Marketers in tech and startup industries have not only embraced AI but are utilizing it at rates that outpace the broader marketing community. With 97% using AI for work and 86% using it for at least one marketing activity (4 percentage points ahead of all industry marketers), they represent the most AI-mature segment in our research. Given their natural affinity for digital tools and new technologies, tech and startup marketers are setting the standard for what sophisticated AI integration looks like.
Universal Adoption Sets the Standard For Tech Marketers
Data reveals that the tech and startup crowd has crossed a critical threshold where AI usage is now industry standard rather than a competitive advantage. Tech marketers specifically are seeing a 100% adoption rate of AI at work, while 86% use AI for at least one marketing activity.
In addition to higher adoption rates, tech and startup marketers demonstrate greater maturity when it comes to their AI utilization. Thirty-one percent consider themselves advanced users and 19% expert users, compared to 26% and 15% respectively among all marketers, regardless of industry. This maturity distribution suggests tech and startup marketers aren’t just using AI. They’ve unlocked how to use it strategically and turned AI into a core competency rather than an experimental tool.
The Power User Phenomenon
Power Users among tech and startup marketers appear to experience higher work quality confidence, which in turn drives more comprehensive AI adoption. Ninety percent of tech and startup Power Users report that the more they use AI tools for work, the more confident they are in the quality of their work.
When we examine the behaviors of Power Users, tech and startup marketers continue to outpace the broader community when it comes to using AI across all three marketing activities. For marketers looking to increase their AI adoption, there also needs to be dedicated skill development and comprehensive integration into existing workflows for implementation to succeed.
Power Users: Marketing AI Adoption
| At Least 1 Marketing Activity | All 3 Marketing Activities | |
|---|---|---|
| Tech & Startup Power Users | 94% | 33% |
| All Power Users | 89% | 29% |
Table shows where tech & startup power users lead in comprehensive AI adoption across marketing activities.
Breaking Through the Transparency Barrier
Despite leading AI adoption and maturity rates, tech and startup marketers are reluctant to disclose where and when they use AI. Only 37% of marketers are explicit about their AI usage, a 4% increase compared to marketers across every industry who do the same. If we just look at tech marketers only, that number increases to 51%.
Data suggests that fears of public retaliation are largely unfounded. Of the tech and startup marketers who do disclose their AI usage, 85% report positive public response, indicating transparency concerns may be more about perception than reality. This hesitation to disclose could be costing companies their competitive positioning by not highlighting their AI capabilities.
Charting a Path Forward: From Insight to Action
Tech and startup marketers may have established themselves as natural leaders in AI adoption, but there’s significant room for growth across the entire marketing ecosystem. Organizations that invest in moving their teams further up the AI maturity curve now will solidify their advantages as AI tools become more and more sophisticated. Those that remain at a basic adoption level risk falling further behind in an increasingly AI-native competitive landscape.
Methodology
Talker Research surveyed 1,000 US-based marketing professionals and business owners with marketing responsibilities. The survey was commissioned by ActiveCampaign and administered and conducted online in English by Talker Research between May 21 and June 12, 2025. For this focused analysis, the Tech and Startup segment comprises 211 respondents who selected either “Tech” (43 respondents) or “Startup” (168 respondents) when asked “In which industry does your organization primarily exist?” This segment represents 21% of the total survey sample.
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