Gartner 2026 CMO Survey Shows Rise in Digital and Acquisition Spend
Gartner data indicates CMOs are directing more budget to digital channels and acquisition while loyalty spending drops 29% since 2024.
Marketing leaders are allocating larger shares of budgets to digital media and customer acquisition, according to MarTech. The shift comes as generative AI raises consumer doubts about content quality.
Media Budget Allocation
Gartner’s 2026 CMO Spend Survey found that awareness and conversion activities represent 62.6% of media spending. Digital media accounts for more than two-thirds of total media investment. Customer acquisition spending is increasing. Investment in loyalty and retention has declined 29% since 2024 and now comprises less than 15% of total media spend. The survey results were presented at the Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo in Denver.
AI Influence on Channel Strategy
AI capabilities in personalization and digital channel optimization are cited as drivers of the budget shift. Organizations with the highest AI maturity allocate a larger portion of budgets to retention and a smaller portion to digital channels than less mature peers. “AI can help marketers optimize faster, but optimization is not the same as strategy,” said Ewan McIntyre, vice president, analyst, and chief of research at Gartner, according to MarTech.
Labor Costs and AI Readiness
Labor’s share of marketing budgets rose from 21.9% in 2025 to 24.5% in 2026. Seventy percent of CMOs reported that marketing processes lack sufficient maturity to scale AI. Thirty percent described their AI readiness as mature or fully developed. Thirty-eight percent identified lack of internal AI expertise as the primary barrier.
Consumer Views on AI Content
A separate Gartner survey found that 49% of U.S. consumers believe generative AI has reduced content quality. The figure reaches 57% among Gen Z and millennial respondents. Nearly six in 10 consumers said they prefer simultaneous engagement with multiple media or technologies. “AI-generated content is increasing the volume of media that consumers encounter, but not necessarily the value,” said Kate Muhl, vice president analyst at Gartner, according to MarTech.
