You Can't Delegate Judgement or Leadership to ChatGPT

AI can generate plans, but only humans can lead them through ambiguity. Here’s why too many CEOs think otherwise.

In the past year, I’ve watched a growing number of startup founders and CEOs flirt with the idea that senior marketing leadership is no longer necessary. Instead of hiring a head of marketing or a CMO, they opt for a junior generalist, a marketing coordinator, or—sometimes—no one at all. Just a few tools, a contractor, and a handful of ChatGPT prompts.

Some even brag about it. “We’re lean,” they say. “We’re scrappy.” Which is often code for: we’ve outsourced judgment to a robot and hired someone to run the calendar. This approach is usually paired with a CEO who thinks they can be the part-time CMO, because how hard is it anyway?

And maybe—uncomfortable as it is to admit—some of this is on us. Too many CMOs have positioned themselves as executors rather than strategic partners. We’ve over-indexed on campaign production, attribution reports, and launch checklists, while leaving the hard conversations about market direction, business model, and positioning to someone else. If all a founder or CEO has ever seen from marketing is a steady stream of “deliverables,” it’s no wonder they think ChatGPT and their own clever founder brain could do the job.

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AI Is a Tool, Not a Strategy

It’s an understandable temptation. Large language models are remarkably good at sounding smart. They can spit out polished plans, messaging guides, and content calendars that look like the real thing. I’ve seen CEOs type “write a B2B marketing plan for enterprise SaaS” and get something surprisingly convincing.

But that’s not strategy. That’s scaffolding. Without someone experienced to challenge, refine, and prioritize—not just carry out orders—all you have is a well-structured guess.

What Real Strategy Looks Like

Strategy isn’t just about what you say—it’s about what you see. It’s knowing your buyers beyond the persona deck—their hesitations, ambitions, and politics. It’s balancing the pressure for quick pipeline with the patience to build long-term brand credibility. It’s making the right trade-offs when everyone wants everything, and staying steady when nothing is going to plan. It’s arguing with the CEO when they have a bad idea that no one else will challenge.

No AI can feel the temperature of a room, sense when a GTM motion is off-track, or navigate the subtle currents of internal politics. No prompt can broker trust between departments, rally a tired team, or spot the quiet signal that says now is the moment for a bold bet.

The Problem Isn’t AI in Marketing. It’s Thinking AI Is Marketing.

To be clear, I use AI every day. It’s brilliant for speed, for testing ideas, for sparking fresh language. But AI is a tool, not a decision-maker. It can’t carry the weight of leadership.

What worries me most is when CEOs use AI not to support marketing, but to replace it—believing their own marketing instincts are enough, and all that’s needed is a few juniors to “make it happen.” The logic goes: if we can generate a plan, we don’t need someone to create one. If we can produce content, we don’t need a storyteller. If we can automate campaigns, we don’t need strategy.

That logic misses the point entirely.

Tools Help. Leaders Lead.

So yes, use the tools.

But don’t confuse the ability to generate a plan with the ability to lead one. And don’t mistake having a vision for knowing how to get it across the finish line.

You didn’t hire your marketing leader because they type fast or make pretty decks.

You hired them because they can hold tension. Make bets. See around corners. Calm down the team and pivot when the shit hits the fan. Name what’s not working. And guide your team through the fog with clarity and courage.

If you think AI and a couple of juniors can do that, I have a prompt for you:
“Make me a CEO who doesn’t need a CMO.”

I’ll wait to see what it gives you.

Work with Me

If you’re navigating the messy, magical, sometimes overwhelming transitions of your company, GTM strategy, and/or professional life, I’d love to support you. Most leaders have plenty of hustle, what they need is support.

I work with visionary founders and GTM leaders on go-to-market strategy, leadership, clarity, and growth. I’d love to chat about what you need.

I offer:

• Fractional CMO leadership

• GTM Advisory for founders and sales and marketing leaders

• Executive coaching