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I’ve seen this pattern play out firsthand. Back in 2013, I was hired as an assistant web developer. That was the job.

Then on my first day, it was casually mentioned that I’d also be managing the company’s social media accounts. At the time, I had zero professional experience in social media. My only exposure was personal use—posting on Facebook, tweeting occasionally, nothing strategic or business-focused.

There was no training. No roadmap. No real expectations beyond “figure it out.” So I did.

What started as a vague, side responsibility became something I gradually owned. I experimented, learned on the fly, and built processes as I went. For a few years, it lived in “other duties as assigned” —something I handled alongside my core responsibilities.

Until it didn’t.

By 2016, social media had grown into a full-time function. What was once an informal extra duty had become a recognized, dedicated role.

That experience feels very familiar right now. Only instead of being asked to “post on social,” digital marketers are being asked to:

• Define which AI tools the business should use
• Build workflows around them
• Train teams
• Set guidelines and best practices
• Think strategically about long-term adoption

In other words, they’re not just being asked to use AI. They’re being asked to own it. And just like back in 2013, it often starts the same way:

A casual ask.
A vague expectation.
A “you seem like the right person to figure this out.”

But here’s the important distinction:

Social media became a discipline—but even today, many companies still treat it as a side responsibility. Now AI is following a similar path—despite having far broader implications across the business. In my case, it took about three years for social media to evolve from a side task into a full-time role. So the question is:

Will AI follow that same trajectory? Or will companies continue to treat one of the most transformative shifts in modern business as just another thing marketing can handle? If AI is truly a priority, it needs to be treated like one. That doesn’t necessarily mean hiring an entirely new team—but it does mean being intentional.

1. Acknowledge the role shift
   If someone is responsible for AI strategy, call it what it is. Define it. Support it. Don’t hide it in a job description under the umbrella of “other duties as assigned”.
2. Allocate real time
   Strategy cannot be built in the margins of an already full workload.
3. Provide cross-functional backing
   AI decisions impact legal, IT, operations, and leadership—not just marketing.
4. Invest in capability, not just tools
   Buying AI software is easy. Building internal understanding is harder—and more important.

Digital marketers have always adapted quickly. It’s part of the job. But there’s a difference between adapting to new tools…and being asked to architect the future of how a business operates.

AI strategy isn’t “just another task.” And the sooner organizations recognize that, the better positioned they’ll be to actually benefit from it.

Author Bio:

Amanda Andresen is the Student Success Systems Coordinator for the University of Nebraska Kearney, where she supports initiatives that enhance student engagement and success through technology and data-driven strategies. As an NISM-certified social media strategist, she’s passionate about helping others better understand and leverage social media in meaningful, effective ways.

Amanda holds a B.S. in Computer Information Systems in Business from Bellevue University, along with a graduate certificate in Public Relations and Social Media from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Outside of work, Amanda enjoys traveling, staying active, and keeping up with her energetic five-year-old. She’s also an avid fan of the Indianapolis Colts.

Connect with Amanda online!