Catching the AI slipstream
This means that hybrid teams and prompt engineering are turning AI from competitor to collaborator. The transformation is already here.
For CMOs, this is the new Monday morning reality. As Indians increasingly use these platforms for news consumption and AI becomes more embedded in brand communication, we asked leading
marketing
executives two questions: Are you rethinking your content and messaging strategies to be more relevant in AI-driven environments? Do you see the
CMO
role evolving into a more tech-oriented one?
Ashwin Moorthy, CMO, India, Godrej Consumer Products
'AI's impact on marketing will be seismic, disrupting the entire value chain — from consumer research to pricing decisions. Sophisticated pattern recognition and data analysis capabilities will transform everything.
'CMOs need to understand AI applications and work with partners who build solutions, not necessarily LLM technicalities. Critical concerns include data security with ring-fenced ecosystems and preventing data hallucinations. My biggest worry: Junior marketers becoming AI-dependent — they may not develop the intuition needed for senior-level decisions.'
Sidharth Shakdher, CMO, PayTM
'The CMO's role is becoming highly tech-oriented, evolving from traditional marketing to autonomous AI-driven systems. Unlike previous digital marketing phases, AI represents technology that thinks and acts independently.
'Modern CMOs must control and harness these autonomous AI agents across different marketing channels and functions. The challenge is building systems to monitor, measure and control this autonomous thinking while maintaining oversight of AI-driven marketing tasks.'
Jan Bures, EVP, sales, marketing and digital, Skoda Volkswagen
'AI is crucial for our messaging strategy across Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini, Porsche and Bentley. We use AI for analytics, trend analysis and content creation. It helps us reach broader audiences and connect with people in areas we wouldn't normally access. When you integrate AI-relevant content into messaging, you achieve higher reach and engagement. We recognise that everything digital leaves traces, so we must work with AI rather than ignore it.'
Raj Rishi Singh, CMO, MakeMyTrip
'The CMO's role is undeniably evolving in the age of AI. Consumer journeys are evolving and we have to constantly reimagine and reshape our engagement strategy, both on and off our apps. Today, we have the power to hyper-personalise creatives and be contextually relevant across platforms and moments, in ways that were unimaginable a few years ago.
'Marketing today is both an art and a science. While creativity and storytelling remain as important as ever, understanding data, leveraging technology and orchestrating real-time experiences have become equally essential. We're actively preparing for this shift by investing in tech capabilities within our marketing teams, fostering closer collaboration with product and data science, continuously rewiring our playbook to stay ahead of the curve.'
Pawandip Singh, vice-president, marketing, Rapido
'Today's CMOs must balance technology with storytelling. I'm equipping all teams — brand, copy, design, video — with AI capabilities that unlock creativity and streamline production. AI helps tailor messaging, enhance visual identity and produce engaging video at scale. Through accessibility and continuous upskilling, our teams remain agile. My goal is to merge human creativity with AI-driven insights for more relevant, memorable brand experiences.'
Zubin Kutar, head of digital marketing, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts
'AI tools are becoming primary information touchpoints, not just search alternatives. Traditional content structures won't work — we need AI-readable, concise and context-rich inputs.
'Modern CMOs must understand AI tool stacks, prompt engineering and automation flows, blending creative and systems thinking. This requires AI upskilling across teams, running prompt labs and closer collaboration with product and data teams. AI is both a challenge and an opportunity.'
Maneesh Krishnamurthy, head of marketing, eyewear division, Titan Company
'New-age consumers increasingly use AI platforms for news and research. We measure our share of voice in AI environments and adjust content accordingly.
'We built Gen AI capabilities in-house a year ago — now over 50% of our advertising and content is AI-generated. Generative AI has multiplied possibilities for consumer engagement, bringing speed and flexibility to our teams while maintaining competitive advantage.'
Deepika Deepti, head of marketing, Bata India
'CMO roles are evolving into hybrid tech-oriented leaders, as AI transforms brand communication efficiency. We're upskilling in-house and extended teams, making careful martech tool choices and collaborating closely with tech and data teams.
'We've established governance for ethical, brand-safe AI use. The shift enhances creativity through smarter, faster, more precise marketing. We're not preparing for this shift — we're already implementing it successfully.'
Gaurav Agarwal, co-founder, Tata 1mg
'Healthcare content is shifting from keyword-based to Q&A approaches, requiring more referenced, up-to-date data. We've always followed Q&A-based content with deep FAQs on medicines and healthcare topics.
'Our content has been living and breathing rather than static. AI acceleration means going deeper, refreshing faster and making questions more conversational. The CMO role has been transitioning to tech-oriented for years, and AI is accelerating this evolution.'
Prashant Sharma, CMO, TMRW
'As AI becomes central to Indian information consumption, CMO roles are evolving from creative-focused to tech and data-led. We must design adaptive, real-time brand experiences that AI platforms understand and amplify.
'We're investing in AI literacy across teams, building agile content frameworks and partnering with tech. Tomorrow's CMO blends creativity with technological expertise, using AI to predict needs, personalise at scale and drive precise growth.'
Sai Narayan, CMO, PolicyBazaar.com
'Technology is our growth accelerator. The CMO's role is intertwining with product, tech and data functions, as AI reshapes consumer engagement. Modern CMOs must think like technologists. Marketing now involves real-time experience delivery and automation alongside storytelling.'
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