The adoption of AI in digital marketing has exploded. Let's look at 10 eye-opening AI marketing statistics to help you stay ahead of the game.

10 Eye Opening AI Marketing Stats to Take Into 2026

10-eye-opening-ai-marketing-stats-in-2025

[[p]]The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI)&nbsp;in [[a href="http://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ai-in-digital-marketing-the-ultimate-guide" target="_blank"]]digital marketing[[/a]] has exploded.&nbsp;Leading marketers use [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-are-the-best-ai-and-marketing-automation-tools" target="_blank"]]AI tools[[/a]] to boost productivity, streamline content creation processes, and drive personalization across channels.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]The technology is having an impact on many marketing processes, such as [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/the-ultimate-email-marketing-guide-for-beginners" target="_blank"]]email marketing[[/a]], [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ai-seo" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]SEO[[/a]], [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/ai-in-social-media" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]social media marketing[[/a]], and [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-use-ai-in-your-ppc-advertising" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]PPC[[/a]], resulting in marketers needing to keep on top of AI developments but also hone skills in AI to [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/tech-advances-the-importance-of-keeping-up-to-speed" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]stay relevant, up-to-date[[/a]], and productive.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Let&#39;s look at 10 AI in marketing statistics to discover how this technology is shaping the industry:&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ol]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79447"]]92% of businesses want to invest in generative AI&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79449"]]The &lsquo;AI in marketing&rsquo; market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 26.7% by 2034&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79453"]]Digital marketers use AI tools for a range of processes and tasks&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79455"]]AI marketers face challenges over quality and safety concerns&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83592"]]79% of companies say AI agents are&nbsp;being adopted,&nbsp;two-thirds admit they deliver value&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79459"]]75% of companies that use AI for marketing will shift to more strategic activities&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79461"]]69% of marketing professionals feel hopeful about how AI&nbsp;could shape their jobs&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79463"]]Over half of marketing teams use AI tools to optimize content&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_83594"]]90% of businesses are worried about the future of SEO due to AI and LLMs&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79467"]]Marketers agree that AI will improve personalization strategies&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
[[/ol]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]][[a href="#heading_79469"]]What can we expect from AI in marketing in 2026?&nbsp;[[/a]][[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]According to a [[a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/superagency-in-the-workplace-empowering-people-to-unlock-ais-full-potential-at-work" target="_blank"]]recent Mckinsey&rsquo;s report[[/a]], 92% of businesses across sectors plan to invest in generative AI tools within the next three years.[[/p]]

[[p]]While this may be the case, only 1% of businesses that have already adopted generative AI believe their investments have reached maturity. These discoveries suggest that adoption will continue to soar in the coming years and we&rsquo;ve yet to see generative AI&rsquo;s full potential.[[/p]]

[[p]]Studies show that the AI in marketing market size is expected to reach a value of [[a href="https://www.precedenceresearch.com/artificial-intelligence-in-marketing-market#:~:text=The%20global%20artificial%20intelligence%20in%20marketing%20market%20is,over%20the%20forecast%20period%20from%202024%20to%202034." target="_blank"]]$217.33 billion by 2034[[/a]].&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]This colossal rate of projected growth cements the fact that AI will become an increasingly dominant force in digital marketing as time rolls on.[[/p]]

[[p]]By understanding how to work in harmony with AI and use it to enhance your digital marketing processes now, you&rsquo;ll future-proof your skills and move seamlessly with the changes.[[/p]]

[[p]]A [[a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/ai-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank"]]SurveyMonkey study[[/a]] found that today&rsquo;s tech-savvy marketing teams use AI tools for a mix of key tasks. Here&rsquo;s a breakdown:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]51% use AI tools to optimize their content for the likes of email campaigns and [[a href="https://my.digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/12-of-the-most-important-seo-statistics-to-know" target="_blank"]]search engine optimization (SEO)[[/a]][[/li]]
	[[li]]50% create content using artificial intelligence to complement their efforts[[/li]]
	[[li]]45% use AI tools to brainstorm content concepts and ideas[[/li]]
	[[li]]43% of marketing pros automate repetitive tasks and processes using AI software[[/li]]
	[[li]]43% believe that AI is essential to their social media strategy[[/li]]
	[[li]]41% analyze data for well-organized data and insights with AI tools[[/li]]
	[[li]]73% say AI plays a key role in crafting personalized customer experience[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Another survey, this time by [[a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1607549/ai-marketing-automation-b2b-marketers/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Statista on B2B marketers[[/a]], revealed that the most effective applications of AI were in marketing automation, professionals cited targeting audiences, analytics and reporting, and personalization.[[/p]]

