CMO Council Report Finds Martech Fragmentation Hinders AI Outcomes

A new report from The CMO Council finds many marketing organizations continue to struggle to turn martech and AI investments into business outcomes because operational foundations remain fragmented.

Martech Maturity Shortfalls

The 2026 Marketing Transformation Performance Audit and Scorecard tracks martech maturity, operational migration and structural transformation. More than 200 marketing leaders have participated, with more than half representing companies generating over $500 million in annual revenue. Only 1 in 4 chief marketers report being highly advanced, adaptable and agile in embracing emerging martech solutions. Nearly half believe their marketing stacks are functioning but could be better. 34% admit struggling with fragmented Frankenstack environments and integration challenges. 37% say they are challenged and lagging in identifying, specifying, integrating and deploying solutions.

Limited Recognition of Marketing as Growth Driver

Only a third of organizations increasingly recognize marketing as a strong growth driver of business performance. Many organizations continue to view the function primarily as a support organization tied to campaign execution and sales enablement. Organizations continue investing aggressively in martech, but operational maturity remains uneven.

GTM Execution and Agility Gaps

75% do not yet view their teams as highly agile, adaptive and opportunistic. 52% say there is still significant room for improvement in go-to-market execution. 30% say their teams are lagging in critical operational areas, underperforming and falling behind competitors. 36% heavily prioritize short-term performance marketing over long-term brand building. The findings reinforce that marketing agility, integration and cross-functional alignment are now essential to scaling AI effectively and improving GTM execution, according to Demand Gen Report.

The 2026 Marketing Transformation Performance Audit and Scorecard remains open for participation and will continue tracking martech maturity, operational migration and structural transformation trends throughout the year, according to Demand Gen Report.