I can tell within about five minutes of talking to someone which type of marketer they are. Not because I’m particularly insightful. Because the pattern has played out the same way across every technology shift I’ve worked through.
There are two types. One adapts. One doesn’t.
Type A: The Tool Master
Type A built their career on execution. They became the person who knew how to do the thing nobody else could figure out.
In the video era, they were the Final Cut Pro expert. The person who could color-correct footage and edit interview clips. Indispensable because nobody else knew how.
When mobile hit, they learned responsive design. They understood CSS breakpoints and touch interfaces. Again, indispensable because the skill was scarce.
Social media? They became the Instagram algorithm whisperer. They knew the best posting times, the hashtag strategies, how to boost engagement metrics.
Now AI is here, and Type A is scrambling to become the prompt engineering expert. Learning ChatGPT shortcuts. Building libraries of effective prompts. Positioning themselves as “the AI person.”
Here’s the problem. That strategy stopped working about six months ago.
Type B: The Strategic Thinker
Type B built their career differently. They might not have been the best at any single tool, but they understood what made marketing actually work.
In the video era, they knew which stories would resonate and why. They could watch rough footage and see the narrative before it was edited.
When mobile arrived, they understood how behavior changed on a small screen. How people’s attention shifted when they were standing in line versus sitting at a desk.
With social media, they knew the difference between vanity metrics and business results. They could spot which viral content actually drove value and which just drove noise.
Now with AI, they’re the ones who can look at ten AI-generated options and pick the right one. Who can explain why option three works better than option seven. Who understand what “on brand” actually means beyond following a style guide.
The Split I’ve Watched Happen Three Times
A researcher with 25 years of experience across public and private sectors put it well: “AI is not replacing marketing jobs. It is changing how these jobs are performed. AI has reduced repetitive and execution focused tasks while increasing the value of strategic thinking, market judgment, and decision making.” ResearchGate
That’s exactly what I’ve seen happen with the internet, mobile, and social media. And it’s happening again now, just faster.
Type A marketers keep investing in learning the new tools. But the tools change every quarter. What worked in ChatGPT-3 doesn’t work the same in ChatGPT-4. The Midjourney techniques from six months ago are already outdated. There’s always a newer platform, a better workflow, another certification program.
It’s a treadmill that speeds up every year.
Type B marketers invest in something different. Understanding audiences. Developing taste. Building the ability to recognize quality and articulate why something works or doesn’t.
Those skills compound. They transfer across platforms. They become more valuable as the tools get better, not less.
Which Type Are You?
Here’s how to tell.
When a new tool launches, what’s your first instinct? To learn how to use it, or to figure out what it means for your strategy?
When you look at your resume or LinkedIn profile, does it read like a list of software you know, or decisions you’ve made?
When someone asks why you chose a particular approach, can you explain the reasoning, or do you default to “because it’s best practice”?
If you’re Type A, you probably feel a low-grade anxiety right now. Like you need to learn the next thing before you fall behind. Like your skills have an expiration date.
If you’re Type B, you probably feel cautiously optimistic. Like AI just gave you leverage you didn’t have before.
The Good News
You’re not locked into being one type forever.
I’ve worked with plenty of people who started as Type A and shifted to Type B once they understood what was happening. They stopped chasing certifications and started developing judgment. They stopped positioning around tools and started positioning around thinking.
It requires a mindset shift, but it’s absolutely doable.
The bad news? You need to make that shift soon. Because the gap between these two types is widening fast.
Where This Leaves Us
AI isn’t going to replace marketers. But marketers who rely on execution instead of judgment are going to struggle.
I’ve lived through this movie three times already. The ending is always the same.
The people who win are the ones who build careers on judgment, taste, and strategic thinking.
The people who struggle are the ones who keep doubling down on being really good at tools that won’t matter in 18 months.
Which type are you going to be?