How The Wall Street Journal cut through the generative AI haze with NewtonX insights

How do marketers plan to realize gains from AI? The Wall Street Journal partnered with NewtonX to survey 82 executives for the scoop.

In a sea of AI noise, the WSJ needed insights straight from executives with the authority to integrate AI into business strategy

While appetite for generative AI continues to grow, the practicalities of adoption are far less clear. Businesses want to use it, and fear they’ll fall behind if they don’t. In the midst of this, business publishing powerhouse The Wall Street Journal was perfectly positioned to cut through the noise and reveal how executives are actually taking action.

NewtonX surveyed 82 brand marketing executives for their take on the future of marketing with AI

Rigorous reporting needs reliable data. The WSJ came to NewtonX, the leading B2B research partner with expertise finding C-suite executives and delivering emerging marketing insights. We surveyed 82 brand marketing VPs across industries at companies with over 100 employees, who were using or planning to use generative AI.

Together, we uncovered insights and analyses to questions such as:

• What are Brand Marketing’s objectives with generative AI?
• What’s the anticipated impact on staffing & creative agency expenses?
• What brand marketing use cases are off limits for Generative AI?
• What’s the expected magnitude of improvement?

The WSJ divulged the insights with its 3.7M+ readers, infusing the AI conversation with fresh nuance and informing better business decisions

On June 23, 2023, CMO Desk Reporter Patrick Coffey published: “AI Isn’t Coming for Marketers’ Jobs—Not Yet, at Least.”

“Marketers’ top goal for AI for now is to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their campaigns, according to a survey conducted by market research firm NewtonX for The Wall Street Journal. When asked to name relevant objectives, 78% of marketers picked greater efficiency, while 63% said they think AI will help them produce new kinds of content. 

Despite these experiments, most of AI’s value remains firmly in the future, according to [Laura] Beaudin, [a partner at consulting firm Bain & Co]. [While] there is an expectation that things will become more efficient, most of the activity at this point still requires adult supervision.” 

Thanks to NewtonX insights, The WSJ was able to complement anecdotal stories with quantitative data. It enabled clarity: an understanding of how companies could benefit from generative AI, and what their competitors are doing. It further cemented their brand reputation as the leading publisher in business insights, and empowers marketing leaders in moving their business forward with AI.