Teri R. Moten on AI in Marketing and Leading with Purpose – ML Stories

Teri R. Moten, MBA, CAIO, is a seasoned sales and marketing leader and an expert in AI literacy and strategy. With over 25 years of experience—including previously serving as Director of Sales and Marketing at Spherion—she now focuses on helping business owners, corporate teams, nonprofits, and economic development leaders harness AI to work smarter, lead stronger, and grow sustainably.

We caught up with Teri to hear her thoughts on where AI is making the biggest impact, how it’s shaping the future of marketing, and the practical challenges leaders are facing right now.

Where do you see AI making the biggest impact today?

I think AI is doing really well as a thought partner, no matter your job—marketing, sales, operations, even the CEO. With AI, you’ve got access to the world’s best experts, coaches, consultants, right in the palm of your hand, even in niche industries.

What I’d like to see more of, though, is companies realizing their low-hanging fruit is AI literacy. Instead of rushing to buy expensive tools or systems, train your people. That alone can bring a 10–40% immediate return. Stop trying to bring in all the shiny tools before your team even knows how to use them.

How do you see AI and automation shaping marketing in 2025?

Each franchise goes after different target markets and industries, and AI lets us get data about those markets in ways we never could before—or at least not as quickly.

On the automation side—AI is getting so much better at being conversational, not just generic chatbots. It’s going to help move potential clients through the journey faster and more personally, which I think will be crucial in 2025.

For marketers, this means we can finally deliver true personalization at scale, and it’s opening doors for smaller teams to compete in ways that used to be impossible without huge budgets.

What’s keeping you up at night in your role right now?

One of the big things that keeps me up at night is figuring out how to select the best tools—and how to help the team understand that it’s about using AI as a thought partner, not just onboarding twenty different tools because they’re new and shiny.

In six months, something else might knock them off the hinges. It’s about understanding the landscape and using foundational AI tools to our benefit. I’d rather go deep with the right tools than spread ourselves thin chasing every new trend.

How do you approach training teams who may feel less confident with technology?

I always remind people: you don’t have to be a data scientist to use AI. The way I teach AI is from the business, sales, and marketing side. I translate tech-speak into practical, everyday language.

I’ve trained thousands of professionals who thought they’d ‘never get this stuff.’ My goal is to show them how AI can save time, help them think strategically, and solve real problems they face daily. Once they see that, they’re hooked.

What advice do you have for leaders who want to adopt AI but feel overwhelmed?

Start small and practical. Pick one problem in your business that takes up too much time or mental energy. Test how AI can help there first.

And above all: treat AI as your thought partner—not just a shiny new tool. Don’t get caught in the hype of every new app. Learn how to think with AI, and you’ll see real results.

What excites you most about the future of marketing and AI?

I’m excited about how AI can level the playing field. Smaller businesses can now compete with bigger brands because they have access to insights and automation that used to be out of reach.

And the human side matters, too. AI can handle the busy work, so we can focus on what truly matters—connecting with people, building relationships, and telling great stories. That’s the future I want to help build.