The Cost of Inaction: Why Sticking With The Same Tech Is Crippling Marketing Performance and AI Adoption

Does anyone else feel like they can’t stay afloat before the next wave of AI developments, algorithm updates, and data privacy regulations hits? Same. Marketers are scrambling to keep their heads above the tech waters in the fastest-moving decade we’ve ever seen — and the pace of change will only continue to accelerate. 

In fact, the rate of change in tech has increased by an astonishing 183% (opens in a new window) since 2019, and it’s safe to say that marketers are really feeling it. The majority of marketers (72% (opens in a new window) to be exact) feel overwhelmed by how quickly their jobs are changing, while 53% (opens in a new window) believe that expectations are higher than ever. The main culprit? AI. 

While tech advancements aren’t reserved for AI alone, we’re all feeling the pressure to stay on top of and leverage it across every function of our roles as marketers. From optimizing search for AI discoverability to utilizing AI features to supercharge analytics, AI has been front and center in the marketing conversation over the past couple of years. So much so that our 2025 Storyblok Marketers Survey found that AI adoption is the number one force driving change in marketing teams today — no surprises there.

However, while tech is the spark behind most change in marketing today, it can also be your Achilles’ heel. If you’re working with outdated or underperforming tooling, the supersonic pace of change could render you obsolete faster than expected. Keeping up with the latest tech and trends is only half the battle; if you don’t have the tech stack and tooling available to integrate market and consumer shifts into your strategy, your brand could risk falling behind. 

The impact of outdated tech  

The consequences of sticking with the same old tech can be extensive, from security issues to mounting licensing fees to a total lack of agility to keep up with the pace of change. But that doesn’t mean your current stack is doomed — even if there is tech in there that your team has been using for a while. Instead, consider this article an invitation to regularly audit your tools, spot what’s working (and what’s not), and decide whether there’s room for improvement or you’re all set.

Let’s take a look at the most significant risks in continuing to use outdated tech and tooling for your team, brand, and business results: 

1. Licensing costs start creeping up 

Many brands globally have been tightening their purse strings, with 47.7% (opens in a new window) of marketing teams facing budget cuts last year and prices rising for services across the board. But is your tech adding an unnecessary financial drain? You could be actively paying more for worse services or multiple tools when you only need one. 

Solution: When outdated or underperforming tech holds you back, the quick fix is often layering on extra tools to fill the gaps. But that patchwork approach drives up costs and complexity over time. By auditing your stack and pinpointing which tools aren’t pulling their weight, you can streamline your setup, cut unnecessary spending, and unlock better performance with fewer moving parts. 

2. Increased security concerns

Outdated technology and poorly maintained software leave your organization vulnerable; in fact, 32% (opens in a new window) of cyberattacks exploit exactly this kind of weakness. Older systems, like monolithic content management systems (CMS), often require manual updates, creating more opportunities for errors and security gaps. 

Solution: Your tech can end up being an open door for attackers if not secured properly. Reviewing the security procedures and capabilities of the tools you use — and potentially migrating away from ones that aren’t meeting the mark — can save you from a security breach (and a whole lot of stress) further down the line.

3. Not meeting today’s AI expectations

If you’re working with tooling that isn’t optimized and compatible with AI, you’re already behind the market. AI truly is everywhere — from content creation and personalization to predictive analytics — and it plans on sticking around. Without AI-enabled tooling and strategies, your brand risks being outpaced in this new era, missing out on the personalized user experiences, faster workflows, and discoverability your competitors are already delivering. For example: 

• Email marketing platforms: Can yours automatically personalize messaging at scale?
• Analytics and reporting tools: Can yours provide predictive insights to guide campaigns?
• Social media management tools: Can yours analyze trends and recommend optimized posting times or AI-generated content suggestions?

Solution: Take a close look at your stack and identify the areas where AI can help you reach your objectives and audience expectations. By spotting the tools that are falling behind in AI, you can make the adjustments you need to make before you lose ground. 

4. Risking AI search invisibility  

The content discoverability playbook is evolving fast as AI search and large language models (opens in a new window) (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude reshape how audiences find answers. People are no longer turning to Google to search, and SEO principles are no longer enough on their own to ensure your content is found. But is your tech stack built to help you be AI-discoverable and have your content shared in AI answers?

Solution: AI search engines prioritize well-structured, clear, and up-to-date content when generating answers. Your CMS is the hub of that content, and if it isn’t designed to help you quickly create, manage, and distribute content to this standard, AI engines simply won’t consider your content and it won’t be shared with audiences. 

5. Sluggish content delivery and bottlenecked workflows

Consumers today expect fast-loading, highly personalized, and ultra-engaging experiences — and old or outdated marketing technology can make it nearly impossible to keep up. Slow websites, clunky CMSs, or email platforms that can’t handle dynamic content delay campaigns and frustrate users. Pages that take too long to load, emails that render incorrectly, and content that isn’t optimized for speedy mobile or AI-driven channel delivery all create friction that damages engagement, reduces conversions, and could hurt performance. 

Solution: Audit your current tools and pinpoint where performance bottlenecks are holding you back — whether that’s a CMS weighed down by bloated code and manual updates, an email platform that struggles to process data fast enough for real-time personalization, or analytics systems that can’t keep up because they weren’t built for today’s data volumes. From there, evaluate faster, more flexible alternatives designed to keep up with modern marketing demands. 

6. Poor reporting and analytics 

When you’re relying on outdated analytics and reporting tools, the cracks show fast. Legacy platforms often run on siloed data, batch reporting, or clunky integrations, so you’re stuck waiting on yesterday’s numbers instead of acting on today’s. Without accurate, timely insights, it’s nearly impossible to optimize campaigns, spot opportunities, or prove ROI — and that can cost your team valuable time, money, and leads.

Solution: Swap slow, outdated systems for modern analytics tools built for speed, scale, and integration. Look for platforms that consolidate data across channels, provide real-time reporting, and surface predictive insights you can act on quickly. With clearer, faster, and more actionable data, your team can make sharper decisions, adapt on the fly, and capture opportunities before they’re gone.

7. Losing top talent

Marketers need the right tools to do their jobs — and without them, frustration and stress quickly build. It’s no different from our developer counterparts: a recent Storyblok survey revealed that 58% of senior developers have considered quitting their roles due to inadequate tech stacks. The takeaway is clear — when teams don’t have the resources they need to succeed, burnout rises, performance suffers, and talent retention becomes a real risk.

Solution: Outdated tech won’t fix itself. Run the audits we’ve mentioned previously in this article, find the weak spots, and invest in the upgrades where possible. By building a powerful, future-ready tech stack, you provide smoother workflows, less stress, better results, and a team that wants to stick around. 

The path to a future-ready, AI-enabled tech stack

Marketing has always been fast-moving, but today’s pace — fueled by AI, evolving consumer expectations, and new tech — is next level. But you don’t have to get lost in the chaos. By auditing your tech stack, upgrading tools that slow you down, and embracing AI-enabled solutions, you set your team up not just to keep up, but to thrive. With the right tools, processes, and mindset, you can meet modern performance expectations, adopt AI strategically, and lead the way in shaping the future of marketing.