Building a Generative AI Marketing Skillset: Training and Upskilling MarTech

This is the sixth article in a series about how generative AI will impact marketing..

We are in the midst of a major paradigm shift as generative AI disrupts the way we access, consume, and create content. Both consumers and businesses now have access to the most powerful set of tools ever created. These tools fundamentally change the way we interact with technology and force us all to learn new skills to succeed.

The proliferation and volatility of digital channels over the past few decades has forced marketers to continually evolve their strategies and tactics if they want to remain relevant. The shift from network television to cable, the Internet, streaming entertainment and social media has had a profound impact on marketing organizations of all sizes.

However, I feel these changes will be dwarfed by the impact of generative AI on our industry. It’s more than just an AI tool that saves us time, it’s more than that, it lets your audience navigate data and content in a whole new way. We create conversational AI companions like Microsoft’s Copilot, hyper-realistic AI-enhanced avatars like Apple Vision Pro, and realistic images of people doing (and saying) things. We need to understand the psychological implications behind generative AI’s ability to

Houston, we have a problem

These fundamental changes are already permeating our daily and professional lives, posing several challenges for individuals and organizations. With over 12,000 new AI apps currently listed on sites like There’s an AI for, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the latest AI tools.

Tech giants like Microsoft and Google are incorporating generative AI into their current products with daily updates. These continuous updates to AI have marketers scrambling to find reliable and relevant AI marketing education and training resources. The AI ​​Marketing Institute recently reported that lack of education and training is the biggest barrier to adopting AI in marketing.

Not all companies and businesses of all sizes are in a better position. Changing legal issues surrounding generative AI and concerns about data security have slowed organizations in adopting AI and providing AI training to employees. Muckrack’s State of AI in PR 2024 report found that most companies do not have an AI policy in place, and only one in five companies trains employees on how to properly use AI. It’s just a matter of degree.

This gap in AI training and policy is temporary, but savvy marketers and marketing teams need to find their own training and upskilling resources. There’s no shortage of AI marketing content hitting the airwaves, but finding the latest, trusted, and relevant information for a specific role can be difficult.

Below, we’ve compiled some resources to help marketers and marketing team leaders better train and educate generative AI. Although this is not a comprehensive list, we have included some of the resources we believe are most valuable.

Learn more: How to use the 5P framework to assess your organization’s AI readiness

Know before you go

Looking for training resources to help you or your team better understand AI for marketing? There are some important factors to keep in mind.

When was the training content created and is it current?

AI technology is advancing at the speed of light, and what may have been relevant a few weeks ago is now obsolete. The AI ​​tools landscape is volatile, with new features and platforms being released every day. This makes it very difficult for traditional programs to provide “modern” training. Look for programs that are constantly updated and are less than a few months old.

Are you focused on marketing your generative AI applications?

Many training programs exist, but not all of them focus on generative AI for marketing. Whatever courses and training materials you choose, make sure they include information that is relevant to your role in the marketing industry.

Is your training aligned with your organization’s AI strategy?

If your company is working on an AI strategy and shares a vision for how AI can benefit your team, you’re in a good position to start curating relevant resources. However, if your company, like most companies, does not have an AI strategy, before investing in training resources, my recent article outlines how to create a basic AI strategy for your organization. We recommend that you perform these exercises.

Below, we have selected some AI marketing training options for you. I hope that everyone will be proactive in their efforts. There are options to suit every budget. We feel strongly that the best way to understand this big change that is rapidly approaching is to work on AI machines. ourselves.

The following resources focus on AI for business. However, we also recommend using consumer AI tools like the Copilot mobile app. Technically speaking, there’s no better way to understand the psychology of your target audience than to put yourself in their shoes.

Learn more: How major holding companies are treating genAI

degree and certificate programs

If you’re looking for a program with some credibility, several top business schools across the country have put together AI-focused programs. These programs are not specifically aimed at marketing professionals, but include skills training relevant to our profession.

Although the cost of these programs is not as affordable as other options on this list, I think there is an argument to be made for having your employer pay for this training.

online course

There are many options for non-official online courses and programs specifically aimed at marketers. These options may allow for more in-depth training based on specific marketing roles or tasks. It’s also much easier to update these online courses because there are no curriculum rules or committees to get in the way.

We highly recommend the Marketing AI Institute as a great resource for the latest AI marketing news. These are industry-leading resources from my time at Intel, and they are resources I use again and again.

We also recommend the Coursera Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT course, which provides an easy-to-understand approach to creating advanced prompts.

Blogs, events and newsletters

The most lightweight categories on this list, newsletters, live events, and blogs are the best way to stay informed. These AI-focused resources are just a few of my favorites. I’m always looking for new publications, so please share your go-to resources with me on LinkedIn.