Leading North American Agencies Share Their Take on the Future of AI-Driven Content Delivery
Storyblok is the first headless CMS that works for developers & marketers alike.
Agencies have it tough at the moment. With increasing client expectations for multi-channel, AI-charged content and the pressure to be the pinnacle of knowledge on every tool and trend, digital agencies are trying to find the balance between what’s new and what works for their clients. Especially when it comes to content delivery for both developers and content creators.
"As content demands multiply across channels, markets, and formats, teams are increasingly stretched thin. In the race to fuel the digital economy, the opportunity for genuine customer experience innovation is rapidly diminishing. The winners will be those who master content velocity through AI, all while maintaining the highest standards of quality and personalization."
We pulled together the key points impacting digital agencies from this year’s State of CMS 2025 report to provide you with the TL;DR on what you need to know about content management and delivery today. From the content management systems your clients and competitors are using to the channels they plan to invest in for the future (and yes, AI is very much involved). Accompanied by hot takes from leading North American agencies on each finding.
Our current content delivery landscape
Content delivery isn’t smooth terrain for anyone nowadays. Whether you’re a developer or a marketer, balancing quality content delivery, multiple clients and projects, and mammoth to-do lists is an ongoing challenge — and one that more of us are demanding better tech and tools to solve. The first stop? Our content management systems.
Content management systems (CMS) are the final boss of content delivery. We can’t win without a CMS that all key content stakeholders can use, integrate, and scale on both the agency and client side. It’s the hub of content delivery and the primary content tool that will determine how quickly and effectively content can be delivered and by whom.
"Your CMS is not just a content tool. It is the engine that drives your entire digital experience. If it is slow, clunky, or hard to use, it does not matter how great your content is. The message, value, and effort behind your content will be lost before it ever reaches your audience. A strong CMS makes the path from creation to delivery seamless, ensuring your work makes the impact it deserves. In 2025, having a strong CMS foundation is key to being AI-ready for SEO and GEO."
For most of us, it’ll be no surprise that WordPress – a traditional monolithic CMS (opens in a new window) — is taking the top spot in terms of CMS usage, as it’s the system currently behind 44% of the internet (opens in a new window) (reflected in our sample with 34% using WordPress).
Uncover the Signs You Need to Scale Your Digital Tools Based on Your Growth Stage, according to first-hand experience from global agency, Sid Lee, in their latest partner article.
However, a pointed observation from our sample is that most of us aren’t using just one CMS; we’re using multiple. As omnichannel demands and customers’ digital expectations grow, we’re leveraging several CMSs to deliver multi-channel content across websites, mobile applications, voice-activated search, and more. Indicating that something is broken within our CMS choices. Why do we have to jump between providers to share the same content across different channels? 3% of our sample said that they are currently working with six or more CMSs to do their job; no one wants (or deserves) that amount of content admin, so what’s the deal?
Well, it turns out that marketers and developers aren’t doing this for fun. There are four core reasons why so many of us are juggling multiple CMSs:
- To minimize delivery risk: we want to have backup systems in place or consider different CMSs better suited to different frontend needs.
- Testing other CMS providers for proof of concept: is the grass greener? We’ve got to find out somehow, and trialling other CMS options is often the first port of call.
- Need a new tech stack: knowing when to switch up your stack and incorporate capabilities you’ve been missing is important, and a new stack can often mean a new CMS (or a few).
- Omnichannel capabilities: as we said, many of us are using different CMSs to deliver content on different channels, whether that’s because our original CMS isn’t capable or we feel we can deliver a better-quality experience for specific channels using another provider.
These stats tell a bigger story in two parts. One: CMS users recognize the need to provide omnichannel experiences to their customers. And two: they’re testing the waters, trying out new proof of concepts to see if anything different fits the bill. This trend is far more than casual curiosity; it’s a canary in a coal mine. Traditional CMSs (like WordPress), lacking technological flexibility and content agility, have a staggering number of users ready to jump ship. The alternative? Switching to a headless CMS that enables you to share great content anywhere.
"AI-driven content delivery, combined with a headless approach, empowers companies to structure specialized frontend and backend teams connected through well-defined APIs—accelerating delivery, supporting independent roadmaps, and allowing each team to focus on what they do best."
Access the in-depth report breakdown on why marketers and developers are moving away from their traditional CMS setups and where they’re heading in the State of CMS 2025.
