Road to the Conference: Catherine Toms, AI Growth Academy
Catherine Toms is a marketing AI expert and educator with over 25 years' experience working with some of the world’s biggest brands - both agency and in-house. She’s spent her career helping teams navigate digital change, sharpen their thinking, and build growth strategies that actually deliver.
Now, her focus is on helping marketers, leaders and teams use AI the right way — not for shortcuts or shiny tools, but to save time, think smarter, and get better results.
Through hands-on training and proven systems, Catherine shows teams how to integrate AI into their everyday work — in ways that are practical, strategic, and built to last. She now runs AI Growth Academy with her husband Stephen, helping individuals and teams navigate change, build confidence and drive growth with AI.
Q: You’ve had over 20 years of digital marketing experience. Can you tell us about your journey and how it led you to focus on AI in marketing?
Catherine Toms: I’ve been in digital since 2001 — long before smartphones, social media, or AI were anywhere near marketing. Back then, it was all about mastering platforms, systems, and processes. But I learned fast: tech wasn’t the hardest part.
The real challenge? People.
Leading change. Removing the scary stuff. Helping teams embrace new technology without overwhelm. I had to develop those skills early — making complex ideas feel simple, and cutting through shiny hype to focus on what actually mattered.
That’s shaped everything I do now. AI is just the latest disruption — and what’s really interesting is the déjà vu in the conversations we’re having now. Questions about ethics, data, jobs, security. It’s the same cycle — just with new tools.
After two decades in digital, one thing is clear: AI success isn’t about mastering tools. It’s about adoption. Confidence. Knowing where to start.
That’s what we do - train individuals and teams to use AI in a way that’s strategic, supportive, and actually works for their business.
Q: How do you see AI transforming digital marketing strategies in the near future?
AI’s been part of marketing for years — quietly powering automation, audience targeting, personalisation, and product recommendations. But when ChatGPT launched onto the scene in 2022 genAI changed everything.
Suddenly, everyone had access. No technical skills. No huge budgets. Just open a browser and try it. The barrier to entry disappeared — and that’s what made it so different.
The shift now isn’t just in what AI can do — it’s the pace. New tools and features are landing every week. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or like you’re already behind. But you’re not.
The biggest gains right now? Ideating, planning, research, briefs, comms, content, asset generation — anything repetitive or time-consuming. But that’s just the surface.
The real value comes when AI is embedded into your workflows — not just for speed, but to help you think smarter, test faster, and make sharper decisions.
My advice? Start small. Focus on using it well, not using it everywhere. That’s where the real shift happens.
Q: What are some of the key challenges marketers face when trying to integrate more AI into their work?
There are a few. First — access. In some organisations, compliance concerns still block AI tools entirely. People want to use them but aren’t clear on the guardrails, do’s and don’ts, or how to stay secure. Before anything else, teams need safe, responsible access and clear guidance.
Then there’s education and upskilling. Learning how the tools work is one thing — but the real shift is in how we work. How we streamline workflows, collaborate differently, and move from manual effort to more strategic, AI-assisted ways of working.
That doesn’t happen through one-off demos or dipping in ad-hoc. It takes habit change, behaviour change, and ongoing support. Without that, you end up with scattered experiments and no real impact.
And finally, there’s trust. Not just in the outputs, but in how AI is used — in a way that aligns with your brand, values, and audience. That matters even more when you’re working with communities, donors, or vulnerable groups. We’re all figuring this out as we go, and teams need space to do that well.
Q: What can attendees expect from your session at the conference?
I’m really excited about it. In our session, attendees can expect a practical, inspiring hour packed with confidence-building, clarity, and hands-on examples. We’ll look at how to use AI safely, where it can make a real difference, and give some real-world use cases for fundraisers, marketers, and comms professionals.
It’s not about using AI for everything — it’s about identifying small changes that have big impacts. We’ll bring lightbulb moments, practical tools, and yes, a bit of fun! I want people to walk away feeling empowered to start using AI in their day-to-day work in a smart, strategic, and responsible way.
A practical, energising hour that gives people clarity, confidence, and a real sense of “I can actually do this.”
We’ll look at how to use AI safely and strategically — not just what the tools do, but where they actually make a difference. I’ll share real-world examples for fundraisers, marketers, and comms teams, and show how small changes can lead to big results.
It’s not about using AI for everything. It’s about using it in ways that save time, improve quality, and free you up to focus on the work that really matters.
Expect lightbulb moments, practical tools you can use straight away — and yes, a bit of fun along the way. You’ll walk out with the confidence to start putting AI to work in a way that feels smart, human, and completely doable.
Join Catherine Toms at this year’s conference to learn how AI is reshaping marketing — and how you can lead the change in your organisation.