Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to eclipse even the internet in its transformational impact. And yet, an AI research study from Boston Consulting Group revealed that 74% of companies still have not been able to show tangible value from their use of AI.
Tessa Burg and Philip Congello of Mod Op shared their insights and experiences on how they’ve implemented AI at a recent American Marketing Association Cincinnati Digital Marketing Community event. They provided a roadmap of what to expect from AI in the year ahead and actionable advice on how businesses of all sizes can establish a framework to leverage AI for meaningful results.
What’s Ahead for AI in 2025?
Tessa and Philip focused on key shifts in AI technologies that are set to transform marketing strategies and how businesses can capitalize on these changes:
The explosion of AI tech and investments will continue.
There are more than 67,200 AI startups currently in existence—a staggering number that reflects the rapid pace of growth. That’s about 13 new AI startups launching every day since 2017. Tessa and Philip expect this trend to accelerate in the coming years, with even more companies entering the space. However, while the sheer volume of startups and investments in AI is noteworthy, it’s the practical application of AI that will truly shape its impact. As AI continues to evolve, companies must focus on not just adopting AI, but on integrating it into their core business strategies to create real, measurable outcomes.
Marketers should focus on practical applications.
Tessa explained that for marketers, the number of AI startups and tech companies is not what’s most important. Rather, “what’s important is that we start to think about our processes and frameworks to enable personalization, decision making, and measuring ROI in real time,” she says. This shift is critical as AI becomes a part of the daily marketing toolkit. It’s no longer about just adopting AI because it’s trendy; it’s about understanding how to use AI in ways that directly impact your business outcomes.
Roles will evolve, and teams will become more senior.
As AI automates repetitive, manual tasks, roles within organizations will begin to evolve. But this evolution should leave team members feeling empowered, not replaced. If you have team members today focused on highly repetitive tasks, the key to success will be shifting their focus toward more impactful, higher-value work while automating these processes.
However, this transformation doesn’t happen overnight. “It takes a very intentional effort,” Tessa explained, emphasizing the importance of providing upskilling programs that equip employees with the knowledge and capabilities to work effectively alongside AI technologies.
Four Essentials for Building an Effective AI Foundation
With these trends in mind, Tessa and Philip shared four essentials for harnessing AI effectively in 2025 and beyond:
1. Build trust and transparency.
Trust is the cornerstone of any AI initiative. It’s essential to start by creating and publishing a responsible use policy, which sets clear guidelines for ethical AI practices. This helps build a solid foundation for AI adoption across teams and stakeholders.
Only about 10% of companies currently have such a policy in place. Implementing one can help ensure that your AI practices are transparent, ethical, and aligned with your organization’s values, which is crucial for fostering trust both internally and externally.
2. Bring people along.
AI transformation is not just about implementing new technologies; it’s about bringing people on the journey. As Tessa shared, “There’s a natural tension between those embracing AI’s transformational potential and those hesitant to change.” Leaders must actively champion AI adoption, ensuring their teams understand the long-term vision and the benefits of embracing this technology.
To bridge this gap, it’s critical to invest in upskilling programs that equip employees with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in an AI-driven world. This helps reduce resistance and ensures that your people are empowered to work alongside AI, rather than feeling threatened by it. Tessa recommends creating a personalized training plan for each department, tailored to each team’s function and AI use case, so they can more effectively integrate AI into their daily work and amplify the company’s overall efforts
3. Measure the ROI.
Just as with any business investment, it’s essential to track the ROI of your AI initiatives. Align your AI efforts with clear business goals and set measurable benchmarks to assess your outcomes. Before rolling out any new AI solution, establish a baseline of your current performance metrics and identify key use cases to benchmark. AI adoption is an ongoing process, and it’s vital to evaluate how effectively AI is driving results—whether through improved personalization, more accurate decision-making, or increased operational efficiency. Regularly measuring ROI ensures that your AI investments deliver tangible benefits to your organization.
4. Foster innovation.
The key to successfully scaling AI lies in activating your strategy and tools in a way that supports and uplifts your team. By focusing on automating repetitive tasks, you free up time for employees to engage in more creative and valuable work. This approach fosters a culture of innovation and ensures that your team feels supported, not displaced. Encouraging innovation at all levels will help maintain momentum as AI continues to evolve.
Additional Considerations for AI Implementation
Data as the Foundation for AI Success
Effective AI implementation requires high-quality, well-structured data. Tessa and Philip highlighted the importance of assessing your data readiness before implementing AI, ensuring data is accurate, consistent, and accessible across your organization. Investing in data hygiene practices and a centralized strategy is essential for AI to deliver reliable insights.
Data Security and Ownership
Understanding the risks around data security and ownership is critical. Tessa and Philip emphasized the need for secure environments when handling client data. Be cautious about using AI for training models unless you’re certain that consent is in place. And, remember to review the terms and conditions of AI tools to ensure that any AI-generated content belongs to your company, not the app provider. “Assume an app is risky versus safe,” Tess advises. With certain apps, “your uploaded content can be edited, shared, and sub-licensed permanently by the tool and third parties,” she explains.
From there, it’s important to be transparent about how your brand uses AI, including acknowledging the tools involved in creating the output, especially as applications start to utilize watermarks and meta-data, such as Adobe’s Content Credentials.
Overcoming Common Challenges in AI Adoption
While skill gaps and employee engagement are common challenges in AI adoption, Tessa and Philip also spoke to leadership buy-in and resource constraints as significant barriers. For AI to succeed, it requires alignment across all levels of the organization—from executive sponsorship to clear use cases that demonstrate ROI early on. A phased approach that starts with smaller, manageable pilot projects can help build momentum while minimizing risk.
Businesses across industries can use AI to stay competitive by enabling faster decision-making, optimizing customer experiences, and increasing operational efficiency. For businesses looking to stay ahead in 2025 and beyond, the key is not to simply keep up with AI advancements but to invest in the processes and people that make AI a powerful, transformative tool. Start by building a foundation today—by prioritizing trust, transparency, and innovation—and position your team to succeed in the AI-driven future.
About the Presenters
Mod Op is a full-service, insights-driven marketing agency that merges artificial intelligence, data science and human creativity to deliver efficient, effective and sustainable growth for its clients.
Tessa Burg is Chief Technology Officer and host of the Leader Generation podcast at Mod Op. She’s been leading data-driven marketing and technology teams for 15+ years on both the agency and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands. She has deep skills in data and tech architecture, software product development and management, digital transformation, and strategy.
Philip Congello is Executive Vice President, Client Success at Mod Op. He leads the agency’s Packaging Design and Brand Activation teams, bringing 20+ years of experience managing domestic and international client engagements. Philip’s unwavering focus is on client success, utilizing Mod Op’s strategic, creative, and tech services to deliver best-in-class creative solutions.
About AMA Cincinnati’s Digital Marketing & Technology Community
AMA Cincinnati is built on community. No matter where you are in your career or what area of marketing you specialize in, AMA brings marketers together to build relationships, solve marketplace challenges, and create invaluable networks.
The Digital Marketing & Technology Community explores today’s digital environment, including email marketing, online advertising, web design, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), mobile marketing, social media, and more. Monthly sessions are led by a subject matter expert sharing the latest and greatest in digital marketing and technology, offering attendees the opportunity to increase their skill sets, bring valuable insights to their work, and engage with a vibrant network of marketing professionals.
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