According to a new report called ‘State of Data’ by IAB, 7 in 10 of brands, agencies, and publishers haven’t fully embraced AI across media operations. IAB surveyed 500 experts to know the AI usage across different industries and it was found that only 30% of the companies are using AI in their media campaigns. 37% of the agencies and 34% of the publishers are using AI, while only 19% of the brands are incorporating AI in their campaigns. Half of the companies also said that they are trying to implement AI into their systems by 2026.
The report also stated that 85% of the companies are using general AI tools while 45% of them are using custom AI tools. There are also some companies (24%) that are using proprietary tools. When companies were asked how much positive experience they had with AI, 85% said that AI is exceeding or meeting their expectations which is saving their costs as well as time. Some companies also said that AI is helping them with campaigns (75%) while some are finding AI reliable (73%).
When asked what barriers they are facing while adopting AI, some of the answers included complexities and concerns about implementing AI (62%), risk of data security (62%), lack of AI knowledge (61%), and doubts about accuracy and transparency of AI (60%). Only 37% said that AI displacing their jobs is one of their major concerns. Different industries are facing different types of struggles when it comes to implementing AI. Scattered capabilities of AI (62%) and complex technology (67%) are major concerns of publishers while 56% of publishers are brands that do not have a clear AI vision. 61% of the agencies also reported experiencing the most resistance about AI implementation from their clients and teammates, while 51% of the brands said their biggest worry is transparency when it comes to AI usage in campaigns.
Read next: Global Brand Value Hits $80 Trillion: Who's Winning and Who’s Losing in 2025?
The report also stated that 85% of the companies are using general AI tools while 45% of them are using custom AI tools. There are also some companies (24%) that are using proprietary tools. When companies were asked how much positive experience they had with AI, 85% said that AI is exceeding or meeting their expectations which is saving their costs as well as time. Some companies also said that AI is helping them with campaigns (75%) while some are finding AI reliable (73%).
When asked what barriers they are facing while adopting AI, some of the answers included complexities and concerns about implementing AI (62%), risk of data security (62%), lack of AI knowledge (61%), and doubts about accuracy and transparency of AI (60%). Only 37% said that AI displacing their jobs is one of their major concerns. Different industries are facing different types of struggles when it comes to implementing AI. Scattered capabilities of AI (62%) and complex technology (67%) are major concerns of publishers while 56% of publishers are brands that do not have a clear AI vision. 61% of the agencies also reported experiencing the most resistance about AI implementation from their clients and teammates, while 51% of the brands said their biggest worry is transparency when it comes to AI usage in campaigns.
Read next: Global Brand Value Hits $80 Trillion: Who's Winning and Who’s Losing in 2025?
