Most ad agencies are planning for AI, but few are putting it to work | MarTech

"The report shows agencies are deep into the exploratory phase when it comes to adopting AI, with a wide gap between intent and execution. A third of organizations say they're still drafting a roadmap, while another third are in ad-hoc experimentation mode. That leaves just 16% who say AI is embedded across all teams - proof that full integration is still the exception, not the rule."

"That leaves just 16% who say AI is embedded across all teams - proof that full integration is still the exception, not the rule. For agencies, the tooling gap is especially clear. More than half say they don't yet have licensed marketing or advertising-specific AI platforms in place. That likely means many are leaning on general-purpose tools or free versions - and suggests there's still a sizable opening for vendors that can offer more specialized, enterprise-ready options."

Ad agencies are predominantly in an exploratory phase of AI adoption, with a significant gap between intent and execution. Roughly a third of organizations are drafting AI roadmaps and another third are conducting ad-hoc experiments, leaving only 16% with AI embedded across all teams. Tooling shortfalls persist: more than half of agencies lack licensed marketing or advertising-specific AI platforms, prompting reliance on general-purpose or free tools. This creates an opportunity for vendors offering specialized, enterprise-ready AI solutions. The AI era in marketing has begun, but most agencies are still determining practical next steps toward full integration.

Read at MarTech