[[p]]The same study from SurveyMonkey&nbsp;highlighted&nbsp;common challenges industry professionals face in relation to AI.[[/p]]

[[p]]31% of marketers have concerns around the accuracy or quality of AI tools, while others feel uncertain about strategic direction or performance expectations. Here&rsquo;s a summary:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]50% of marketers expect to see expectations around their performance to increase[[/li]]
	[[li]]49% of marketers and their teams expect to see changes to the tools and software they use[[/li]]
	[[li]]48% of marketers believe that they may see shifts in strategy or direction as a result of AI technology in the not-so-distant future[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]In terms of safety issues, [[a href="https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/generative-ai-statistics/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Salesforce[[/a]] reveals that some marketers are reluctant to embrace autonomous technology. In fact, 39% of respondents avoid generative AI tools as they don&rsquo;t know how to use them safely.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Also, 43% of marketers haven&rsquo;t fully embraced AI tools as they&rsquo;re struggling to get real value from them &ndash; which could be a training issue. Why? Well, because the same study also shows that 70% of marketing professionals state their employer doesn&rsquo;t provide AI training.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]To leverage AI in marketing and use it to drive sustainable results, training, learning, and knowledge sharing is key.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Despite reports in the media, many companies believe that AI has the potential to enhance existing jobs rather than steal them.[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/topics/ai-in-marketing" target="_blank"]]Gartner&rsquo;s recent AI in Marketing [[/a]]report shows that 75% of companies currently investing in AI technology are looking to move their talent into more strategic roles this year and beyond.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]As [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/examples-of-ai-in-marketing-automation" target="_blank"]]AI tools can automate repetitive processes[[/a]], the future looks bright for marketers looking to use their time for activities that require more creative or strategic thinking.[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/resources/premium/marketing-trends-for-a-new-era/?ut_source=mp&amp;ut_source2=ai-marketing-statistics&amp;ut_source3=inline" target="_blank"]]69% of marketers feel excited [[/a]]about AI&rsquo;s impact on their jobs. Based on the fact that many businesses are looking to elevate the scope of their employees&rsquo; existing roles (see stat number six), there&rsquo;s definitely a sense of optimism in the air.[[/p]]

[[p]]While there&rsquo;s some concern about [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/is-ai-going-to-take-my-digital-marketing-job" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]AI taking people&rsquo;s jobs[[/a]], it appears that most marketing professionals see its potential. Working in harmony with AI technology can improve output and enhance insight &ndash; the key is understanding how to use certain tools or platforms to your advantage.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Rather than using generative AI tools like [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/videos/walkthrough-get-started-with-chatgpt-basics" target="_blank"]]ChatGPT[[/a]] to whip up countless words on specific subjects, [[a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/resources/premium/marketing-trends-for-a-new-era/?ut_source=mp&amp;ut_source2=ai-marketing-statistics&amp;ut_source3=inline" target="_blank"]]51% of marketers[[/a]] use them to optimize&nbsp;content.[[/p]]

[[p]]Whether enhancing new or existing content, many marketing professionals use AI tools to:[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]Add relevant target keywords into text as naturally as possible[[/li]]
	[[li]]Repurposing a piece of content for different platforms[[/li]]
	[[li]]Reworking a piece of content to suit the needs of different audiences[[/li]]
	[[li]]Requesting editorial feedback and guidance[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Furthermore, according to Longshot AI, [[a href="https://www.semrush.com/news/288870-new-report-reveals-the-top-ai-content-and-seo-trends-for-2024/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]65% of businesses[[/a]] have seen an improvement in their [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/what-is-seo" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]SEO[[/a]] outcomes since working with AI tools.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Most SEO professionals state that AI tools have enhanced keyword optimization, site auditing, and content creation efforts, leading to improved results.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]As AI technology gets more advanced and adoption becomes more widespread, it&rsquo;s likely that autonomous tools will become a core part of strategic SEO processes.[[/p]]

