Transforming Marketing: Insights from McKinsey’s Technology Trends Outlook 2025

In July 2025, McKinsey & Company published their Technology Trends Outlook 2025, a report highlighting 13 frontier technologies poised to significantly alter marketing strategies and advertising operations. Central to their analysis is a shift towards agentic AI—intelligent systems capable of autonomous planning and execution—revolutionizing how marketing teams manage campaigns and engage customers.

The Rise of Agentic AI

Agentic AI represents a pivotal advancement in artificial intelligence. Unlike traditional AI, which often takes the form of reactive tools like chatbots, agentic AI operates as a proactive team member. “Agentic AI moves AI from a passive tool to an active collaborator with enterprise workflows,” explains Delphine Nain Zurkiya, a senior partner at McKinsey Boston. This innovative technology can handle complex tasks such as campaign optimization and audience targeting, allowing marketing professionals to focus on strategy rather than routine oversight.

Investment Trends and Scaling Challenges

The report details significant investment fluctuations across technologies relevant to marketing. In 2024, artificial intelligence attracted a staggering $124.3 billion, showcasing its dominance in funding compared to other sectors like digital trust and cybersecurity, which received $77.8 billion and $80.8 billion, respectively. This pattern of substantial investment underscores the dual challenges of scaling emerging technologies while meeting growing demand for compute-intensive workloads—particularly from generative AI and robotics.

Human-Machine Collaboration

As marketing evolves, so does the dynamic between humans and machines. McKinsey notes an increasing adoption of human-machine collaboration models that emphasize intuitive interfaces and adaptive intelligence. These advancements are reshaping workflow processes, enabling teams to utilize 5G networks and specialized semiconductors to optimize campaigns across a variety of channels in real-time.

“Advanced connectivity technologies enable real-time optimization of campaigns,” the report states, illustrating how innovative tools transform operations. Robotics, too, plays a rising role, particularly in customer service sectors, heightening efficiency and enhancing customer experience through close collaboration with human staff.

Regional Competition in Technology Adoption

The competition for critical marketing technologies is intensifying on a global scale. Nations are increasingly focusing on establishing independent technology infrastructures to minimize reliance on external suppliers. According to McKinsey, “Global competition over critical technologies has intensified,” impacting how marketing organizations access innovative tools and enhancing their operational capabilities.

This regional drive for technological sovereignty complicates data management, compelling marketing teams to navigate a landscape of differing regulatory requirements while ensuring effective campaign execution across various jurisdictions.

Responsible Innovation as a Strategic Imperative

As marketing organizations integrate AI technologies into their workflows, the demand for responsible innovation emerges as a vital consideration. Trust serves as a gatekeeper to adoption, and organizations are under increasing scrutiny to operate transparently and ethically.

The report emphasizes that businesses must demonstrate fairness and accountability in their algorithms and data practices. This balancing act presents both challenges and opportunities for teams as they strive to harness the efficiency of automation without sacrificing customer trust.

Quantum Technologies: The Long-term Game

While still developing, quantum technologies hold transformative potential for marketing analytics. Scored at a 1 on McKinsey’s 5-point scale, suggesting an early-stage innovation, the progress of major companies in quantum computing indicates that rapid developments could soon enhance customer behavior modeling and predictive analytics—significantly exceeding the limitations of classical computing.

The Expanding Role of Space Technologies

Innovations in space technologies are poised to create new avenues for marketing data collection and audience targeting. Low-Earth-orbit satellite constellations facilitate enhanced connectivity, transforming how campaigns can reach previously underserved demographics. McKinsey notes that earth observation systems will allow for more precise, location-based marketing efforts, reflecting the impact of geography and environment on consumer behavior.

Bioengineering in Marketing

Bioengineering’s advancements extend beyond health sectors, influencing personalized marketing efforts. As precision medicine evolves, pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing stands to benefit significantly from targeted campaigns tailored to individual consumer needs. However, the successful implementation of bioengineering technologies requires mindful navigation of public sentiment and regulatory frameworks.

Energy Sustainability and Marketing Transformation

The ongoing transformation in energy and sustainability technologies should not be underestimated. Marketing organizations must integrate sustainability messaging into their campaigns while satisfying rising consumer expectations regarding environmental impact.

Significant financial backing—over $223.2 billion in equity funding during 2024—has been directed toward clean energy technologies. As marketing tools become increasingly resource-intensive, organizations face the dual challenge of meeting computational demands and maintaining their commitments to sustainability.

Key Terminology Explained

Agentic AI

Refers to sophisticated AI systems that autonomously manage workflows, moving beyond reactive functions to active participation in marketing efforts.

Human-Machine Collaboration

Denotes the partnership between humans and intelligent systems, focusing on enhancing human capabilities through intimate collaboration with technology.

Campaign Management

Covers the planning and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies across multiple channels, vital for optimizing audience reach and conversion.

Data Processing

Involves the systemic collection and analysis of data to generate actionable insights, increasingly powered by advanced AI capabilities.

Customer Targeting

Encompasses identifying specific audience segments to ensure marketing messages effectively reach potential customers.

As McKinsey’s report illustrates, the marketing landscape is on the brink of significant transformation fueled by advanced technologies. By understanding these trends, marketing organizations can prepare to embrace new capabilities, streamline operations, and foster innovative strategies in this evolving digital age.