AI isn’t here to take over every marketing job tip-to-tail, but it is capable of handling a lot of the tasks that marketers have managed for years. The market already realizes this, and offloading what can and should be offloaded to AI is quickly becoming table stakes. For many marketers, in order to stay relevant, they’ll need to redefine their roles and choose to compete on the things that the machines aren’t designed to address—at least for now.
That’s what Stewart Hillhouse, VP of Content at StoryArb, dropped by our Best Story Wins podcast to talk about. As someone who has navigated the introduction of AI tools into marketing systems firsthand, his perspective is invaluable if you’re feeling uncertain about the future. Like a lot of marketers, Hillhouse says he experienced an “existential crisis” when AI tools first emerged. But instead of giving up, he identified how marketing roles need to adapt in an AI-powered marketing world.
The good news: Instead of making marketers obsolete, AI is helping to clear some of the underbrush of tedious task management. Now, specialized roles that combine human expertise with technological capabilities are a viable path for those looking to adapt, upskill, and evolve. The bad news: A lot of marketers aren’t approaching their jobs with this mentality. So, what should you be doing?
Hillhouse outlined the key moves forward-thinking marketers can make to navigate this new world (and win).
1) Define your role in AI-powered marketing.
The traditional “do-it-all” content marketing manager is being replaced by three specialized roles that leverage AI while adding unique human value. According to Hillhouse, the three roles are: the personality marketer, the AI workflow orchestrator, and the campaign specialist. Each role requires different skills, but they work together to create a complete marketing system.
Role 1: The Personality Marketer
This is the face of the company, the person who appears on podcasts, posts regularly on LinkedIn, and builds a public presence. They create the raw material that feeds the entire content system. This may be a founder or some other C-suite rep, but they are usually a higher-level thought leader.
This role has become increasingly important as B2B buyers seek authentic connections before making purchasing decisions. And even the busiest executives recognize the value of this role. Hillhouse points to HubSpot’s CMO and SVP of Marketing who co-host a podcast despite being “on paper, the busiest people at the company.”
Role 2: The AI Workflow Orchestrator
Behind the scenes, this role manages the systems that transform raw content into finished marketing assets. They’re responsible for “all the plumbing” that ensures AI tools work together effectively and can move information to each other to get finished deliverables.
Think of the way revenue operations specialists ensure Salesforce works properly. The AI workflow orchestrator does the same for AI-powered marketing. They’re the technical backbone that helps improve quality and scale content.
Role 3: The Campaign Specialist
While always-on content creates a baseline of awareness, the campaign specialist creates periodic, coordinated efforts that dramatically increase demand.
These specialists create “step function” growth by coordinating omnichannel campaigns that align all marketing efforts around a single message or theme. The result? As Hillhouse explains, “You get this really cool one plus one equals three effect” that creates a spike in demand and establishes a new, higher baseline.
The takeaway: Assess your natural strengths and interests to determine which of these three roles best aligns with your skills, then focus on developing expertise in that direction. You also need to shift your perspective on the way you work with AI.
2) Turn AI into a thinking partner, then collaborate with humans.
Previously, the process was that you would brainstorm ideas with your colleagues in a meeting, then use tech tools to execute that thinking. Now, it’s the inverse. AI is becoming a thinking partner to help you ideate, then you bring those ideas to your colleagues to collaboratively vet and refine them.
In this new dynamic, AI helps you explore possibilities at scale, while human judgment remains crucial for selecting the best options based on values, feasibility, and customer impact. It’s a partnership where AI expands your thinking, and human collaboration refines it.
Hillhouse points out that this is a far more effective way to work, as you can come up with 1,000 more outputs than you could have generated in a brainstorming meeting.
3) AI workflows are becoming your new career currency.
Just as sales professionals are valued for their network, future marketers will be valued for the AI systems they’ve built.
“People will be seen as more valuable because they have a tool set that they know how to orchestrate and have built themselves, and it goes with them from job to job, versus being owned by the company,” Hillhouse says.
This creates a new form of career capital that transcends traditional skills and experience. While some companies may try to claim ownership of these systems, the ability to recreate them is a skill that travels with you. Marketers who understand both the manual processes and how to automate them are at a huge advantage.
Pro tip: Start documenting your AI workflows and prompts like they’re part of your portfolio. Create a system for organizing these assets so you can refine them over time and apply them across different contexts.
How to Stay Relevant in a Changing Marketing Landscape
Things are changing quickly, and savvy marketers need to keep up. Beyond specializing in one of the three roles, Hillhouse offers additional advice for marketers concerned about their future:
1) Pick an industry and stick with it.
Hillhouse says you should find an industry or niche that you can talk about repeatedly for the next three to five years.
The deep vocabulary and contextual understanding you develop will become increasingly valuable, especially as AI makes generic content creation easier. Your industry knowledge, combined with AI literacy, creates a powerful competitive advantage.
2) Value execution over ideas.
While AI has democratized idea generation, your ability to execute is the big difference between average marketers and exceptional marketers. It may sound easy to do, but Hillhouse emphasizes that it’s not. You’re going to need to strengthen those skills to stay ahead of the curve.
3) Embrace the changes.
The marketing industry is at a pivotal moment where roles are being redefined. Rather than resisting these changes, you’ll be most successful if you stay ahead of the trends, define your role, and sharpen those related skills.
Spoiler: You can start by listening to our full conversation with Hillhouse on the Best Story Wins podcast. (While you’re there, consider subscribing for more expert tips on winning hearts, minds, and market share.)
Most importantly, remember that AI doesn’t have to be intimidating. It’s just another tool in your arsenal. Get your hands dirty, experiment as much as possible, and become more literate than your peers. That’s the secret to future-proof your career.
