The writing is on the wall. There is no debate. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping marketing roles as we know them. Some positions will disappear, others will merge and entirely new ones will emerge. One of the most intriguing examples is the rise of the Vibe Marketer, a role that blurs the lines between strategist, engineer, designer and analyst.
For the first time, a single marketer can concept, create, execute and evaluate a campaign with unprecedented speed and scope. Imagine one person writing copy, producing videos, building landing pages, launching campaigns and analyzing performance data, all powered by AI-enabled tools. What once took an entire team is now being handled by one individual.
The driver behind this shift is clear: efficiency. Businesses and agencies alike are under constant pressure to deliver more with fewer resources. But that’s also just human nature. AI has become the great equalizer, empowering one person to handle what used to be five different job descriptions.
The fast evolution of marketing roles
This isn’t the first time marketing has evolved through technology. Digital marketing roles of the early 2000s gave way to the Growth Marketer — someone who could span multiple functions, from SEO to analytics to customer journey mapping. The Vibe Marketer takes this evolution further, combining creativity with technical expertise in ways that were once unimaginable.
But here’s the critical distinction: while growth marketing expanded responsibilities, it didn’t fundamentally redefine the role of human creativity. The Vibe Marketer is different. Enabled by AI, the job compresses tasks and shifts expectations, raising the question: Are we gaining agility at the expense of depth?
The value of teams in an AI-first world
AI can streamline production, but it cannot replicate the messy, dynamic and collaborative process that makes human creativity so powerful. Great ideas rarely come from a single person working in isolation. They’re born out of teams pushing, challenging and inspiring one another.
That’s why the Vibe Marketer should not be seen as a replacement for teams but rather as a complement. For startups or small businesses where agility, speed and cost savings matter most, a Vibe Marketer could be a perfect fit. But for organizations that thrive on innovation and want to create campaigns that truly resonate, there is still no substitute for the collective brilliance of a diverse team.
AI Is a tool, not the answer
It’s easy to get swept up in the hype of AI. But at its core, AI is a tool just as when word processing or Adobe software hit the scene. The value of AI lies not in the technology itself, but in how we choose to use it. Companies that lean solely on efficiency may find themselves producing more, faster, but not necessarily better. Those that balance AI-powered productivity with the collaborative energy of human teams will have the best chance of achieving both excellence and efficiency.
The Vibe
The rise of the Vibe Marketer signals a new chapter in marketing. It proves what’s possible when technology amplifies human capability. But it also serves as a reminder: while AI can do many things, it cannot replace the creative spark that comes from human connection and collaboration.
So ask yourself: Are you chasing efficiency, or are you building excellence? The smartest organizations will find a way to do both. ●
Dean Ilijasic is Co-founder of Long & Short of It
