Adobe partners with local AI marketing group in push to upskill marketers and establish ethical frameworks

Adobe has signed a three-year strategic supporter agreement with the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing (ACAM), joining IBM as a key backer of the centre’s mission to promote responsible, creative and human-centric adoption of artificial intelligence across the marketing sector.

Announced on 2 September, the partnership will focus on upskilling Australian marketers and building ethical frameworks for AI use, while extending the reach of ACAM’s educational programs. Since its launch earlier this year, ACAM has grown into a national hub for AI education in marketing, with over 100 CMOs and senior leaders involved and nearly 700 attendees at its events to date.

The collaboration between ACAM and Adobe will kick off with the launch of a whitepaper titled The Marketing Team of the Future: Beyond Efficiency, co-authored by ACAM and a panel of leading CMOs. The paper explores how marketing teams are evolving through AI, outlining emerging roles, critical capabilities, and the ethical boundaries required to succeed.

The whitepaper will be launched during SXSW Sydney in October, where Adobe is a sponsor. Speakers at the event include Sian Chadwick, general manager marketing, Australia at ANZ; Simon Cheng, CMO of Menulog; and Aaron Michie, head of marketing operations, transformation and strategic programs at Foxtel.

Louise Cummins, co-founder of ACAM, said the partnership marked a pivotal moment for the sector: “This isn’t just a partnership, it’s a defining moment for the industry. Marketers aren’t debating whether to use AI anymore, the real question is how to do it responsibly, creatively, and with confidence.”

“By partnering with Adobe, we’re supporting all marketers in Australia to have access to the tools, insights, and frameworks they need to thrive in this new era,” Cummins added.

Adobe’s vice president of enterprise marketing, APAC and Japan, Duncan Egan, said the collaboration builds on Adobe’s longstanding focus on empowering marketers: “We are focused on unifying creativity, marketing, and AI, and giving marketers world-class tools to orchestrate the critical components of customer experience.”

“Our collaboration with ACAM ensures marketers not only have the tools, but also the frameworks and skills to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.”

ACAM’s AI Pioneers Circle includes executives from major brands such as IKEA, Menulog, The Iconic, Bluescope, Swarovski, Mirvac, Woolworths, Foxtel, NRMA, AGL and ANZ. More than 400 benchmarking reports have already been downloaded from ACAM’s resources, signalling strong demand for practical AI guidance across the industry.

The whitepaper will be formally launched on 15 October at Adobe’s Sydney headquarters, followed by an invitation-only experience at SXSW Sydney Unlocked in Tumbalong Park.

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