do you ensure your content remains high-quality, brand-consistent, and strategically impactful while diving into this new technology?

Beyond the obvious hurdles, there are deeper concerns—how do you measure GenAI's value? How do you address legal and technical issues? And how do you manage uncertainties about its long-term impact, all while juggling your current responsibilities?

Many marketers I've spoken with share these concerns, but they aren't letting them stand in the way of embracing GenAI's transformative potential.

At Skyword, we're dedicated to guiding the responsible adoption of GenAI in content marketing.

To that end, we surveyed over 200 marketers to uncover how they're navigating the use of GenAI in content creation, specifically. Our findings, detailed in GenAI in Content Creation: Adoption Insights for Marketing Leaders, provide a window into how your peers are using GenAI and how adoption is accelerating. Here's a glimpse of what we discovered:

Top GenAI adoption insights

1. GenAI adoption Is accelerating rapidly

By June 2025, 90% of marketers will be using GenAI for content creation in some capacity, a significant increase from 55% today. This rapid adoption signals growing confidence in GenAI's potential. Initially, early adopters focused on pilot programs aimed at speed and cost-efficiency. Now, we will see that focus shifting to scaling effective GenAI tools and approaches across content marketing operations.

This shift underscores the transformative power of GenAI. If you're not already leveraging or planning to leverage GenAI within the next year, you risk falling behind in a fast-evolving landscape.

2. Improving speed Is the primary driver of GenAI adoption

A striking 71% of marketers say that improving operational speed is the main reason they're integrating GenAI into their content creation process, with cost reduction taking a backseat. This emphasis on speed highlights the pressure to produce content quickly to stay competitive.

While GenAI excels at rapid content generation, it's not the best choice for crafting high-quality, long-form content from scratch. For one, content created primarily by AI is not copyrightable. Instead, use GenAI to adapt and repurpose your brand's highest-value or top-performing content. For example, take a successful eBook or webinar and use GenAI to quickly generate related social media updates, email campaigns, and blog posts. This approach helps you produce timely, relevant content efficiently while maintaining the quality your audience expects.

3. Legal and security concerns are a major barrier

As of June, nearly 40% of marketers reported that their companies had banned the use of GenAI for content creation. Among them, 73% cited legal and security concerns as the primary reasons. These concerns are especially relevant as the lines between original and AI-generated content blur, raising questions about intellectual property rights and long-term content ownership.

However, many expect these restrictions to be lifted within the coming year as the need to stay competitive and the benefits of GenAI become undeniable. Larger enterprises, with their greater resources, are already more likely to allow GenAI use. The most significant growth in adoption is expected among midsize businesses, where bans are most common today.

Forward-thinking marketers are proactively addressing these concerns and gaining approval for GenAI use by building joint business cases with experienced vendors, focusing on repurposing content with AI rather than creating from scratch (in part, to protect content ownership), proposing GenAI processes with human oversight, and partnering with vendors to ensure responsible data usage and brand control over output.

4. GenAI delivers measurable resource and time savings

Already, 41% of marketers are seeing measurable time and resource savings from using GenAI in content creation. This efficiency provides a competitive edge, allowing teams to allocate more time to strategic initiatives like refining brand messaging or exploring new content formats. However, the real challenge lies in converting these operational gains into tangible performance improvements, such as higher audience engagement and a stronger brand presence.

To truly maximize the benefits of GenAI, go beyond tracking time saved. Set performance metrics that directly tie GenAI's output to your business goals. For instance, measure the impact of AI-generated content on conversion rates, audience retention, or SEO rankings. By honing in on specific KPIs, you can ensure that GenAI not only streamlines your processes but also drives meaningful growth and deeper audience connections.

Scale your content program with GenAI

Our research report offers a six-point action plan, rooted in our expertise in content marketing and responsible GenAI adoption. This plan is designed to help you maximize GenAI's benefits while minimizing risks.

Download the full report here.

At Skyword, we're dedicated to helping you use GenAI effectively and responsibly. Our AI-enabled tools are designed to streamline your workflow and amplify your content's impact:

• ATOMM™: Seamlessly transforms your top-performing content into targeted pieces for every audience and channel, ensuring your message always resonates.
• Accelerator360™: Accelerates your SEO content creation by automating crucial tasks like keyword research, brief creation, and writer selection, so you can publish high-ranking content faster.

Ready to start leveraging GenAI to scale your content program? I'm here to help.