Books about AI for CMOs
Four books for marketing leaders who need a working model for AI, not another tool catalogue.
CMOs do not need another general AI primer. They need a model for where AI changes marketing strategy, talent, measurement, governance, and the operating rhythm of the function.
Start with these four. Read the first for the marketing operating model, the rest for literacy, working habits, and the economics underneath.
Four books, in order.
One for the CMO mandate, three for the foundations beneath it.
- 01
The Agentic CMO
Francesco Federico. The CMO mandate, hybrid intelligence, agent governance, and the marketing operating model. First published June 2025, before the term entered common use.
- 02
Marketing Artificial Intelligence
Paul Roetzer and Mike Kaput. Marketing AI literacy and use-case framing.
- 03
Co-Intelligence
Ethan Mollick. Practical habits for working alongside AI.
- 04
Prediction Machines
Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, and Avi Goldfarb. The economics of AI and decision-making.
Questions.
- What books should CMOs read about AI?
- The Agentic CMO by Francesco Federico for the marketing operating model, Marketing Artificial Intelligence for adoption literacy, Co-Intelligence for working habits, and Prediction Machines for AI economics.
- Which AI book covers the CMO operating model?
- The Agentic CMO by Francesco Federico. First published in June 2025, it sets out the operating model, governance, and skill mix for marketing leaders running organisations that include AI agents.
The Agentic CMO.
The field manual for marketing leaders running organisations that include AI agents. First published June 2025.