AI in Marketing: Will AI Replace Marketers?

Andrew Tindall's dispatch from Google Marketing Live describes demos and acronyms, where AI promised to do the work for you. But if machines are building campaigns, what’s left for humans?

AI terrifies me, he admits, recalling the shift from TV ads to spreadsheets. At Google Marketing Live 2025, surrounded by marketers and product managers, the focus was Google’s AI stack. There was much to absorb, including Smart Bidding Exploration, generative AI for campaign creation, and agentic systems that act, not just recommend. The offering is tools to automate bidding, asset creation, campaign structuring and measurement. The promise is less work for marketers, more work for AI, and improved performance. Marketers using AI see 60% more revenue growth.

After the event, Tindall visited Temple Bar and considered the implications of these new tools.

Pint One

Some tools are clever, offering Smart Bidding Exploration, generative asset creation and campaign automation. But what is the role of the human marketer?

Orlando Wood called and described Google’s new AI superpowers as “salesmanship on steroids.” AI gives us space to think, plan and build creative.

Pint Two

These tools automate the doing, which is brilliant until it’s not. If AI handles targeting, creative and bid management, where is the value added? Marketers might forget to think, stop writing proper briefs, and let tools lead strategy. AI can’t build a brand’s soul. A platform doing the heavy lifting can result in a pointless campaign.

Pint Three

Agentic advertising means giving AI the ability to act on your behalf, building media plans while marketers do other things. When paired with creative direction and strategic thinking, it could free us to focus on the good stuff and make work that doesn’t make people want to claw their eyes out.

Pint Four

AI for marketing efficiency exposes ineffective marketers. AI can tweak CTRs and build rational campaigns better, faster, and cheaper. The playing field is leveling, even for small brands. The only advantages left are creativity, strategy, and emotional intelligence.

Pint Five

If AI gives marketers time back, what will they do with it? Most won’t use it to build better ideas, but will find new spreadsheets and tinker with dashboards. AI offers freedom, presenting a chance to write smarter briefs, build emotional platforms, and fight for creative that entertains. Adopt the tech and double down on what humans do best, or get automated out of relevance.