AI-Ready CMO

AI Competitor Tracking Dashboard Template

A ready-to-use dashboard template for tracking competitor AI adoption, capabilities, and messaging in real time. Designed for CMOs and marketing leaders who need to monitor competitive threats and identify market gaps without adding operational overhead. Outputs a single-page executive view that feeds quarterly strategy reviews and product positioning decisions.

How to Use This Template

  1. 1.## Step 1: Define Your Competitor Set
  2. 2.**Identify 3–5 direct competitors to track.** These should be companies that compete for the same customer segment and use case. Don't track every player in the market—focus on the ones that win deals against you or represent the fastest-moving threats. List them in the Competitor AI Capability Matrix and update this list quarterly. If a new competitor emerges or an existing one becomes less relevant, swap them out. This keeps the dashboard lean and actionable.
  3. 3.## Step 2: Set Up a Data Collection Workflow
  4. 4.**Assign one person (or a rotating team) to monitor competitor activity weekly.** Create a simple tracking sheet or Slack channel where the team logs new AI tool launches, messaging changes, pricing updates, and feature releases. Use tools like Google Alerts, Crunchbase, G2 Reviews, and LinkedIn to automate some of this. Dedicate 2–3 hours per week to this task—it's not heavy lifting, but it must be consistent. Document your sources in the "Sources & Data Collection Notes" section so leadership knows the data is credible.
  5. 5.## Step 3: Fill in the Capability Matrix Every 2 Weeks
  6. 6.**Update the Competitor AI Capability Matrix with new launches, features, and positioning shifts.** For each competitor, note the tool name, launch date, capability level (Foundational = basic AI features; Intermediate = multi-feature AI platform; Advanced = proprietary AI with unique differentiation), and your competitive position (Ahead, Parity, or Behind). Add a threat level (Low, Medium, High) and brief context. This is the heartbeat of the dashboard—keep it current. If nothing new happened, that's fine; just note "No new launches this period."
  7. 7.## Step 4: Translate Competitive Moves Into Messaging & Strategy Implications
  8. 8.**Don't just list what competitors are doing—interpret what it means for your strategy.** In the "Messaging & Positioning Shifts" section, compare their old messaging to their new messaging and ask: What buyer problem are they now emphasizing? What market are they targeting? Are they moving upmarket, downmarket, or into a new vertical? Then ask yourself: Do we need to adjust our positioning, messaging, or product roadmap in response? This is where the dashboard becomes actionable. Avoid the trap of copying competitors—instead, identify gaps they're leaving open that you can own.
  9. 9.## Step 5: Identify Market Gaps and Your Defensible Advantages
  10. 10.**Use the competitive data to spot unmet customer needs and opportunities.** In the "Market Gaps & Opportunities" section, list 2–3 capabilities or messaging angles that no competitor (including you) is addressing well. Then brainstorm how you could fill each gap and what it would take. Simultaneously, document 2–3 areas where you lead and competitors have not matched you. For each advantage, write down a specific marketing or sales tactic to amplify it. This turns competitive intelligence into growth strategy.
  11. 11.## Step 6: Distill Into Immediate Actions and Present to Leadership
  12. 12.**Summarize the dashboard into 3–5 concrete actions for the next 30 days.** These might include updating your competitive positioning deck, adjusting website messaging, briefing the product team on feature gaps, or enabling the sales team with new talking points. Assign an owner and due date to each action. Then present the dashboard to your leadership team (CMO, CEO, product leadership) with a clear recommendation: Should we adjust our Q[X] strategy based on these competitive moves? This is where you prove that competitive intelligence drives decisions, not just fills a spreadsheet.

