IBM's Stock Volume Jumps 68.55% to 56th Rank as AI Adoption Hurdles Persist for CMOs

On August 7, 2025, IBM (IBM) traded with a volume of $1.57 billion, a 68.55% increase from the previous day, ranking it 56th in volume among stocks. The shares closed down 0.84%.

A recent IBM Institute for Business Value study highlights challenges CMOs face in leveraging AI despite viewing it as transformative. While 81% of surveyed marketing executives consider AI a game-changer, 84% cited operational rigidity and fragmented systems as barriers to effective implementation. Jonathan Adashek of IBM emphasized that many organizations lack the structural agility and talent to harness AI’s full potential, with only 21% believing they have the right workforce for future goals. IBM’s own AI initiatives, such as automating 1 million HR tasks and streamlining marketing workflows, demonstrate efficiency gains but underscore the broader industry struggle to align AI tools with strategic priorities.

Adashek stressed the importance of robust data infrastructure, noting that 80% of AI’s value lies in underlying systems rather than visible tools. He warned against overreliance on flashy applications without addressing foundational data architecture, advocating for real-time insights to drive marketing innovation. The study also pointed to consumer demand for hyper-personalization, with AI enabling tailored engagement strategies that align with evolving expectations. However, success hinges on integrating datasets and fostering cross-departmental collaboration to overcome siloed operations.

The strategy of purchasing the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day generated a 166.71% return from 2022 to the present, outperforming the benchmark by 137.53%. This highlights the role of liquidity concentration in short-term performance, particularly in volatile markets, where high-volume stocks offer consistent opportunities driven by investor behavior and macroeconomic shifts.