Artificial intelligence has yet to deliver on its strategic promise in marketing and communications. While operational efficiency gains are clear, the anticipated competitive edge remains elusive, according to Netprofile’s latest Insight Track 2025 report.
Marketing and communications leaders across Northern Europe, interviewed for the report, say they have seen significant productivity gains – particularly in content creation, translations, and some administrative tasks. However, AI has so far had a limited impact on broader processes or strategic decision-making.
“There are relatively few tasks in marketing and communications that are repetitive enough to fully benefit from the scalability of AI,” says Juha Frey, CEO of Netprofile. “AI use still depends heavily on human-led iteration: productivity improves, but the need for human input doesn’t simply disappear. Algorithms remix the past – genuine strategic thinking still demands human insight.”
Finland leads in belief in AI’s strategic value
Based on qualitative interviews and a web-based survey, the Insight Track 2025 report explores how AI is being adopted across the marketing and communications industry in Finland and Northern Europe.
In Finland, belief in AI’s strategic benefits is notably stronger than in many other countries, and AI tools are widely seen as potential sources of competitive advantage. However, Netprofile’s experts challenge this assumption: when everyone has access to the same tools and algorithms, those tools alone no longer offer meaningful differentiation.
“The integration of large language models into day-to-day marketing and communications work is still in its early stages,” Frey explains. “Early adopters may benefit from short-term efficiency gains, but others will soon catch up. A deeper transformation will take longer than initially expected.”
The report predicts that AI tools will become a natural part of everyday operations across all marketing and communications teams. As AI becomes universally available and integrated into every application, it will lift productivity and efficiency across the board. The next wave of adoption is expected to focus on hyper-segmentation of content, marketing analytics, and the use of business data.
“We encourage professionals in our field to boldly experiment and embrace these fast-evolving tools,” says Frey. “At the same time, we emphasize the importance of clear, strategic thinking to ensure that tools serve goals, not the other way around. It’s critical to understand both the potential and the risks. Early adopters may gain a temporary competitive edge – until AI becomes a commodity.”
“To stay ahead, you must move at the speed of light.”
Download the Insight Track 2025 report!
Insight Track 2025 is the second edition in Netprofile’s trend report series on the future of marketing and communications. The series focuses on shifts in the industry, particularly from a B2B technology perspective. The previous report, Insight Track 2024, received a Certificate of Excellence in the prestigious international EMEA SABRE Awards.
For more information and interview requests:
Juha Frey, CEO
juha@netprofile.fi
