MUMBAI: In the age of algorithms, it seems imagination still has the final word. Dentsu Creative’s freshly released CMO Report 2025 reveals that while artificial intelligence is now deeply woven into marketing practice, senior marketers insist human creativity, empathy and cultural intelligence remain irreplaceable.
The study, titled Agents of Reinvention: Marketing at the Intersection of AI and Human Ingenuity, draws insights from 1,950 plus CMOs across 14 markets from India and the US to Japan and Brazil. Its central paradox? In a world governed by AI, humanity becomes the most valuable differentiator.
Key findings highlight the balancing act CMOs face:
. 30 per cent plus use AI daily, but 78 per cent agree AI can never replace human imagination, up 13 points from 2024.
. 87 per cent say strategy now demands more empathy and creativity, not less.
. 71 per cent fear invisibility without “winning the algorithm”, yet 79 per cent worry optimisation breeds sameness.
. 84 per cent believe brands must win share of culture, not just share of voice.
. 90 per cent see social and influencer content as outperforming traditional ads, while 91 per cent believe brands are built through creator collaborations (though 82 per cent fret about losing control).
Innovation budgets are rising too 70 per cent plus plan to allocate over 20 per cent of spend to innovation in 2026 and beyond.
The report also flags a striking shift in Connected AI adoption: 89 per cent expect “agentic AI” where digital agents curate travel, shopping and more to reshape business, but the same proportion say trust and taste will matter more than ever.
Global dentsu leaders underscored this duality. Global CCO Yasu Sasaki noted that AI “is exceptional at prediction, but creativity is unpredictable by nature,” while CSO Patricia McDonald warned that “if every brand chases the same signals with the same tools, we’re just running harder to stand still.”
For India Dentsu CEO of creative & media brands Amit Wadhwa summed it up neatly: “Algorithms may shape what we see, but imagination, empathy and culture shape what we remember.”
In other words, CMOs in 2025 aren’t just coding for clicks, they’re betting that the brands which out-human the algorithm will be the ones that endure.