Big plans: what your clients and competitors are working towards
More channels. More AI. Less robot copy. It’s the hot topic that’s been doing the rounds for a few years now, and with nearly half of global consumers (opens in a new window) wanting more AI-driven shopping experiences and 78% (opens in a new window) of companies already actively using AI, it’s here to stay.
"AI is transforming how organizations approach their digital initiatives. Clients see its potential and are eager to harness it to drive efficiency and innovation. At Americaneagle.com, we help them unlock that potential by accelerating timelines, streamlining operations, and optimizing content delivery to create measurable impact."
Websites have been the primary channel for most brands since digital marketing first emerged, but as consumer expectations and tech have evolved, so too have our communication channels. The rise of AI search, voice-activated speakers, and mobile application usage has changed the landscape we all operate in, and companies need to work harder to be visible and searchable for their audiences. And our competitors know it.
Our survey sample showed significant increases in planned future usage and investment across less traditional digital marketing channels, including AR/VR, voice-activated speakers, smartwatches, and more. In fact, the only channel that won’t maintain the same level of usage or investment is the website, not because it’s been rendered obsolete by any means, but because investment has been spread across more channels.
"The pace of digital change isn’t slowing down—it’s accelerating. Agencies and brands that struggle to keep up risk more than inefficiency; they risk irrelevance. Having a modern CMS and tech stack isn’t just about delivering faster, it’s about staying adaptable to new channels, new AI capabilities, and new customer expectations. The organizations that thrive will be the ones that treat their stack as a growth engine, not a bottleneck."
How AI is reshaping content management and delivery (and how we can too)
AI is already firmly embedded in our day-to-day lives, and content management and delivery are no different. Large Language Models (LLMs) are revolutionizing how users discover and interact with content. Increasingly, users are turning to conversational, AI-powered interfaces over traditional search engines, especially for complex or contextual queries. But it doesn’t stop there.
The world has made it clear that AI usage will only increase, as the global market revenues of AI usage in marketing are predicted to reach US$107 billion by 2028 (opens in a new window). And the State of CMS shows where that usage and investment will likely be directed when it comes to content delivery.
It looks like the em-dash debate won’t be going away anytime soon, as GenAI content creation is set to continue to rise alongside leveraging AI to manage complex tasks like automation, personalization, AR/VR experiences, and more. For agencies, that means, well, the same, but just a lot more of it, as you manage projects and expectations for multiple clients who want to keep up with the market regarding their digital offering and user experience. This means having the right CMS and tech stack behind you is even more vital than ever.
Many agency clients turn to you for guidance in navigating this new digital wave. Where do they begin with GenAI? How can they use it to provide personalized customer experiences quickly and more easily? What can they automate to streamline internal workflows and boost external engagement? The Q&A is endless, and most of us are still discovering and building the perfect stack to make all of that happen.
Learn more about how AI is transforming content delivery, searchability, and credibility, and how your CMS is a crucial piece of the puzzle in our whitepaper How AI Will Reshape Content Marketing.
If used effectively, AI can be a powerful tool for better results, greater productivity, and happier clients. That is no doubt why our State of CMS survey respondents voted AI features to be the most missed functionality from their current CMS. And it seems most CMSs aren’t picking this up as fast as users would like — particularly the traditional, monolithic CMS providers like WordPress and Drupal (another point for the headless CMS).
"We've seen countless clients struggle with underperforming websites due to CMS platforms that fail to leverage AI capabilities. Today's landscape extends far beyond multilingual translations, we're talking about automated content creation, dynamic personalization, intelligent metadata enrichment, and so much more."
The future begins with your tech stack
The State of CMS 2025 report puts into perspective how much content delivery has changed and will likely continue to change. Our competitors and clients are aware of and ready to invest in emerging channels, technologies, and AI to help them deliver greater value and personalized experiences to their audiences faster. And it’s more than possible for agency teams, regardless of client portfolio, to lead their clients into our AI-driven content future with the right stack.
"The days of first-mover advantage online are long gone. With global competitors having access to the same digital marketing best practices, brands simply cannot become complacent with legacy channels and tech. Customers expect faster and more tailored web experiences, and the brands leveraging emerging technologies to meet this demand will rise to the top and capture greater market share."
Take a look at the full State of CMS 2025 report to access in-depth analysis on modern content delivery from our sample of marketers and developers. Or, if you’re interested in knowing more about how a headless CMS works, set up a free demo for you and your team.
