97% of Marketers Plan AI Use in 2026, But Workflows Lag

Almost every marketer says AI will be part of next year’s media plan. The harder question, according to DoubleVerify’s 2026 Global Insights Report, is where it will actually be used.

The report, Beyond the Hype: The Real State of AI in Digital Advertising, draws on a global survey of 2,020 marketers. It finds that 97% plan to use AI somewhere in media planning, buying or optimisation in 2026 — but actual adoption is not spread evenly across the ad workflow.

“AI is creating new opportunities for advertisers across APAC to improve how they plan and optimize campaigns, but there is still room to integrate these capabilities more deeply into everyday workflows,” said Conrad Tallariti, Managing Director, APAC at DoubleVerify.

01 · AI intent is not the same as workflow adoption

The survey shows steady movement in some pockets and slower movement in others. AI use to summarise media briefs rose from 28% in 2024 to 37% in 2025, and is expected to reach 40% in 2026.

Operational adoption tells a more mixed story:

• Campaign activation: 31% in 2024 to 35% in 2025; projected at 40% in 2026.
• Bidding optimisation: 24% in 2024 to 29% in 2025; projected at 34% in 2026.
• Mid-flight campaign optimisation: 21% in 2024 to 31% in 2025; projected at 36% in 2026.

Mid-flight optimisation, where marketers adjust campaigns while they are live, showed a 10-point jump. It is still the least-adopted area among the major workflows measured, but the direction is clear.

02 · Where AI is live, the results follow

The performance evidence is strongest among marketers already using AI-powered bidding. DoubleVerify’s research found that 98% of those users reported performance improvements.

When choosing AI optimisation tools, marketers are becoming more demanding. Accuracy and effectiveness of recommendations ranked first, cited by 35% of respondents. Data privacy and security compliance, and cost and return on investment, followed at 29% each. That mix matters: marketers want speed and leverage, but not at the expense of control or measurable value.

DoubleVerify’s response is DV Scibids AI, which uses first-party data and third-party measurement inputs to build custom bidding algorithms aligned to campaign KPIs. The solution sits within the company’s Media AdVantage Platform, where media verification, AI-powered optimisation and outcomes measurement are combined.

03 · What brand teams should do with the gap

For CMOs and media leaders in India, the headline number is less important than the workflow detail. A broad “we use AI” claim hides whether it is actually active in briefing, bidding or live optimisation.

A practical approach is to audit AI readiness task by task. Start with mid-flight optimisation: it is expected to reach only 36% in 2026, so it may be a high-leverage place to pilot. It directly touches spend and speed.

Then evaluate tools on the three criteria this survey surfaces: accuracy of recommendations, privacy and security compliance, and ROI. If a vendor cannot demonstrate all three, it is not ready for an always-on role.

A useful mental model is to treat AI as a new media channel. Set a small pilot budget, define KPIs up front, measure against a non-AI control, and scale only when the data justifies it.

Source: MediaNews4U

Mad About Marketing Desk The strategists and writers at Mad About Marketing, writing up what we see in the work every week.