Building your generative AI marketing skillset: Training and upskilling

This is the 6th article in a series about how generative AI is impacting marketing.

We are in a huge paradigm shift, as generative AI disrupts how we access, consume and create content. Both consumers and businesses are gaining access to the most powerful set of tools ever created. These tools will radically change how we engage with technology and force us all to acquire a new set of skills to thrive. 

The proliferation and volatility of digital channels over the last few decades have been forcing marketers to continually evolve their strategies and tactics if they want to remain relevant. The shift from network television to cable, to the internet, to streaming entertainment and social media has greatly impacted marketing organizations of all sizes. 

However, I feel those changes will be dwarfed by generative AI’s impact on our industry. It’s about so much more than AI tools that will save us time — so much more — it comes down to our audiences’ navigating data and content in a whole new way. We need to understand the psychological implications behind conversational AI companions like Microsoft’s Copilot, hyper-realistic AI-enhanced avatars like those in the Apple Vision Pro and generative AI’s ability to create realistic imagery of anyone doing (and saying) anything. 

Houston, we have a problem

These sweeping changes already making their way into our daily personal and professional lives present several challenges for individuals and organizations. Keeping up with the latest AI tools is nearly impossible as sites such as There’s an AI for that currently houses over 12,000 new AI apps. 

Tech giants like Microsoft and Google are building generative AI into their current offerings with daily updates. These continual AI updates have left marketers scrambling to find reliable and relevant AI marketing education and training resources. The AI Marketing Institute recently reported that lack of education and training was the No. 1 barrier to the adoption of AI for marketing. 

Corporations and businesses of all sizes aren’t in any better shape. The shifting legal issues surrounding generative AI and data security fears have made organizations slow to adopt AI or provide AI training to their employees. Most companies do not have an AI policy in place and only about one in five companies train their employees in the proper usage of AI, per Muckrack’s State of AI in PR 2024 report. 

While this gap in AI training and policies is temporary, it forces savvy marketers and marketing teams to find their own training and upskilling resources. While there’s no shortage of AI marketing content hitting the airwaves, finding the most recent and reliable relevant information for your specific role can prove challenging.

Below, I have aggregated several resources to help marketers and marketing team leaders better navigate generative AI training and education. While this is not a comprehensive list, I have included some of the resources I have found to be the most valuable. 

Dig deeper: How to assess your organization’s AI readiness with the 5P framework

Know before you go

When searching for training resources to help you or your team better understand AI for marketing. There are a few key factors to keep in mind:

When was the training content created and is it up to date? 

AI technology is moving at the speed of light and what may have been relevant even a few weeks ago is now out of date. The AI tool landscape is unstable, with new capabilities and platforms launching daily. This makes it extremely challenging for more traditional programs to offer “up-to-date” training. Look for programs that are constantly being updated and are no older than a few months. 

Is it focused on marketing applications of generative AI?

Many training programs are out there, but not all are focused on generative AI for marketing. Be sure that whatever course or training materials you choose house information relevant to your role within the marketing industry. 

Does the training align with your organization’s AI strategy?

If your company has worked on an AI strategy and shared its vision for how AI can benefit your team, then you are positioned well to start curating relevant resources. However, if your company is like most and doesn’t have an AI strategy, you might want to go through the exercises outlined in my recent article outlining how to create a basic AI strategy for your organization before investing in training resources. 

Below, I have curated just a few options for AI marketing training in hopes of encouraging you to dive in. There are options to fit all budgets and I strongly feel the best way to understand the monumental shifts rapidly approaching is to engage with the AI machine ourselves. 

The resources below are focused on AI for business; however, I also recommend using consumer-facing AI tools like the Copilot mobile app. There’s no better way to understand the psychology of your target audiences than by walking in their shoes, technologically speaking. 

Dig deeper: How the big holding companies are handling genAI

Degree and certificate programs

If you’re looking for a program that might carry some cred, several premier business schools nationwide have put together AI-focused programs. These programs aren’t specifically targeted to only marketing professionals but include skills training that would be relevant for our profession. 

While the cost of these programs isn’t as affordable as some of the other options on this list, I think there’s an argument to be made to have your employer cover the costs for this training. 

• Generative AI and Business Transformation, Wharton
  • Cost: $12,000
• AI: Business Strategies and Applications, Berkeley
  • Cost: $2,800
• AI in Business: Creating value with machine learning, Harvard
  • Cost: $2,750
• Generative AI for Business, University of Chicago
  • Cost: $2,800

Online courses

Less official online courses and programs have many options specifically targeted to marketers. These options may allow for more in-depth training based on specific marketing roles and tasks. It’s also much easier to update these online courses as there’s no curriculum regulations or committees to stand in the way. 

I highly recommend the Marketing AI Institute as a great resource for the latest in AI marketing news. They have been a leading resource in the industry since my Intel days and one that I go back to again and again. 

I also recommend the Coursera Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT course as it offers an easy-to-understand approach to creating advanced prompts. 

• Piloting AI 2024 Certification, Marketing AI Institute
  • Cost: $499
• Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT, Coursera
  • Cost: $59 monthly subscription
• Generative AI for Digital Marketers, LinkedIn Learning
  • Cost: $39.99 monthly subscription
• Prompt Engineering and Generative AI for Marketing & Advertising, Coursera Project Network
  • Cost: Coursera Plus $59 per month
• Marketing with Generative AI: Create Images & Videos offered by Coursera Project Network
  • Cost: Coursera Plus $59 per month
• AI in Marketing, Udemy
  • Cost: $59.99
• AI-Assisted Product Marketing Course
  • Cost: $149
• Maven AI Courses
  • Cost varies, $200-$2,000 per course

Blogs, events and newsletters

By far the most nimble category on this list, newsletters, live events and blogs are the best way to get up-to-the-minute information. These AI-focused resources are just a few of my favorites. Please feel free to share your go-to resources with me on LinkedIn as I’m always on the prowl for new publications.  

• Martech.org AI articles: Includes my series on Decoding Generative AI for Marketing. 
• The Neuron Newsletter: Daily digest of the latest AI news. 
• Future Tools Newsletter: Daily email focused on AI tools. 
• XR/AI Marketing Brief: Monthly LinkedIn newsletter filled with the top AI and XR marketing trends. 

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