The State of AI in B2B Marketing

Over the past few years, artificial intelligence (AI) in B2B marketing has exploded. While AI has long been used for behind-the-scenes data analysis, recent innovations in natural language processing (NLP) and the emergence of generative AI (GenAI) have propelled the technology into mainstream awareness.

But how are B2B marketers responding to this change? To find out, ON24 surveyed more than 500 B2B marketers across the United States to understand how teams are using AI tools and how marketers think AI will impact the industry in the future.

The findings are compiled in our special report, The State of AI in B2B Marketing in 2024. In addition, we put together a guide to help you discover what role AI can play in B2B marketing campaigns, what benefits it offers and how to use it for maximum impact.

Top AI trends for B2B marketers

When it comes to the continued adoption of B2B AI tools, we found that:

• 85% of organizations agree that businesses using AI will see stronger revenue performance than those that don’t

• 83% of businesses believe that AI allows marketers to scale and improve personalization

• 87% of businesses agree that AI makes marketing automation more efficient and effective

• 84% of businesses agree that intelligent use of AI will improve the buyer experience

We also found that:

• 84% of businesses are planning to integrate more AI into their marketing strategies

• 72% of executives are asking their employees how they will be utilizing AI

According to the survey, AI has taken hold of B2B marketers. In fact, 87% of responding B2B marketers said they were using or testing AI. More than half (53%) report using AI significantly, while 34% are currently testing and building a roadmap to use it.

To add to that last point, more than 8 in 10 (84%) B2B marketing teams say they plan to integrate AI into their strategies by the end of 2024. This is likely due to the strong feelings marketers have about the potential impact AI will have in areas such as analytics and measurement (93%), promotional content development (87%), audience segmentation (85%) and webinars and events (80%).

Many B2B marketers are currently putting AI to work in areas like content creation. Almost two-thirds (63%) use AI to create promotional content such as landing pages and email copy — the most cited use cases for AI among survey respondents.

This makes sense, considering content creation can be time-consuming, and the need for more content is only growing. With the right AI tools, generative AI can help accelerate content creation by organizing, outlining and producing first drafts for copywriters to perfect.

Nearly half (45%) of respondents using AI also use it for webinars and virtual events. With AI, teams can optimize webinars and virtual events by personalizing promotions, optimizing audience engagement opportunities and automating content recommendations. In fact, AI’s ability to repurpose webinar content helps extend the life of a webinar well beyond its publication date.

B2B marketers using AI are 7x more likely to beat targets

While it’s promising, many B2B marketers embrace AI, what’s truly eye-opening is the correlation between implementing AI and achieving organizational success. Among marketers currently leveraging AI, a remarkable 64% have surpassed their organizational goals, with only 9% failing to meet them. In contrast, 29% of marketers who have yet to adopt AI reported failing to meet their goals.

Further supporting the rapid adoption of AI in marketing, research from 2023 underscores its swift integration into business practices. According to data from McKinsey, cited in the Artificial Intelligence Index Report by Stanford University, marketing and sales functions experienced the highest rates of AI adoption last year compared to other functions. This adoption has had a profound impact on business performance, with 65% of respondents noting an increase in revenue and 41% reporting a reduction in costs.

How AI amplifies B2B content marketing efforts

Any B2B content marketer will tell you the demand for fresh and relevant content never ends. This is why marketers are already capitalizing on AI technologies and using them to generate content through techniques such as content repurposing.

Promotional content development was ‌the most cited marketing use case for ‌respondents currently using AI. Using AI to produce content goes beyond landing pages and email copy. About half (49%) of survey respondents use AI for content development, such as e-books and blogs.

Generative AI technology enables B2B marketers to work more efficiently as well. This provides marketers more time to explore and implement strategies and tactics that may have been previously unattainable due to time and resource limitations. With easy-to-use AI solutions, B2B content creators can quickly innovate within processes and see rapid returns on investment without the need for extensive training or complex setups.

How AI is essential to getting more value from webinars

AI presents a unique opportunity ‌for B2B marketers to squeeze even more value out of webinars, virtual conferences, and digital events.  On average, webinar attendees spend 53 minutes watching a single session. That translates into about 10,000 words of spoken content.

That’s content marketers can tap into and repurpose for other formats with the help of generative AI. Just look at what one thought-leadership webinar can become when AI is put to work:

• Social posts using speaker quotes from the webinar transcripts

• Blogs and e-books created by AI using key finding or highlights

• Short video clips of key moments of audience engagement identified by AI-powered analytics

What AI is used for in marketing today vs. will be used for next year

The ways that businesses use AI tools for B2B marketing are varied. AI drives efficiency in everything from data automation to content production and can be used to scale up marketing activity in many different areas.

With so many possible applications, we were interested to know where marketers are choosing to prioritize AI usage. We asked our survey respondents which marketing activities they are using AI for today and which ones they will focus on as we move into 2025.

The impact of GenAI is evident in the results. The most popular current use of AI is for promotional content development (63%), where AI can generate personalized text for materials such as landing pages and email copy. A further 49% of respondents use AI to develop e-books, blogs, and other informational content.

