USA is 5-7 Years Ahead of Australia with Marketing x AI: Why We Need to Catch Up

Let’s be honest: Australia is behind. By my estimate, we’re about seven years behind the US when it comes to adopting AI in marketing. Having just returned from the MAICON conference in Cleveland, OH, where the brightest AI minds in marketing convened, it’s never been clearer. If we don’t move now, we’ll be left behind, missing out on what’s easily the most transformative shift we’ve ever seen. It’s been bubbling away in terms of use cases for marketing and advertising, but make no mistake when it takes off, it will be straight to the moon.

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I'll state now this post isn't the top tools you should be using - if you're looking for that, contact me directly instead.

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Most Aussie Marketing Directors and CMO’s have seen the winds of change blow through our industry more than once. You’ve likely rolled your eyes at yet another “paradigm shift” - from the rise of 'content is king', to the desktop-to-mobile revolution, and programmatic media taking over ad buying. Each of these was touted as the next big thing, and in their time, they were.

While most Aussie marketers are still fine-tuning their ChatGPT prompts, and thinking the ceiling is how good of an image it can create, the US is embedding AI agents, embracing predictive analytics and optimising campaigns before a dollar is spent. They are well along the track of utilising AI to give them the advantage of unlimited time. There are marketing teams in US organisations of 5 people, that are producing the output of 25 by maximising their use of AI.

By the time a current preschooler prophesied to go down the marketing path graduates and gets their second job, they’ll be conducting AI marketing systems the way you used to (or currently) manage spreadsheets - probably without even thinking about it. And if that idea makes you feel like you’re still using a typewriter, well, it should. The evolution of a marketer as we know it will be going from specialists or T shaped marketers to AI conductors who are equally adept at executing multiple disciplines (think brand, SEO, PPC, PR and beyond).

This isn’t about what you know—it’s about what you’re willing to unlearn.

AI isn’t just another tool. It’s redefining the very fabric of marketing and we are likely to see in the next few years the world’s first billion dollar (revenue) company with a single human employee who has mastered AI.

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 AGI: The Real Destination

We’re not just talking about narrow AI here. AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is where we’re heading, and it’s a lot bigger than just writing blogs or creating graphics. AGI refers to machines that can perform any intellectual task that a human can. We’re talking human-level intelligence - machines that reason, learn, and adapt across every domain. AGI will not just complement industries - it will transform them.

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According to Paul Roetzer from the Marketing AI Institute, we’re progressing through 7 stages of AI development:

1. LLM Advancements (2024): Large Language Models like GPT will evolve to handle multi-modal tasks—text, images, video - seamlessly.

2. Multi-Modal AI Explosion (2025-2026): AI will process real-time data across formats, disrupting industries well beyond marketing.

3. AI Agents Explosion (2025-2027): Autonomous AI agents, like those now integrated into Salesforce and HubSpot, will become reliable, handling strategic decisions and campaigns.

4. Robotics Explosion (2026-2030): AI-driven robots will perform both digital and physical tasks, revolutionising industries.

5. AGI Emergence (2028-2030): AGI will begin to outperform humans in cognitive tasks, fundamentally reshaping the global economy.

6. AI Clusters (Post-2030): Autonomous AI agents will collaborate in clusters, creating new economic models and running entire businesses.

7. AGI Dominance (Post-2030): AGI will not only perform intellectual tasks but also manage and innovate entire industries, fundamentally altering the way global economies function.

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The Current State of AI: Where Australia Falls Behind

We need to address the elephant in the room: Australia is lagging. While US marketers are working with AI agents, rolling out fully automated systems and optimising their campaigns before they spend a single media dollar on them, most Aussie marketers are stuck playing with AI as a content tool. This narrow focus isn’t going to cut it anymore. The tools are developing fast, and Australia is mostly content with playing catch up. We shouldn't be.

Predictive AI, where US marketing teams largely are using AI, doesn’t just help you figure out what content or campaign to create or what decision to make; it helps you anticipate the entire customer journey. It’s about knowing when, where, and how to reach your audience. It’s about shifting from reactionary to proactive marketing - where data informs every touchpoint in real-time. You may argue you do this already, and sure, with the tools available to you that may be accurate. Compared to AI integrating and assisting you though, you’re using a screwdriver that comes in a flatpack compared to a robot with a drill for a hand.

Platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot have already rolled out AI agents capable of handling everything from customer interactions to campaign management - but where are we? Still automating basic tasks and calling it innovation.

Australian marketers need to be brave, willing to fail and raise their hand and admit when we don’t know things. Something Australia, as one of, if not the most risk averse nation in the world is not great at. 

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Narrow AI vs AGI: Why We Need to Think Bigger

Right now, Australia is stuck in the narrow AI phase - using tools like ChatGPT for highly specific tasks. These tools are useful, but narrow AI can’t adapt beyond its pre-programmed scope. OpenAI did just release it’s 01 models in a mini and preview version which is a huge step forward to integrate reasoning, however it’s just the tip of the iceberg. That’s where AGI comes in: it will be as versatile as a human, solving problems across all domains, not just predefined ones. We have just leaped from a lot of AI models going from high school student to PHD level graduate. Australians are still feeding AI high school level problems though.

AGI is coming fast, and by the time it hits, the marketers and agencies still fiddling with content generation (and trying to claim it is providing the utmost value for clients) will be obsolete. Marketers who focus on building proactive AI-driven systems that predict customer behaviour will thrive.

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‍What You Should Be Doing Right Now: Actionable Takeaways

So what should you be doing if you want to future-proof your business and not get left behind?

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AI Literacy: Get up to speed on the fundamentals of AI. Learn about tokenization, AI ethics, and how to maximize inputs for better outputs. Know about Google Deepmind, OpenAI and the leaders that are defining the indsutry for us.

Launch Pilots: Don’t wait—experiment with AI now. No code and free trial solutions are rife. You’ll likely fail, but failing fast is the quickest route to success.

Conduct Impact Assessments: Break down your tasks and team activities. What can AI solve for you today? Which roles are most impacted by AI?

Embrace AI Agents Now: Salesforce and HubSpot have AI agents running key tasks. Start integrating them into your systems.

Invest in Predictive Analytics: Stop using AI just for content. Invest in predictive analytics tools that anticipate audience behavior before it happens.

Think Beyond Narrow AI: Narrow AI works today, but AGI is coming. Build systems that can grow and adapt when AGI goes mainstream.

Proactive Campaign Optimisation: Don’t wait for data to tell you what happened. Use AI to get a sense check on what will work before you even launch your campaign.

Vet Your AI Tools: Many AI tools being sold in Australia are just shiny skins on top of LLMs like ChatGPT. Evaluate what’s real and what’s just marketing hype.

SEO’s Future - AEO: Start planning for Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO). In a world of zero-click searches, LLMs like ChatGPT will take over search engine share. Be ready.

Stop Approaching AI with Fear: ATM machines were supposed to eliminate bank teller jobs. Instead, the number of tellers increased. AI frees us from the repetitive work—it doesn’t eliminate us.

Beware of Snake Oil: With the gold rush of AI, there are plenty of snake oil salesmen selling you tools and education that may not deliver. Be careful who you trust.

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There are 101 specific things you should be doing, tools you should use and internal cultural methodologies you should adopt within your teams, however this post is designed to cater for marketers at all levels and hopefully wake a few decision makers up to help lead the charge and get Australia firing on the global stage of AI x marketing. If you want to chat specifics around your situation, hit me up!

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AI Won't Replace Us—But It Will Elevate Us

Let’s address any fear head-on: AI isn’t here to replace us, but that doesn’t mean it won’t replace certain job functions. The marketers who will thrive are the ones who understand that AI is a tool to elevate us, not a threat. AI agents, for example, can manage everything from campaign optimization to customer service, freeing up valuable time for marketers to focus on strategy, creativity, and human connection. If your agency isn’t embracing AI, it means they’re punching out the same thing for you month after month without gaining the time to look at other areas to increase your profits.

AI agents are already automating the grunt work. And yes, some jobs will disappear. But the marketers who thrive will be the ones who use AI to unlock time for creative problem-solving and strategic leadership. 

At Sunny Advertising, we’re all about embracing the future. If you want to talk about how AI could potentially save you time, increase your revenue or garner your business better insights, let’s chat. I’ve got about 389 more insights and specific tools that I believe past the “shiny cowboy snake oil” test from Cleveland that i’d love to share and nerd out on so email me at matt@sunnyadvertising.com.au if you are also a nerd.

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