Sarah Kennedy Ellis, Google Cloud’s VP of Global Demand & Growth, emphasized that workflow friction, rather than AI model quality, is the primary obstacle to AI adoption in marketing teams during her session at SaaStr AI 2026. She shared insights from her experience leading marketing at Marketo and Adobe, highlighting how Google aims to be the first real user of AI in marketing operations, not just showcasing demos, according to saastr.com.
Ellis explained that the biggest inhibitor to AI adoption is the resistance caused by changes in existing workflows and the behavioral adjustments required. She noted that teams investing in change management and training see the most productivity gains from AI agents. Conversely, teams waiting for improved AI models tend to remain stuck. She also pointed out that the top 20% of AI adopters within Google Cloud’s marketing team are the same individuals who achieve the highest productivity boosts, underscoring the link between adoption and learning.
This perspective challenges the common assumption that AI tools’ quality is the main barrier to their use. Instead, it highlights the importance of organizational readiness and change management in successfully integrating AI into daily marketing tasks. Ellis’s insights align with broader industry observations that behavioral and workflow adjustments are critical for realizing AI’s potential in enterprise settings, especially in SaaS marketing functions.
At SaaStr AI 2026, Ellis’s remarks provided actionable takeaways for founders and marketing leaders aiming to increase AI adoption. Her emphasis on overcoming workflow friction offers a concrete focus area for teams struggling to integrate AI tools effectively. The session underscored that addressing human and process factors is essential to unlocking AI-driven productivity gains.