Lorraine Twohill, Chief Marketing Officer at Google’s, who oversees a team of over 4,000 shared her opinion about what truly drives success in the era of artificial intelligence (AI): not just technical know-how, but timeless, human-centric skills.
Twohill is direct when it comes to the pitfalls of over-relying on technology. “First of all, before AI, there was a lot of pretty mediocre things written,” she states bluntly. In her view, technology often acts as a crutch, masking weak fundamentals. “Technology sometimes becomes a crutch for people rather than just the fundamentals of good writing, good storytelling, get to the point, do work that matters, that has impact and resonates in the world.”
“Skills are going to be an increasingly important one in the AI era,” Twohill says. The ability to generate content or find answers instantly is now universal, but she argues that the real edge lies elsewhere. “The skills to be able to understand how to make sense of the world, how to predict what people are going to want, how to stay agile in times of change, and how to influence others toward your way of thinking… that’s how people are going to get and stay ahead.”
Twohill emphasizes personal accountability. “You may use different tools or toys to get the work done, but ultimately as editor, as creator, as maker, you own it and it needs to be good and good enough.”
Her leadership philosophy boils down to a simple mantra: “Know the user, know the magic, connect the two.” This approach isn’t just about marketing — it’s about distilling complex ideas into something relatable. “We can take all the complexity of a big, busy company like Google and we can distill it down into something that’s super simple and relatable to a normal person,” she explains.
Twohill also offers advice to young professionals navigating the uncertainties of modern careers. Instead of fixating on linear growth, she encourages embracing the unexpected. “I do think when you’re a non-technical person in a technical world, you have your own kind of superpowers,” she shared on LinkedIn’s “This Is Working” podcast.
Reflecting on her own journey — from her early days in Europe to leading global marketing for one of the world’s most influential companies — Twohill’s message is clear: careers aren’t built on shortcuts or crutches. They’re shaped by resilience, curiosity, and the courage to own your work, no matter what tools you have at your disposal.