Another of AI’s most popular uses is for analytics and measurement (59%). AI tools can rapidly process and understand vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends a human might struggle to spot. With valuable insights available on tap, it’s no surprise marketers are turning to AI for improved data analytics.

AI’s ability to interpret data and predict future patterns also means it plays an invaluable role in audience segmentation. Fourty-seven percent of respondents currently use it for this purpose and 46% plan to next year.

Fourty-five percent of B2B marketers in our survey use AI for webinars and virtual events. AI tools like the ON24 Intelligent Engagement Platform can help optimize audience engagement to nurture leads and drive revenue before, during and after virtual events. This trend is set to continue, with 46% prioritizing webinars and virtual events in their upcoming AI marketing strategies.

The other top activities that marketers will be prioritizing AI for either this year or next are analytics and measurement (62%), promotional content development (60%), and non-promotional content development (51%).

The top reasons to invest in AI now vs. in the future

Marketers struggle with workload and efficiency, but that’s not the only reason to use AI. The technology’s versatility means it has many potential benefits to offer, so we asked our survey respondents what the biggest reason to invest is.

While “efficiency” was ranked as the biggest reason (16%), there wasn’t a huge statistical variance within the results. “Better data” and “insight came” a close second, with 15% choosing this as the top reason, while “time savings” and “improved ROI” received 13% and 12% of votes, respectively.

Eleven percent of people thought that better business results were the number one reason to invest in AI, while 10% chose better customer engagement and experience as the primary reason. The fact that respondents’ answers were so split just goes to show how broad the benefits of AI are for businesses.

We also asked respondents what they think the future reasons for investing in AI will be. More than half (54%) believe that better data and insight, efficiency (52%), and time savings (50%) will be the top reasons.

48% believe that improved ROI will be a reason to invest and 42% believe that innovation is up there too. With so many marketers expecting AI to benefit their work in the future, businesses that invest in it now can gain a competitive edge.

Ways organizations use AI in marketing

There’s a lot of talk about using AI for B2B marketing, but talk doesn’t always mean action. We were keen to find out how many marketers are using or planning to use AI — here’s what we found out.

As it turns out, the hype around AI has caught on. 53% of our survey respondents said they already used AI significantly, while 33% are currently testing AI and building an implementation roadmap. A further 10% said they’re not currently using AI but plan to do so in the future.

Astonishingly, only 4% of respondents say they have no plans to start using AI for B2B marketing. This shows that AI has, beyond doubt, permeated the increasingly competitive B2B landscape, with all kinds of businesses recognizing the opportunities it brings for innovation and efficiency.

AI usage in marketing today by industry

We also looked at AI usage in different industries to better understand where AI B2B marketing is most prevalent. Of the industries we surveyed, financial services came out top, with 67% of respondents saying they use it and 90% planning to integrate it next year.

53% of respondents in the technology sector are using AI, and 86% plan to use AI next year, while 36% are currently testing and building a roadmap.

50% of manufacturing and professional service respondents are using AI and 80% plan to integrate it next year.

In the life sciences, pharma, and healthcare industries, 44% of B2B marketers use AI. 38% are testing AI and building roadmaps, and 86% plan to integrate AI in 2025.

This slower but steady approach is perhaps due to greater regulations across healthcare-related industries. However, it’s interesting to note that while financial services businesses face similar regulations, the pace of AI integration has been quicker than any other industry we surveyed.

AI usage in marketing by revenue size

One of the most significant insights from our survey data is that businesses of all sizes are embracing AI in B2B sales and marketing. Those with revenue between $25M and $100M are currently leading the charge, with 61% already using AI and 91% planning integrations next year.

50% of businesses making less than $25M in revenue are using AI today, while 81% plan to do so next year. 84% of businesses making more than $100M in revenue plan to integrate it next year, with 48% already using it.

When we look at which businesses are working on testing AI and building roadmaps, the story is similar across the board. 35% of businesses with revenue of less than $25M are currently testing, 32% of businesses with $25M-$100M revenue, and 33% of those with revenue of $100M+.

The ways that businesses use AI tools for B2B marketing are varied. AI drives efficiency in everything from data automation to content production and can be used to scale up marketing activity in many different areas.

Another of AI’s most popular uses is for analytics and measurement (59%). AI tools can rapidly process and understand vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends a human might struggle to spot. With valuable insights available on tap, it’s no surprise marketers are turning to AI for improved data analytics.

AI’s ability to interpret data and predict future patterns also means it plays an invaluable role in audience segmentation. 47% of respondents currently use it for this purpose and 46% plan to next year.

45% of B2B marketers in our survey use AI for webinars and virtual events. AI tools like the ON24 Intelligent Engagement Platform can help optimize audience engagement to nurture leads and drive revenue before, during and after virtual events. This trend is set to continue, with 46% prioritizing webinars and virtual events in their upcoming AI marketing strategies.

The other top activities that marketers will be prioritizing AI for either this year or next are analytics and measurement (62%), promotional content development (60%), and non-promotional content development (51%).