Template

# AI Competitor Tracking Dashboard **Reporting Period:** [START_DATE] – [END_DATE] **Last Updated:** [TODAY_DATE] **Owner:** [YOUR_NAME] | [TEAM/DEPARTMENT] **Cadence:** [WEEKLY / BI-WEEKLY / MONTHLY] --- ## Executive Summary [WRITE 2-3 SENTENCES SUMMARIZING THE MOST CRITICAL COMPETITIVE MOVES THIS PERIOD. FOCUS ON: (1) NEW AI TOOLS OR FEATURES LAUNCHED BY KEY COMPETITORS, (2) MESSAGING SHIFTS THAT SIGNAL STRATEGY CHANGES, (3) ANY GAPS WHERE YOUR COMPANY HAS AN ADVANTAGE OR VULNERABILITY.] **Key Insight:** [ONE SENTENCE STATING THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT COMPETITIVE FINDING THAT SHOULD INFLUENCE YOUR NEXT DECISION.] --- ## Competitor AI Capability Matrix | Competitor | AI Tools/Features Launched | Launch Date | Capability Level | Our Competitive Position | Notes | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [COMPETITOR_1] | [TOOL_NAME: BRIEF_DESCRIPTION] | [DATE] | [FOUNDATIONAL / INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED] | [AHEAD / PARITY / BEHIND] | [THREAT_LEVEL: LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH + CONTEXT] | | [COMPETITOR_2] | [TOOL_NAME: BRIEF_DESCRIPTION] | [DATE] | [FOUNDATIONAL / INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED] | [AHEAD / PARITY / BEHIND] | [THREAT_LEVEL: LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH + CONTEXT] | | [COMPETITOR_3] | [TOOL_NAME: BRIEF_DESCRIPTION] | [DATE] | [FOUNDATIONAL / INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED] | [AHEAD / PARITY / BEHIND] | [THREAT_LEVEL: LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH + CONTEXT] | | [COMPETITOR_4] | [TOOL_NAME: BRIEF_DESCRIPTION] | [DATE] | [FOUNDATIONAL / INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED] | [AHEAD / PARITY / BEHIND] | [THREAT_LEVEL: LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH + CONTEXT] | --- ## Messaging & Positioning Shifts ### [COMPETITOR_1] **Previous Positioning:** [WHAT THEY SAID 3-6 MONTHS AGO] **Current Positioning:** [WHAT THEY'RE SAYING NOW] **Shift Interpretation:** [WHAT THIS TELLS US ABOUT THEIR STRATEGY — E.G., MOVING UPMARKET, FOCUSING ON COMPLIANCE, TARGETING NEW BUYER PERSONA] **Our Response:** [DO WE NEED TO ADJUST OUR MESSAGING, POSITIONING, OR PRODUCT ROADMAP? YES/NO + BRIEF RATIONALE] ### [COMPETITOR_2] **Previous Positioning:** [WHAT THEY SAID 3-6 MONTHS AGO] **Current Positioning:** [WHAT THEY'RE SAYING NOW] **Shift Interpretation:** [WHAT THIS TELLS US ABOUT THEIR STRATEGY] **Our Response:** [DO WE NEED TO ADJUST OUR MESSAGING, POSITIONING, OR PRODUCT ROADMAP? YES/NO + BRIEF RATIONALE] --- ## Feature Parity Scorecard | Feature/Capability | [COMPETITOR_1] | [COMPETITOR_2] | [COMPETITOR_3] | [YOUR_COMPANY] | Gap Analysis | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [FEATURE_1] | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | We match or exceed on this. | | [FEATURE_2] | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | **PRIORITY:** We lag. Roadmap impact? | | [FEATURE_3] | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | We lead on this. Messaging opportunity. | | [FEATURE_4] | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Parity achieved. | | [FEATURE_5] | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | **DIFFERENTIATION:** We own this. | --- ## Pricing & Go-to-Market Changes | Competitor | Previous Pricing Model | Current Pricing Model | GTM Changes | Impact on Our Strategy | |---|---|---|---|---| | [COMPETITOR_1] | [E.G., PER_SEAT / USAGE_BASED / TIERED] | [E.G., PER_SEAT / USAGE_BASED / TIERED] | [E.G., ADDED_FREEMIUM_TIER, ENTERPRISE_SALES_FOCUS, CHANNEL_PARTNERSHIPS] | [DOES THIS FORCE US TO ADJUST PRICING, PACKAGING, OR SALES MOTION? YES/NO + BRIEF RATIONALE] | | [COMPETITOR_2] | [E.G., PER_SEAT / USAGE_BASED / TIERED] | [E.G., PER_SEAT / USAGE_BASED / TIERED] | [E.G., ADDED_FREEMIUM_TIER, ENTERPRISE_SALES_FOCUS, CHANNEL_PARTNERSHIPS] | [DOES THIS FORCE US TO ADJUST PRICING, PACKAGING, OR SALES MOTION? YES/NO + BRIEF RATIONALE] | --- ## Market Gaps & Opportunities ### Unmet Customer Needs (Based on Competitor Moves) - **Gap 1:** [DESCRIBE A CAPABILITY OR MESSAGING ANGLE THAT NO COMPETITOR (INCLUDING US) IS ADDRESSING WELL. EXAMPLE: "NONE OF THE MAJOR PLAYERS ARE ADDRESSING DATA PRIVACY CONCERNS FOR REGULATED INDUSTRIES."] **Opportunity:** [HOW COULD WE FILL THIS GAP? WHAT WOULD IT TAKE?] - **Gap 2:** [DESCRIBE A SECOND GAP] **Opportunity:** [HOW COULD WE FILL THIS GAP?] - **Gap 3:** [DESCRIBE A THIRD GAP] **Opportunity:** [HOW COULD WE FILL THIS GAP?] ### Where We Lead (Defensible Advantages) - **Advantage 1:** [CAPABILITY OR POSITIONING THAT COMPETITORS HAVE NOT MATCHED] | **How to Leverage:** [SPECIFIC MARKETING OR SALES TACTIC] - **Advantage 2:** [CAPABILITY OR POSITIONING THAT COMPETITORS HAVE NOT MATCHED] | **How to Leverage:** [SPECIFIC MARKETING OR SALES TACTIC] - **Advantage 3:** [CAPABILITY OR POSITIONING THAT COMPETITORS HAVE NOT MATCHED] | **How to Leverage:** [SPECIFIC MARKETING OR SALES TACTIC] --- ## Immediate Actions (Next 30 Days) | Action | Owner | Due Date | Expected Outcome | Status | |---|---|---|---|---| | [ACTION_1: E.G., "UPDATE COMPETITIVE POSITIONING DECK"] | [NAME] | [DATE] | [E.G., "SALES TEAM HAS CLEAR TALKING POINTS FOR COMPETITOR_X DEALS"] | [NOT_STARTED / IN_PROGRESS / COMPLETE] | | [ACTION_2: E.G., "AUDIT OUR MESSAGING AGAINST COMPETITOR_Y SHIFT"] | [NAME] | [DATE] | [E.G., "IDENTIFY 2-3 MESSAGING ADJUSTMENTS FOR WEBSITE & CAMPAIGNS"] | [NOT_STARTED / IN_PROGRESS / COMPLETE] | | [ACTION_3: E.G., "BRIEF PRODUCT TEAM ON FEATURE PARITY GAPS"] | [NAME] | [DATE] | [E.G., "PRODUCT ROADMAP REFLECTS COMPETITIVE PRIORITIES"] | [NOT_STARTED / IN_PROGRESS / COMPLETE] | --- ## Quarterly Strategy Implications **Should we adjust our Q[QUARTER] marketing strategy based on competitive moves?** - **Product Positioning:** [YES/NO — EXPLAIN BRIEFLY] - **Messaging Priorities:** [YES/NO — EXPLAIN BRIEFLY] - **Campaign Focus:** [YES/NO — EXPLAIN BRIEFLY] - **Sales Enablement:** [YES/NO — EXPLAIN BRIEFLY] - **Pricing/Packaging:** [YES/NO — EXPLAIN BRIEFLY] --- ## Sources & Data Collection Notes - **Website Monitoring:** [TOOLS/FREQUENCY USED TO TRACK COMPETITOR WEBSITES] - **Press & News:** [SOURCES: CRUNCHBASE, G2, INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS, PRESS RELEASES] - **Sales Intelligence:** [INPUT FROM SALES TEAM ON LOST DEALS, COMPETITIVE OBJECTIONS] - **Customer Feedback:** [INSIGHTS FROM CUSTOMER INTERVIEWS, SURVEYS, SUPPORT TICKETS] - **Social & Content:** [LINKEDIN, TWITTER, BLOG MONITORING] - **Last Audit Date:** [DATE] --- ## Sign-Off **Reviewed By:** [CMO/VP_MARKETING_NAME] **Approved For:** [INTERNAL / LEADERSHIP PRESENTATION / SALES TEAM DISTRIBUTION] **Next Review Date:** [DATE]

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