DV Research Finds AI Adoption in Advertising Still Uneven

Nearly all marketers plan to use artificial intelligence across media planning, buying and optimization in 2026, but adoption remains uneven across individual advertising workflows, according to DoubleVerify's 2026 Global Insights Report. The research found that 97% of marketers intend to use AI in some part of their media operations, while adoption rates for specific tasks such as campaign activation, bidding and mid-flight optimization remain considerably lower. The findings point to a market moving from broad AI experimentation toward more targeted operational deployment, with accuracy, data security and return on investment shaping technology decisions.

Artificial intelligence is becoming a standard part of advertising strategy, but its integration into day-to-day campaign operations is progressing at different speeds. New research from DoubleVerify (DV) suggests that while marketers broadly intend to use AI, the technology has yet to achieve consistent adoption across the workflows involved in planning, activating and optimizing digital media.

DV's 2026 Global Insights Report, Beyond the Hype: The Real State of AI in Digital Advertising, draws on a global survey of 2,020 marketers alongside additional company data. It found that 97% of marketers plan to use AI across some aspects of media planning, buying and optimization in 2026.

However, the headline figure masks differences between individual applications. AI adoption for summarizing media briefs increased from 28% in 2024 to 37% in 2025, with usage expected to reach 40% in 2026. This suggests that marketers are increasingly using AI to support the preparation and interpretation of campaign requirements, although the technology has not yet become universal in that task.

Campaign activation and bidding show a similar progression. In 2025, 35% of marketers used AI to activate campaigns, compared with 31% in 2024. AI-powered bidding optimization increased from 24% to 29% over the same period. DV expects adoption to reach 40% for campaign activation and 34% for bidding optimization in 2026.

Mid-Flight Optimization Gains Momentum

One of the more notable changes concerns mid-flight campaign optimization, where marketers adjust campaigns while they are running. Adoption increased by 10 percentage points, from 21% in 2024 to 31% in 2025. The report projects that usage will reach 36% in 2026.

This workflow is particularly relevant to programmatic advertising, where bidding decisions, audience signals and campaign performance can change continuously. AI systems can help advertisers respond to those changes without relying exclusively on manual adjustments.

The report also offers a positive performance signal: 98% of marketers using AI-powered bidding solutions said they had experienced performance improvements. The finding suggests that marketers who have adopted these tools see value, although the supplied report announcement does not specify the size of those improvements or whether they were independently measured.

Accuracy and ROI Shape AI Buying Decisions

As AI becomes more involved in advertising decisions, marketers are placing greater emphasis on whether its recommendations can be trusted and whether the technology produces measurable results.

Accuracy and effectiveness of AI recommendations and optimization ranked as the leading consideration when evaluating AI optimization solutions, cited by 35% of respondents. Data privacy and security compliance followed at 29%, while cost and return on investment also accounted for 29%.

These priorities reflect a shift in how businesses assess AI tools. Beyond the ability to automate tasks, advertisers need confidence that systems are working with appropriate data, producing reliable recommendations and contributing to campaign objectives.

For organisations managing large media budgets, inaccurate recommendations can affect more than operational efficiency. They can influence bidding, budget allocation and campaign outcomes. Data governance and transparency therefore become important requirements as automation takes on a larger role.

AI Agents Could Extend Campaign Automation

DV CEO Mark Zagorski said AI optimization tools are already helping marketers improve campaign decisions, while predicting that AI agents will play a greater role in managing campaign optimization on advertisers' behalf.

That development could move advertising automation beyond recommendations toward systems capable of taking actions within campaign workflows. It also raises questions about how advertisers will monitor automated decisions, define acceptable levels of autonomy and maintain accountability for performance.

DV positions its own offering, DV Scibids AI, within this market. The technology uses first-party data and third-party measurement inputs to generate custom bidding algorithms aligned with campaign KPIs. It is part of the company's Media AdVantage Platform, which combines media verification, AI-powered optimization and outcomes measurement.

The wider industry challenge is no longer simply getting marketers to experiment with AI. It is demonstrating that these systems can operate accurately, securely and consistently across campaign processes. DV's findings suggest that adoption is advancing, but deeper integration will depend on measurable performance and advertiser trust.

Market Landscape

AI is increasingly embedded in digital advertising, from campaign planning and briefing to activation, bidding and live optimization. However, adoption varies by task, indicating that broad interest does not necessarily translate into full workflow automation.

The growing focus on accuracy, privacy and ROI also reflects the operational requirements of enterprise advertising. As AI systems gain greater influence over campaign decisions, advertisers will need reliable data inputs, clear measurement and appropriate oversight.

Strategic Outlook

The next stage of AI adoption in advertising is likely to centre on operational integration rather than experimentation alone. Advertisers will evaluate tools based on how well they connect with existing media workflows, support campaign objectives and demonstrate incremental performance.

AI agents could expand automation by moving from decision support to executing campaign changes. For this transition to gain trust, vendors will need to provide transparency into recommendations and actions, as well as controls that allow advertisers to review and manage automated decisions.

For marketers, the priority will be balancing automation with accountability. DV's research indicates that interest is widespread, but the pace of adoption will depend on whether AI solutions can deliver reliable outcomes while meeting data governance and financial expectations.

Top Insights

• DV found that 97% of marketers plan to use AI in some aspect of media planning, buying or optimization in 2026.
• AI adoption for mid-flight campaign optimization rose from 21% in 2024 to 31% in 2025, with 36% projected for 2026.
• AI-powered bidding users reported performance improvements at a rate of 98%, although the announcement does not quantify the gains.
• Accuracy and effectiveness ranked as the leading AI evaluation criteria, cited by 35% of marketers surveyed.
• Data privacy, security compliance and return on investment each matter to 29% of respondents evaluating AI optimization solutions.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts