New Study Shows Marketing Ranks Low in Gen AI Use – But That’s a Big Opportunity
A recent study reveals something surprising: marketing tasks rank near the bottom of the top 100 ways people use generative AI.
That’s right—while AI tools like ChatGPT are booming in popularity, marketers aren’t using them to their full potential. Instead, personal uses like therapy, life organization, and even finding purpose are leading the charge.
📊 What the Study Reveals
The report, titled “The Top-100 Gen AI Use Cases” by Marc Zao-Sanders, looked at real online conversations and data to see how people are actually using AI.
Here’s what topped the list:
- 🧠 Therapy & emotional support
- 📅 Life organization
- 🔍 Finding purpose and meaning
Meanwhile, marketing tasks are far behind:
- Ad/marketing copy – #64
- Writing blog posts – #97
- Social media copy – #98
- Social media systems – #99
Surprisingly, only “Generating ideas” ranked high at #6 — showing people love using AI to brainstorm, but not necessarily to create full content.
🤔 Why Aren’t Marketers Using AI More?
Here are a few possible reasons:
- Misunderstood potential: Many assumed AI would only help with technical stuff. But it’s excelling in human-centered tasks.
- Prompt learning curve: People are just now getting better at writing effective prompts.
- Lack of personalization: Marketing tools often focus on productivity, not emotional connection.
💡 What Marketers Can Learn from Top AI Uses
To get better results from AI, marketers should look at what’s working in other fields. Here’s what top use cases have in common:
- Emotional connection: People want tools that feel human and supportive.
- Life organization: AI isn’t just for writing—it’s great at helping plan, organize, and structure tasks.
- Skill building: People use AI to learn. Marketing tools should highlight how they help users grow.
📌 Example: One user said they use AI to turn a Zoom call into a full blog post just by adding a simple prompt. Others use it for case studies, sales scripts, and even cold email templates.
✅ Practical Tips for Marketers
Want to use AI more effectively? Try these:
- Focus on how your tool helps users personally, not just how fast it writes.
- Study and share good prompts. The report includes great examples to get started.
- Blend personal and work-related tasks. AI that helps with both is more appealing.
- Be clear about data privacy. Trust matters, especially when tools become more personal.
🚀 Final Thoughts: It’s Not Too Late
According to report author Marc Zao-Sanders:
“AI will continue to develop—as will our use of it.”
Marketing may not be at the top of the AI usage chart yet, but that means there’s room to grow. This is the perfect time for marketers to explore AI more deeply and create better workflows, strategies, and content with it.
Check out the full report for detailed insights—and maybe even a little inspiration.
