Study: Marketers Think 2026 Is a 'Make-or-Break' Year for AI

More than a third of marketers expect to reduce headcount in the next 12 to 24 months

By Matthew Schwartz    January 5, 2026     3-minute read

More than two thirds of marketers (36 percent) expect to reduce headcount by using artificial intelligence or eliminating redundancies, while more than half expect to keep numbers steady while shifting capabilities, according to a new study released by executive search firm Spencer Stuart late last year.