Some may believe generative artificial intelligence (AI) is the future of advertising, but Gen Zers and millennials think it is the present. Nearly three out of four members of Generation Y surveyed in the United States
in 2024, the same share recorded a year earlier. Meanwhile, support among zoomers went slightly up, reaching almost two out of three American Gen Zers. Those generations boosted the
, which surpassed other marketing-adjacent activities like personalized recommendations and customer service in 2024. However, that green light is not a blank check. The percentage of U.S. adults believing that
was to assist consumers declined between 2022 and mid-2023, while demands for regulation and concerns surrounding "deep fakes" rose. Audiences reckon with the technology's potential for branding, but they want it to be used ultimately in their favor.
Where and how audiences want generative AI in ads
During a 2025 study, about half of respondents reported likely
using AI for purchase research in the U.S., a share similar to that observed in Canada and the United Kingdom. The figure The figure further proves the popularity of large language models (LLMs)-powered tools as audiences increasingly turn to them in their search for products and services. One of the emerging results of this phenomenon is "agentfluence" marketing, when advertisers and marketers utilize AI agents as influencers to promote brands not directly to consumers, but rather to other AI solutions. Internet users might welcome that tactic more, as a poll conducted a year earlier showed how divided audiences remained in terms of
trusting AI-generated product recommendations. That same year, a survey broke down U.S. adults' discomfort with AI-powered advertising and communications: Almost half said they were uneasy about its use for ad media placement and targeting, and an even higher share
disapproved of an AI-managed virtual brand ambassador.
Do marketers' and consumers' approaches to AI match?
The
leading marketing areas integrated with AI are analytics and customer service or experience, each mentioned by about three-quarters of U.S. chief executive officers (CEOs) surveyed in 2025. In other words, brands turn to that technology both behind the scenes and on the free market stage. An example is the
share of marketers planning to work with AI-generated influencers: over four in 10, according to a study conducted in the previous year. The main goals within the trending retail media segment included improving return-on-investment (ROI) insights and
optimizing campaigns in real time. Automating creative efforts placed in a close third. The industry's enthusiasm is not without reason, since automation in general and LLMs in particular promise to reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks. Still, audiences expect streamlined experiences that do not undermine their trust in brands and buying processes.
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