By 2028, 60% of brands will use agentic AI, or artificial intelligence, to handle direct, one-to-one interactions with customers, according to Gartner Inc, a business and technology insights company.
Gartner said this change will move marketing away from managing separate channels like email, social media, and ads. Instead, brands will use AI systems that can talk to customers across marketing, sales, and customer support in a more connected way.
“This marks the end of channel-based marketing as we know it,” said Emily Weiss, senior principal researcher in the Gartner Marketing practice.
Weiss said marketers should prepare by improving how customer data is managed, regularly checking how customers move across different touchpoints, and adding agentic AI tools to their existing marketing systems. These steps are needed to make sure personalization is secure and done responsibly, she said.
Gartner also said that by 2027, brands will spend half of their influencer marketing budgets on efforts that focus on content quality and creator authenticity.
These efforts include checking creator identities, verifying where content comes from, and reducing the risk of fake or manipulated content. The aim is to protect customer trust as AI-generated content becomes more common, especially in search results.
According to Gartner, this shift is driven by the rise of AI-generated content and the growing presence of social media content in search. A Gartner Consumer Community survey of 335 US consumers, conducted in October and November 2025, showed that 78% said clearly labeling AI-generated content is “very important” or “the most important factor” in keeping their trust.
“Trust is now the most valuable asset in influencer marketing,” Weiss said. “Brands should adopt clear labeling conventions, invest in third-party verification tools, and monitor creator engagement quality to ensure transparency and compliance as AI-generated content becomes mainstream.”
Weiss said these developments show that marketing is changing. Brands are moving away from channel-based strategies and focusing more on AI-driven personalization and trust.
“The brands that act now will lead the next era of marketing,” Weiss said. “Those who delay risk falling behind as technology and consumer expectations evolve at unprecedented speed.”