[[p]]As existing adopters become more proficient with AI marketing technologies, we expect to see improvements in audience segmentation and personalization.[[/p]]

[[p]]In fact, [[a href="https://www.contentful.com/blog/personalization-statistics/" target="_blank"]]73% of businesses[[/a]] agree that AI will improve personalization strategies, empowering marketers to deliver value-driven content to specific audiences at scale.[[/p]]

[[p]]As these AI marketing statistics show, an increasing number of businesses will&nbsp;embrace autonomous technologies in the coming year.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]But to get ahead of the curve and drive consistent value from AI marketing tools, thinking strategically is key. &nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Here&rsquo;s Novela Founder Clarke Boyd&rsquo;s take:[[/p]]

[[p]]Ambitious marketers need to know how to develop an AI-driven digital strategy to achieve more with less time and effort. Our [[a href="http://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/students/short-courses/advanced-ai-in-digital-marketing" target="_blank"]]Advanced AI for Digital Marketing course[[/a]] will teach you how to use the technology to support and optimize digital marketing activities, use AI to research and generate content, and leverage specialized tools across channels such as SEO, social media and PPC. You will also know how to use AI to implement a digital strategy to enhance planning and boost efficiency at each stage of the customer journey. What are you waiting for? Get started today![[/p]]

[[p]]We keep hearing about [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-use-ai-agents-for-your-digital-marketing" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]AI agents[[/a]] and agentic AI, but what are they? AI agents are self-directed software programs that observe their surroundings, make independent choices, and execute actions to accomplish particular objectives with minimal human supervision. They can be used for things like customer service, market research, and social media management.[[/p]]

[[p]]According to a [[a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/ai-analytics/ai-agent-survey.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]PwC survey,[[/a]] businesses are increasingly embracing AI agents. Nearly 88% of executives reported that their organizations intend to increase AI spending this year, specifically because of agentic AI capabilities.[[/p]]

[[p]]Among companies already implementing AI agents, 35% are deploying them widely across their operations, while 17% have integrated AI agents comprehensively into nearly every workflow and business function.[[/p]]

[[p]][[a href="https://www.smarty.marketing/seo-for-ai-geo-statistics-90-of-businesses-are-worried-about-the-future-of-seo-and-organic-findability-due-to-ai-llms/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]Smarty Marketing[[/a]] reports that a vast majority of businesses are worried about the future of SEO and online findability and that 85.7% of businesses are already investing or planning to invest in optimizing for AI and LLMs.[[/p]]

[[p]]According to the same study, most businesses (61.2%) plan to increase their &ldquo;SEO for AI&rdquo; budget and a substantial 83.7% of businesses are investing in AI visibility, which includes [[a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/optimize-content-for-ai-search" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"]]optimizing for AI search.[[/a]][[/p]]

Advertisers are going to get these controls with AI, meaning that those with the greatest strategic thinking will get the most value. Those who can understand the data and the process behind creating the data will be able to get more value from things like performance max on Google. I do think there's an opportunity for us to upskill to get a lot more done and be more successful. It's a competitive edge right now to know how to use AI better than other people. So, we need to develop new skills.

[[p]]Those who embrace emerging AI technologies and learn how to weave them into their marketing strategies seamlessly will see positive results.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]From content ideation and creation to segmentation, SEO optimization, and beyond, AI tools will continue to reshape digital marketing. But as we&rsquo;ve discovered, for the most positive outcomes, creating a culture of learning and knowledge sharing is key.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]For these tools and technologies to offer real value, there must be a synergy between humans and AI bots. By experimenting with AI concepts and platforms collaboratively, tracking results, and keeping your finger on the pulse &ndash; you can make AI marketing work for you.[[/p]]

10 Eye Opening AI Marketing Stats to Take Into 2026

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