What to watch in 2026: From AI chaos to strategic clarity

AI is no longer a novelty; it’s a daily reality for marketers. But moving from scattered experiments to a strategy that drives real business growth is the challenge of our time. Sanna Halttunen-Välimaa, Head of Revenue Operations at Luxid, shares insights from her work helping clients manage the shift from AI chaos to strategic clarity.

What's the biggest shift you're seeing how marketing leaders approach AI?

It feels like just yesterday the conversation around AI in marketing was full of futuristic hypotheticals. Now, in 2026, it’s the topic of nearly every client meeting I have. The energy is palpable, but so is the anxiety. The question is no longer if we should use AI, but how we can use it to create measurable, sustainable business value.

With over two decades in organizational development and customer management, I’ve seen countless technology waves come and go. The pattern is always the same: a rush of excitement, a period of chaotic experimentation, and then a difficult but necessary pivot towards strategy. AI is in that critical pivot phase right now, and it’s where my focus is every single day.

How do you see AI strategy evolving for marketers in 2026?

I see 2026 as the year of the great cleanup. The data is fascinating. Recent studies show that while nearly 90% of marketing organizations are using AI, only about a third feel they are successfully scaling it to generate enterprise-level value.¹ My conversations with marketing leaders across industries confirm this. They have teams using a dozen different generative AI tools for everything from copy creation to image generation, but they’re struggling to connect that activity to bottom-line results.

What we’re seeing is a move away from this “let a thousand flowers bloom” approach. Leaders are realizing that without a plan, you just get a field of weeds. The most forward-thinking companies are now establishing strong governance and clear business objectives. It’s what I call the “governance paradox”: my clients who implement strong, enabling governance frameworks are actually seeing higher and more effective AI adoption, not less. It gives their teams the confidence and clarity to innovate within safe and productive boundaries.

What’s your main focus when you talk with clients about building an AI strategy?

My first question is never, “What AI tools are you using?” It’s always, “What business problem are you trying to solve, and what does your data look like?”

For all its power, AI is still subject to the old rule: garbage in, garbage out. I spend a lot of my time helping clients map their data ecosystems. We look at their marketing and sales data, their customer data platforms, and their analytics. Is the data clean, consistent, and accessible? Is there clear ownership?

Only after we have a solid data foundation we start talking about use cases. I encourage them to think about end-to-end processes, not just individual tasks. For example, instead of just using AI to write ad copy faster, how can we use it to improve the entire lead qualification and nurturing process? This focus on business value, grounded in good data, is the absolute bedrock of a successful strategy. It’s less glamorous than talking about the latest AI model, but it’s what actually works.

What’s the biggest challenge for marketing leaders this year — and how do you advise them to tackle it?

The biggest challenge is bridging the gap between excitement and execution. Many leaders are stuck in a cycle of endless pilots that never scale. They see pockets of efficiency but struggle to achieve transformative change.

My advice is always to start small, but think big. Select one or two high-impact use cases where you can achieve a clear win. Define what success looks like before you start — is it higher lead conversion rates, lower customer churn, or a better marketing ROI? Then, run a limited-scale pilot.

This is where experience in process development becomes crucial. We work with the client to test the model and the human processes around it. We analyze the results against our predefined metrics and optimize. Once that pilot demonstrates clear, undeniable value, it’s much easier to get the executive support and resources needed to scale it across the organization. This disciplined, iterative approach is how you build momentum and move from isolated experiments to a truly integrated AI-powered marketing function.

What new skills or roles do you see emerging on marketing teams?

The role of the marketer is definitely expanding. It’s no longer enough to be a specialist in a single tool. With AI streamlining processes, marketers need to understand the whole business ecosystem. The question of “why” becomes more important than “how.”

In my work, I’m seeing a greater emphasis on business acumen and strategic thinking. We’re also seeing the emergence of new roles. Some of my clients have appointed an “AI Owner” or “AI Champion” to drive the strategy forward. We’re also formalizing roles like “Data Steward” within marketing teams to ensure data quality and governance.

But it's not just about hiring new people. A huge part of my work is helping organizations upskill their existing teams. Change management is critical. We need to foster a culture of continuous learning and experimentation, where marketers are empowered to not only use AI tools but also to question, innovate, and help shape the company's strategic direction. It's a challenging but incredibly exciting time to be in marketing.

Want to dive deeper into building an AI strategy for marketing?

If you're a Finnish speaker, I invite you to watch the recent webinar I co-hosted with Anna Dodds from SSAB for the Finnish Marketing Association (MARK). We explored where AI development in marketing is actually heading right now and what it takes for AI to start delivering measurable value for marketing and business. Anna shared practical insights from SSAB's journey, and we discussed the real challenges organizations face — from scattered data to unclear strategies. You can watch the full session here: Miten rakennat markkinointia tukevan AI-strategian?

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More to Watch in 2026

Want a broader view of what’s ahead this year? Check out more of our What to Watch in 2026 insights:

• Part 1: US market trends & change management by Chris Eifert, Managing Director of Luxid US — Explore emerging shifts in the US market and how organizations can lead change with confidence and agility.
• Part 2: Strategy, differentiation & data-driven decisions by Milla Ikonen, Strategic Marketing and Sales Consultant — Discover how forward-thinking strategies, clearer differentiation, and smarter use of data will shape competitive advantage in 2026.
• Part 3: Creativity in an AI-driven world by Jonathan Bradley, Head of Creative at Luxid UK — Discover why human creativity remains the ultimate growth driver in a world of generative AI.

References

1. McKinsey's "The State of AI: Global Survey 2025" published in November 2025