The longstanding debate of whether marketing is an art or science has come to a definitive conclusion: it’s both.

80% of marketing leaders say that data, analytics and insights are “very important” for generating and maintaining customers, according to CMO Council’s latest research. This shouldn’t come as a shock, though, considering how customer data has become the central focus of marketing over the last few years.

However, marketers have lost sight of that “gut instinct” that makes us unique. The art of trial and error, failing forward and creative problem solving has been swapped for strict tests, highly calculated moves and rigid analysis throughout the pandemic years. With everything being so touch-and-go for organizations of all sizes, there’s been little room for error—or experimentation.

So, how can we meet in the middle? There’s no question that data is crucial for the modern marketer, but it can’t be everything. The next phase of digital transformation will have to include marrying data and instinct, with AI as the officiant.

AI enables marketers to tap into their “marketer’s intuition” and have it backed by data to make predictions about how their ideas will play out, according to Ehren Maedge of MoEngage. Leveraging AI to its maximum ability will empower marketers to make confident, agile decisions while also maintaining the integrity of their inherent creativity.

CMO Council’s upcoming research will continue to explore the balance of intuition and intellect, adopting AI in marketing, further personalization capabilities for customer experience and so much more.

Do you have thoughts on this? We’d love to hear them. You can contribute to our survey here and receive a complimentary copy of the findings when they go live. Your responses will be kept anonymous and will only be used in aggregate. We hope to hear from you, as high-value insights like yours are what keep our peer-powered network going!