New research from Microsoft reveals that marketing and sales professionals are among the most affected by generative AI, based on an analysis of 200,000 real workplace conversations with Bing Copilot.
The research examined nine months of anonymized data from January to September 2024, offering a large-scale look at how professionals use AI in their daily tasks.
AI’s Role In Marketing & Sales Work
Microsoft calculated an “AI applicability score” to measure how often AI is used to complete or assist with job-related tasks and how effectively it performs those tasks.
Sales representatives received one of the highest scores (0.46), followed closely by customer service representatives (0.44), writers and authors (0.45), and other marketing roles like:
- Technical Writers (0.38)
- Public Relations Specialists (0.36)
- Advertising Sales Agents (0.36)
- Market Research Analysts (0.35)
Overall, “Sales and Related” occupations ranked highest in AI impact across all major job categories, followed by computing and administrative roles.
As Microsoft researchers note:
“The current capabilities of generative AI align most strongly with knowledge work and communication occupations.”
Tasks Where AI Performs Well
The study found AI is particularly effective at:
- Gathering information
- Writing and editing content
- Communicating information to others
- Supporting ongoing learning in a specific field
These tasks often show high success and satisfaction rates among users.
However, the study also uncovered that in 40% of conversations, the AI performed tasks different from what the user initially requested. For example, when someone asks for help with research, the AI might instead explain research methods rather than deliver information.
This reflects AI’s role as more of a helper than a replacement. As the researchers put it:
“The AI often acts in a service role to the human as a coach, advisor, or teacher.”
Areas Where Human Strength Excels
Some marketing tasks still show resistance to AI. These include:
- Visual design and creative work
- Strategic data analysis
- Roles that require physical presence or in-person interaction, such as event marketing or client-based sales
These activities consistently scored lower for AI satisfaction and task completion.
Education, Wages & Job Security
The study found a weak correlation between AI impact and wages. The correlation coefficient was 0.07, indicating that AI is reshaping tasks across income levels, not just automating low-paying jobs.
For roles requiring a Bachelor’s degree, the average AI applicability score was slightly higher (0.27), compared to 0.19 for jobs with lower education requirements. This suggests knowledge work may see more AI involvement, but not necessarily replacement.
The researchers caution against assuming automation leads to job loss:
“This would be a mistake, as our data do not include the downstream business impacts of new technology, which are very hard to predict and often counterintuitive.”
What You Can Do
The data supports a clear takeaway: AI is here to stay, but it’s not taking over every aspect of marketing work.
Digital anthropologist Giles Crouch, quoted in coverage of the study, said:
“The conversation has gone from this fear of massive job loss to: How can we get real benefit from these tools? How will it make our work better?”
There are a few ways marketing professionals can adapt, such as:
- Sharpening skills in areas where AI falls short, such as visual creativity and strategic interpretation
- Using AI as a productivity booster for content creation and information gathering
- Positioning themselves as AI collaborators rather than competitors
Looking Ahead
AI is reshaping marketing by changing how work gets done, not by eliminating roles.
As with past technological changes, those who adapt and integrate these tools into their workflow may find themselves better positioned for long-term success.
The full report includes a detailed breakdown of occupations and task types across the U.S. workforce.
Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
