Business & Technology
AI saves marketers time but not strategy, survey says
SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Optimizely has published research suggesting artificial intelligence is saving marketers time without creating more room for strategic work. The survey covered 227 marketing professionals across B2B industries.
The findings point to a gap between the work respondents value and the tasks that fill most of their day. In the survey, 41.8% of marketers said their role is only “50/50 creative on a good day”, while 37.9% said their work is mainly focused on coordination rather than creative or strategic output.
AI featured heavily in the results, but its effects on day-to-day work were mixed. While 61% of respondents said AI saves them time and 55% said it makes some tasks easier, only 36% said it meaningfully frees up space for strategy.
That distinction sits at the centre of the study’s argument: efficiency gains do not necessarily lead to higher-value work. The research also found that 28% of marketers believe AI is increasing output expectations, while 13% said it is making workflows more complicated.
Workflow strain
The survey paints a picture of marketing teams spending more time managing processes, systems and internal demands than developing campaigns or shaping strategy. Marketers are increasingly navigating a wider mix of tools, channels and stakeholders, adding pressure to roles many entered for creative and commercial reasons.
The data also suggests marketers are not rejecting AI outright. Instead, respondents appeared to distinguish between AI that removes repetitive work and AI that simply adds another layer of expectation to already fragmented workflows.
More focused time, clearer priorities and fewer reactive demands were the changes most consistently identified as likely to improve effectiveness. Despite the pressure, most marketers were not looking to leave the profession, though some questioned whether the current pace and structure of work are sustainable.
Tara Corey, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Optimizely, commented on the findings.
“The issue isn’t that marketers have lost their passion; they’ve simply lost the space to act on it. It isn’t due to a lack of effort; it’s due to complexity. More tools, more channels and more stakeholders are fragmenting the work. By connecting workflows, cutting down coordination and giving marketers more space for strategy and creativity, AI has the potential to bring more structure to how work gets done. But, if teams are only using AI to increase their output, they’re just accelerating the chaos,” Corey said.
Pressure paradox
The research describes this tension as a “passion-pressure paradox”, with marketers still motivated by creative work and business impact but often spending their time elsewhere. It reflects a broader industry debate over whether AI is meaningfully changing the nature of knowledge work or simply compressing deadlines and raising volume expectations.
In this case, the numbers suggest AI’s immediate value lies more in task efficiency than in reshaping how teams allocate their time. If that pattern holds, marketing leaders may face pressure to rethink operating models as much as software choices.
The survey sample was weighted towards experienced respondents: 72% were at manager level or above, and 83% had more than eight years of experience. That gives the results a strong tilt towards established professionals working in B2B settings.
That matters because senior marketers often sit closest to decisions on budgets, planning cycles and tool adoption. Their responses suggest concern not just about productivity, but about how work is organised when new technology is introduced into already busy teams.
For businesses investing in AI across marketing departments, the findings point to a practical challenge. Saving time on individual tasks may offer limited value if the recovered hours are absorbed by more approvals, more reporting or higher content output targets rather than planning, experimentation or creative development.
The study also adds to a growing body of industry research showing that enthusiasm for AI often coexists with scepticism about implementation. Marketers may welcome tools that reduce repetitive effort, but remain wary when those tools are introduced without changes to priorities, processes or team structures.
Optimizely’s survey concludes that marketing performance may increasingly depend on how work is structured rather than on adding more tools alone. Among respondents, the strongest demand was not for more technology, but for more focused time and clearer priorities.
JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN
News Editor
Zippd has published consumer research on delivery speed in retail purchasing decisions, finding that faster fulfilment is influencing where shoppers choose to buy.
The survey of 2,050 UK adults found that 19% of consumers would switch to another retailer if it could deliver significantly faster. Among those aged 25 to 44, 42% said they were more likely to buy from a retailer offering same-day delivery.
The data suggests delivery speed is moving beyond a back-end logistics issue and becoming a more visible part of the sales proposition. According to Zippd, fulfilment is starting to affect retailer choice, purchase intent and conversion, rather than only the post-purchase experience.
Fast delivery may also influence impulse buying. More than one in four consumers, or 27%, said faster delivery made them more likely to make last-minute purchases.
Price pressure
The research also examined what shoppers would pay for quicker service. Around four in 10 consumers said they would pay more than £2 for faster delivery, whether buying from a traditional retailer or a marketplace.
That willingness dropped once the price rose above £5. The figures suggest retailers may face a narrow pricing window if they want to offer faster fulfilment without deterring demand.
Zippd said this suggests rapid delivery may be more viable as a widely available convenience than as a premium add-on. That could matter for retailers balancing customer expectations with the cost of offering quicker delivery options.
The shift appears to be particularly visible in online marketplaces, where speed and convenience are promoted alongside product range and price. In that model, fulfilment becomes part of customer acquisition as well as a factor in conversion.
Changing journey
The research forms part of Zippd’s Instant Commerce Index, which examines how the gap between product discovery, purchase and delivery is narrowing. Zippd argues that fulfilment now has greater influence across more stages of the shopping journey.
Gemma Taylor, Co-founder of Zippd, described the company’s view of the change in consumer behaviour: “The most significant finding isn’t that customers want faster delivery – retailers have known that for years. What’s changing is the role fulfilment plays within the customer journey. We’re beginning to see this shift as more brands and marketplaces are making fulfilment speed a visible part of the customer proposition, enabling brands to differentiate beyond product and price alone.”
