LinkedIn and Adobe Launch Free AI Training to Close the Growing Skills Gap in Marketing

The demand for AI skills in marketing is rising fast — but the supply of marketers who can demonstrate real proficiency is lagging behind.

LinkedIn and Adobe Launch Free AI Training to Close the Growing Skills Gap in Marketing Job postings requiring AI literacy in marketing have more than doubled year-over-year (up 113%). Yet according to LinkedIn data, only 4% of marketers worldwide have added AI skills to their profiles.

This mismatch is creating real challenges for both hiring managers and job seekers. Many marketing professionals are already experimenting with tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, or Adobe Firefly, but far fewer have structured, role-specific knowledge of how to integrate AI strategically into content creation, campaigns, analytics, or customer communications.

To address this gap, LinkedIn and Adobe have partnered to launch AI Essentials for Marketers — a free, global initiative offering practical, role-based training designed specifically for marketing professionals.

Four Ready-to-Start Learning Tracks (with a Fifth Coming Soon)

The program launched with four targeted tracks built around the most in-demand marketing functions, based on insights from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph:

Content Marketing and Creative;
Digital Marketing;
Data Analytics in Marketing;
Communications and SMM (Social Media & Communications).

An additional track focused on Event Marketing is currently in development.

The courses are short-form and “social-first,” making them easy to fit into busy schedules. They are available in 47 languages on LinkedIn Learning and are completely free.

AI as a Layer, Not a Replacement

LinkedIn and Adobe Launch Free AI Training to Close the Growing Skills Gap in Marketing A core principle behind the curriculum is that AI isn’t erasing what marketers already know — it’s layering powerful new capabilities on top of existing expertise. The courses are deliberately built to meet marketers where they already are, rather than assuming they need to become data scientists or prompt engineers overnight.

This approach helps professionals develop an “AI mindset,” identify high-value use cases in their specific role, and build repeatable workflows that combine human creativity and strategy with AI efficiency.

Why Certificates Matter Right Now

Upon completion, learners receive certificates that can be added directly to their LinkedIn profiles. In a tough job market where many candidates are competing for fewer roles, visibly demonstrating AI proficiency can make a meaningful difference. Recruiters and hiring managers are increasingly scanning profiles for these skills — and this initiative makes it straightforward to showcase them.

Practical, Marketer-Created Content

LinkedIn and Adobe Launch Free AI Training to Close the Growing Skills Gap in Marketing The courses were developed with input from marketing practitioners (including LinkedIn’s BrandWorks team) and Adobe experts.

They go beyond generic “how to use ChatGPT” tutorials and focus on real marketing applications such as:

AI-powered content planning and creation;
Audience targeting and campaign optimization;
Data-driven decision making and agentic workflows;
Creative workflows that maintain brand voice and quality.

There is also a dedicated introductory course, AI Essentials for Marketers: An Introduction by Adobe, which covers developing an AI mindset, identifying high-value use cases, and building your first AI workflows.

A Timely Response to Real Market Needs

Jessica Jenson, Chief Marketing Officer at LinkedIn, highlighted the issue clearly:
“Only 4% of marketers around the world have added AI skills to their profiles… This gap isn’t a reflection of marketers not wanting to lean into AI. It’s that training built for marketers hasn’t existed at scale.”

LinkedIn and Adobe Launch Free AI Training to Close the Growing Skills Gap in Marketing Rachel Thornton, Chief Marketing Officer, Enterprise at Adobe, added:
“This is about more than mastering new tools — it’s about reimagining what creativity, marketing strategy, and customer relationships look like in an AI-powered era.”

How to Get Started

The program is already live. You can begin with the free introductory course and then dive into the role-specific tracks on LinkedIn Learning.

Start here: https://aiessentialsformarketers.splashthat.com

Whether you’re a content marketer looking to scale creative output, a digital marketer optimizing campaigns, an analyst working with data, or a social media specialist managing communities — there’s now structured, free training tailored to your world.

In an industry where AI skills are quickly moving from “nice to have” to “expected,” initiatives like this one give marketers a practical way to stay ahead — without having to quit their jobs or spend thousands on courses.