Marketing budgets stand at 7.8% of company revenue in 2026, against 7.7% in 2025. Gartner calls that effectively flat. CMOs allocate an average of 15.3% of the marketing budget to AI initiatives.
What the article says
Gartner conducted its annual CMO Spend Survey from January through March 2026 among 401 CMOs and other marketing leaders in North America, the United Kingdom and Europe, the vast majority at companies with annual revenue of over $1 billion. Marketing budgets rose only slightly, to 7.8% of company revenue in 2026 from 7.7% in 2025. CMOs allocate an average of 15.3% of marketing budgets to AI initiatives, yet only 30% report mature or fully developed AI readiness capabilities. 56% of CMOs say their marketing organization lacks the budget required to deliver its 2026 strategy. Ewan McIntyre, VP Analyst and Chief of Research in the Gartner Marketing practice: “The risk is that CMOs invest in AI tools faster than they build the data foundations, processes, governance and talent required to scale them.”
Why it matters at the top of the house
The vast majority of respondents work at companies with more than $1 billion in revenue, so a mid-size manufacturer reads 7.8% as a benchmark, not a target. The budget is flat, and more than fifteen cents of every marketing dollar now goes to AI. The question for a president planning 2027 is what share of revenue marketing gets, and how much of it is already promised to AI.
Source: Gartner, “Gartner 2026 CMO Spend Survey Finds CMOs Allocate 15.3% of Marketing Budgets to AI, But Only 30% Are Ready to Scale AI Capabilities,” by Gartner (press release, no byline; Ewan McIntyre, VP Analyst and Chief of Research, quoted), May 11, 2026. Research: Gartner 2026 CMO Spend Survey of 401 CMOs and other marketing leaders, January through March 2026. The Marketing Table shares the link and a note on why it matters; the article and its copyright belong to the publisher.
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