AI usage in everyday life

We wanted to find out how widespread AI usage is in everyday life, both inside and outside work. In our survey, we asked the marketers which areas of life they use AI in, which yielded some interesting results.

The main takeaway is that almost everyone is using AI in some way. 26% of respondents use it only during work, 5% use it only outside work, and 64% use it both during and outside of work. Only 5% said that they do not use it at all.

More than five times as many respondents use AI solely in their jobs than solely in their personal lives. This indicates that people are increasingly aware of AI’s benefits for streamlining workflows, enhancing productivity, and improving performance.

The top reasons to invest in AI now vs. in the future

Marketers struggle with workload and efficiency, but that’s not the only reason to use AI. The technology’s versatility means it has many potential benefits to offer, so we asked our survey respondents what the biggest reason to invest is.

While efficiency was ranked as the biggest reason (16%), there wasn’t a huge statistical variance within the results. Better data and insight came a close second, with 15% choosing this as the top reason, while time savings and improved ROI received 13% and 12% of votes, respectively.

11% of people thought that better business results were the number one reason to invest in AI, while 10% chose better customer engagement and experience as the primary reason. The fact that respondents’ answers were so split just goes to show how broad the benefits of AI are for businesses.

We also asked respondents what they think the future reasons for investing in AI will be. More than half (54%) believe that better data and insight, efficiency (52%), and time savings (50%) will be the top reasons.

48% believe that improved ROI will be a reason to invest and 42% believe that innovation is up there too. With so many marketers expecting AI to benefit their work in the future, businesses that invest in it now can gain a competitive edge.

Do you think AI will improve your productivity? 

Finally, we looked at AI’s impact on productivity in B2B marketing. Most marketers believe that AI will likely improve their productivity, with 54% saying it definitely will and 37% saying it probably will.

Only 7% of B2B marketers expect their productivity to remain the same after integrating AI.

Guide: What are the benefits of AI in B2B marketing?

Here are four of the most compelling reasons to integrate AI in the B2B marketing process:

Enhanced lead generation

AI can positively impact B2B lead generation by helping marketers create and deploy more effective campaigns. There are various ways to integrate AI in lead generation campaigns, including optimizations in audience segmentation, content creation, personalization and data analysis processes.

Personalization at scale

Personalization in B2B marketing can drive significantly improved results, and AI can help make it easier to roll out at scale. Of particular note is AI’s ability to generate diverse personalized marketing messages and content tailored to suit different audience segments, which can drive higher engagement and conversion rates.

With the AI-powered ACE, a feature of the ON24 Intelligent Engagement Platform, users can quickly identify audience segments and target them with personalized content marketing experiences powered by generative AI.

Data-driven decision-making

AI-powered analytics tools can deliver critical, actionable marketing insights automatically, helping teams quickly improve campaign performance. Integrating AI into the marketing analysis or reporting process allows B2B marketers to make data-driven decisions that more reliably boost marketing results.

Scale content creation

Creating effective B2B marketing content at scale takes a lot of resources, which can limit marketers’ ambitions and hold them back from achieving outstanding results. AI is perfectly suited to solving this problem, making it easier than ever to ideate and produce vast amounts of marketing content.

This includes blog posts, white papers, social media posts, newsletters, and more, all of which can be used in impactful multichannel campaigns. Certain AI tools, like the ON24 platform’s AI-powered Analytics and Content Engine, can also adapt existing marketing resources, like webinars, into other mediums.

How B2B marketers can use AI

There are countless ways AI in marketing can strengthen B2B campaigns. These are some of the most powerful:

Use Predictive Analytics for Sales and Marketing

Sophisticated predictive analytics can help marketers make better, data-driven decisions that increase marketing ROI. B2B marketers can use AI to improve the accuracy and convenience of their predictive analytics process, meaning they can get more value from their marketing data.

There are various ways to integrate AI in predictive analytics, including forecasting customer behavior, automatically scoring leads based on pre-defined criteria, or optimizing sales processes to suit unfolding trends in your target audience’s sectors.

Enhance Customer Experience with AI Chatbots

High standards of customer service can help maximize customer experience, which in turn can improve customer loyalty and lifetime value. But with B2B demand often coming from across the globe, providing comprehensive, always-on customer service can be costly.

AI chatbots provide an alternative to building out a huge customer service team, providing a highly knowledgeable contact point available 24/7, no matter where your audience is. Even if you prefer to keep your support human-led, AI-powered chatbots are great at screening inquiries.

Improved customer retention

B2B marketers can also use AI technology to improve their customer retention strategy, allowing them to maximize customer lifetime value and, by extension, marketing revenue.

There are various ways that AI can boost retention, including by powering personalization in customer communications, enabling always-on customer support, and delivering predictive analytics to inform program optimizations.

Emerging AI Technologies

Ultimately, AI’s use cases in B2B marketing are currently mainly driven by generalized chatbots like ChatGPT and dedicated AI-powered marketing tools like ON24. But, just like any other technology, AI will continue developing.

That means there are plenty of new B2B marketing applications to come, which will leverage AI’s versatility to support B2B marketers in even more ways. Some of these applications, such as AI-powered voice search and customer support bots, are already emerging.