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In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast powered by OnWrd & UpWrd, host Colleen Gallagher welcomes back Jen O’Brien, Director of Research and Innovation at the American Marketing Association (AMA), to unpack findings from AMA’s new 2026 State of Marketing Careers Report.
Jen shares what AMA’s research reveals about how AI is reshaping marketing roles, why generalists may have an advantage in a rapidly changing environment and what these shifts mean for associations helping professionals navigate their careers.
Key Highlights
From Executor to Orchestrator: As AI takes on more execution, marketers are increasingly responsible for setting direction, making judgment calls and ensuring quality. Jen explains why even individual contributors need to think more like managers—and become the “CEO” of their own work.
The Rise of the AI-Powered Generalist: Specialized roles aren’t disappearing entirely, but Jen sees growing value in professionals who can work across disciplines, think strategically and build deep expertise in multiple areas.
Don’t Undervalue Human Skills: AMA found that marketers are placing less value on adaptability, collaboration, communication and critical thinking—even as research suggests these are among the skills AI is least able to replicate. For associations, that uncertainty creates an opportunity to help professionals understand where the market is headed.
The Early-Career Pipeline Problem: With execution-heavy entry-level roles contracting, Jen explores what employers can do to continue developing young talent—and how early-career professionals can build experience through internships, freelancing, volunteering and diversified skill sets.
A Bigger Role for Associations: As careers become less linear and skills change faster, associations have an opportunity to become trusted partners in continuous learning, reskilling and credentialing—with greater emphasis on demonstrating what professionals can actually do.
AI Adoption Without “Brain Fry”: AI shouldn’t simply become a mandate to do more with less. Jen discusses why leaders need to create space for experimentation, meet employees where they are and pay attention to the less-visible signs of AI-related burnout.
🎧 Tune in for a timely conversation about what AI means for marketing careers—and how professionals and associations can prepare for what comes next.
Resources
📊 Explore AMA’s 2026 State of Marketing Careers Report: https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/2026-career-report/
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Coming Soon: Next week, we're resuming our special fall series in partnership with Highland, exploring how associations can better attract, engage and retain younger professionals. Colleen and Highland's David Whited will sit down with association leaders to unpack real-world approaches, lessons learned and what's working – before David returns to close out the series and connect those experiences back to Highland's research.
