SAS Study Shows 85% of Marketers Using GenAI in 2025
As we inch closer to 2026, time has allowed us to keep an eye on AI adoption in the marketplace and understand what the latest statistics mean for business. With that said, we can now confidently say marketers are no longer gingerly dipping their toes in the AI waters — they’re diving head first into new and uncharted depths.
According to the 2025 report by SAS Institute (conducted by Coleman Parkes Research), Marketers and AI: Navigating New Depths, 85% of marketers now use Generative AI (GenAI), with 93% dedicating budget toward it for 2025 to 2026. Beyond this news, 21% are already testing Agentic AI (the next phase of AI that operates autonomously) and 73% plan to implement it within two years.
That’s a fast current of innovation, but with so many new tools and technologies flooding the market, we can’t help but wonder:
- How will this affect tech stacks and app overload?
- Does AI actually make workflows easier for teams?
- Will marketers and other AI adopters drown in their own digital ecosystems?
Let’s wade through the report’s data, together.
Does AI aid productivity or app overload?
AI promised to make work easier, and in many ways, it has. Eight in ten marketers are already seeing ROI from GenAI, reporting up to 94% improved personalization and 90% savings in operational time and costs. These gains show how AI-driven insights can supercharge campaign performance, reduce manual tasks, and help teams focus on strategy instead of data wrangling.
The downside though? As new AI tools join the mix, the number of platforms teams rely on continues to grow. Each app often lives in its own data silo, creating an irony marketers know too well: more automation, yet more tabs to toggle and more time lost context-switching between apps. Without an integration strategy or no-code integration platform like Glances, AI can easily add to the noise instead of cutting through it.
Graphic courtesy of The SAS Institute and sas.com
Agentic AI: The next wave and its challenges
The SAS report paints Agentic AI as the next frontier. Unlike GenAI, which reacts to prompts, Agentic AI acts autonomously orchestrating workflows, analyzing data, and making marketing decisions with minimal human input. Both cool and scary!
However, only one in three CMOs feel confident keeping up with these rapid advances. Most organizations (75% of those labeled “Adopters”) say success depends on strong data infrastructure, trusted governance, and human oversight.
And here’s the catch: each of those requirements depends on connected, accessible data across systems — which is something many teams still lack.
Graphic courtesy of The SAS Institute and sas.com
The integration gap
AI thrives on context, but when your CRM, analytics platform, helpdesk, and ad tools can’t seamlessly work together, even the smartest agent hits a wall. This SAS Institute findings echo what we see daily at Glances: data lives scattered across your apps, severely hindering productivity. To truly make AI work, teams need a way to unify their apps and workflows without waiting for costly IT projects or coding expertise.
That’s where our patented, no-code integration comes in. Platforms like Glances make it possible to connect your stack of SaaS apps in minutes, not months, or more realistically, years. Using Glances, you can view live marketing, sales, and support data directly inside the apps you already use, creating a unified view that helps both humans and AI “teammates” make faster, smarter decisions.
AI and quantum on the horizon
This SAS Institute study also hints at the next frontier: quantum computing. Nearly half of AI Adopters (49%) already understand its potential, and 31% expect marketing applications within two years. Quantum promises lightning-fast analysis of massive data sets, enabling real-time customer journey simulations and hyper-personalization at scale.
Let’s keep in mind that even quantum insights won’t help if your systems can’t share a single source of truth. As AI and quantum technologies accelerate, organizations that invest in integration and trusted data flows today will be the ones ready to ride the next wave tomorrow.
Graphic courtesy of The SAS Institute and sas.com
Keep humans (and Glances) in the loop
The research shows 90% of marketers only trust AI when humans stay in the loop. That’s a healthy instinct. The best marketing outcomes don’t come from replacing people; they come from empowering them with better tools and cleaner data.
So as you navigate this era of AI evolution, remember this: intelligence (artificial or not) needs connection to make sense. With Glances, your ever-changing business apps and your AI tools can finally work together.
Review and download the full report by The SAS Institute to check out all the AI stats for yourself!
Graphic courtesy of The SAS Institute and sas.com
Apps to AI tools — Glances brings your data together
Tech stacks will always evolve, but one thing remains constant: you need to be able to access your data in the precise moment you need it. Whether your stack is a humble 3 apps or dozens of different platforms, Glances acts as your seamless source of truth for not only viewing data, but completing multi-tasking Actions across your favorite business apps. Built with patented, no-code technology and backed by 5-star support, Glances helps you avoid the unnecessary data-syncing, downtime, and maintenance costs of traditional integrations.
More helpful steps
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