The figures add to wider pressure on retailers to compete on convenience as well as assortment and pricing. As delivery windows shorten, speed appears to be becoming part of how consumers discover, assess and buy products across a broader range of categories.
Zippd provides fulfilment technology for eCommerce brands and marketplaces managing delivery across seller networks. Its systems connect with eCommerce and delivery platforms to help businesses manage fulfilment through a single network.
The research was conducted online among UK adults.
JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN
News Editor
Omada by TP-Link has launched its Fusion Gateway range, with the first products aimed at installers and managed service providers serving small and medium-sized businesses.
The launch centres on Fusion 2.5G, the first product in the new family, alongside Fusion G+ and Fusion 2.5G PoE.
The new gateways are designed to reduce deployment complexity and lower ownership costs for channel partners managing multi-site networks. A built-in controller provides cloud-based management through the Omada Cloud portal and Omada app, without the need for a separate device licence.
The approach targets a common pressure point for installers and MSPs, which must balance tighter customer budgets with the growing complexity of distributed networks. The range supports remote monitoring, configuration and troubleshooting across multiple locations from a central management interface.
Product features
Fusion 2.5G includes five 2.5G ports and supports up to 4-WAN load balancing with auto failover. It also offers advanced IDS/IPS, multiple VPN protocols, optimised ACL, QoS and full-mesh SD-WAN for distributed network environments.
Omada has also added Bluetooth setup through the app, allowing installers to automatically discover and batch-adopt other Omada networking devices to speed up installation.
Installation options include desktop, wall-mounted and rack-mounted deployments, giving partners more flexibility when fitting equipment into different customer sites, from small offices to structured network cabinets.
A 2.51-inch touchscreen is one of the more visible hardware additions. It provides real-time visibility into device status, traffic and diagnostics without requiring a laptop on site, which could help engineers identify faults more quickly and reduce repeat visits.
Remote access
Another feature in the range is Omada LightLink VPN, which enables one-click remote access through an invite link. Remote users and branch locations can connect through an app or web interface.
The focus on remote access and central oversight reflects broader changes in the small and mid-sized business networking market. Businesses with multiple branches, hybrid workers and lean internal IT teams are relying more heavily on service providers to monitor and maintain connectivity across separate sites.
That has increased demand for tools that reduce manual setup and simplify support after installation. Omada is positioning Fusion Gateway as a range built around that need, particularly where ongoing licence fees can affect margins over time.
Ben Allcock, Vice President of B2B at TP-Link UK&I, commented on the pressures facing the market.
“Customers are dealing with increasingly complex networking environments, and they’re turning to channel partners for help in keeping everything running smoothly,” said Ben Allcock, Vice President of B2B at TP-Link UK&I.
“Our new Omada Fusion Gateway range enables partners to meet these demands by streamlining installation and setup, while delivering powerful remote cloud management capabilities that reduce IT workload. The result is higher customer satisfaction and stronger profitability for partners,” said Allcock.
Wider portfolio
The new gateway range sits within Omada’s broader business networking portfolio, which includes gateways, access points and switches. The ecosystem is also expanding into cameras and network video recorders, with the aim of bringing networking and surveillance products into a more unified management framework.
Omada said Fusion Gateway sits at the centre of its ecosystem by enabling unified management of connected devices across multiple locations. In practice, that gives the product family a key role for customers and service providers that want to standardise infrastructure on a single vendor platform.
The company also referred to a forthcoming Fusion Pro series, but did not provide detailed specifications in the launch announcement. The Pro line will support integrated management of networking and surveillance devices, including Omada and VIGI products, for more advanced multi-site environments.
For now, the immediate commercial focus is on the first Fusion 2.5G models and their appeal to installers and MSPs looking to reduce setup time, centralise support and avoid additional licensing charges. The range launches as service providers face growing demand to manage larger numbers of distributed small business sites with limited technical resources on the customer side.
Ryan Harrison, founder of Harrisons Fish & Chips in Elms Parade, Botley, has been named a finalist in the 2026 Alicia Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Known as the ‘Grammys of entrepreneurship’, the awards were set up in 2012 to celebrate the most exceptional and inspiring business stories across the UK, recognising entrepreneurs from every nation and region for their innovation, impact and resilience.
READ MORE: Pricing row as Deliveroo and Oxford fish and chip shop part
Specifically Mr Harrison has been named in the Consumer Entrepreneur of the Year category.
He said: “5 years ago I didn’t think I would be where I am today.
“Through fish and chips it has changed my life and given me so many exciting opportunities!”
2026 has already been a successful year for the fish and chip shop boss, as his business won the Menu Innovation category at the National Fish & Chip Awards and was listed in the Top 10 in the Takeaway of the Year category,
READ MORE: Oxford fish and chip shop scoops top prize at UK awards
Frankie James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said: “This year’s cohort represents billions in turnover and tens of thousands of jobs, but what I’m proudest of is the determination behind those numbers.
“These are founders who have stuck with it through every kind of year, and championing them is exactly why we do this.”
Conrad Ford, of chief sponsor Allica Bank, added: “What stands out this year is the optimism and ambition that continue to define the UK’s established business community.”
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