# AI Marketing Statistics 2026: 60 Sourced Data Points | Markethink

> Explore 60 AI marketing statistics for 2026 with original sources, populations, research dates, definitions, sample sizes, and limitations.

Canonical page: https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/

THREE SOURCE-LED VIEWS

## Different populations. Different questions. No false comparison.

These charts stay within each study’s denominator. The accompanying tables repeat every value.

CHART 01

### Large firms reported AI use at nearly three times the small-firm rate.

[Download SVG ↓](https://markethink.ai/charts/oecd-firm-ai-use-2025.svg)

Small firms **17.4%**

Large firms **52.0%**

OECD firm AI use by size, 2025 Population Share reporting AI use Small firms 17.4% Large firms 52.0% **Source:** [OECD](https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/announcements/2026/01/ai-use-by-individuals-surges-across-the-oecd-as-adoption-by-firms-continues-to-expand.html) · Data year: 2025 · Published January 28, 2026 · Population: national business ICT surveys in OECD countries with available data; n varies by country. **Limit:** coverage and firm-size thresholds can vary by national source. This is descriptive, not causal.

CHART 02

### Copy leads AI tool use among AI-using B2B marketers.

[Download SVG ↓](https://markethink.ai/charts/cmi-b2b-ai-tool-use-2025.svg)

Copy **89%**

Creative **53%**

SEO **41%**

Social **38%**

Email **36%**

AI tools used by eligible AI-using B2B marketers Tool category Share selecting category Copy 89% Creative assets 53% SEO 41% Social media 38% Email marketing 36% **Source:** [Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) · Published October 8, 2025 · Fielded June 24 to August 14, 2025 · Eligible population: B2B marketers whose organizations use AI-powered applications; the article reports on 1,015 B2B marketers, mostly in North America. **Limit:** self-reported, sponsor-backed research. Multiple responses were allowed, so the categories should not be summed.

CHART 03

### Advertisers overestimated young consumers’ positive sentiment by 37 points.

[Download SVG ↓](https://markethink.ai/charts/iab-ai-ad-perception-gap-2026.svg)

Ad executives’ belief **82%**

Young consumers’ response **45%**

37 percentage-point gap

IAB advertiser perception and young-consumer sentiment Respondent group Positive sentiment measure Ad executives’ belief about consumers 82% Surveyed Gen Z and Millennial consumers 45% **Source:** [IAB and Sonata Insights](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) · Fielded October 2025 to January 2026 · United States · Populations: 104 ad executives at companies spending at least $1 million annually on media, and 505 ad-engaged Gen Z and Millennial consumers. **Limit:** separately sampled groups answered different-perspective questions. The gap is descriptive, not causal.

FOUR NUMBERS TO START WITH

## The useful story is adoption plus operating discipline.

**17.4 %**

Small firms across covered OECD countries that reported using AI in 2025.

**95 %**

B2B marketers saying their organizations use AI-powered applications.

**37-point gap**

Ad executives who believed young consumers felt positive about AI-generated ads, compared with the share of surveyed consumers who actually reported positive sentiment.

**One-third**

Respondents saying their organizations were scaling AI programs across the organization.

MARKETHINK ANALYSIS

## What this evidence can support.

01

### Adoption is not one number.

Firm-level surveys, marketing-team surveys, and vendor studies count different behaviors. Treat the definition as part of the statistic.

02

### Broad use can coexist with shallow deployment.

High “any use” figures sit beside lower organization-wide deployment figures. Experimentation is not the same as an embedded operating system.

03

### Content is common. Measurement is less mature.

Writing and creative tools lead use cases, while measurement frameworks and causal outcome evidence remain limited.

04

### Trust depends on visible human controls.

In one global survey, organizations ranked clear AI disclosure and easy escalation to human support among the most important trust factors. These results describe stated priorities, not proof that either control produces trust.

JUMP TO TOPIC

- [01 Adoption](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#adoption)
- [02 Small business](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#small-business)
- [03 Use cases](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#marketing-use-cases)
- [04 Content](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#content-and-campaigns)
- [05 Leads](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#crm-leads-follow-up)
- [06 Human review](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#human-review)
- [07 Investment](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#budgets-and-investment)
- [08 Trust](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#trust-governance-limits)
- [09 Outcomes](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#measured-outcomes)
- [10 Methods](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#methodology)
- [11 Sources](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#sources)

01 / 09

## Adoption is broad. Deployment is not the same thing.

These figures use different units: firms, employees, marketing teams, pilots, and organization-wide deployment. Read the scope before comparing percentages.

18 %

US firms that used AI in a business function during the supplement reference period.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation Firm adoption, employment-weighted adoption, and worker task use are different measures. The survey does not isolate marketing departments.

[AM001](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am001)

32 %

US firm AI use on an employment-weighted basis during the same period.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation Employment weighting answers a different question from the 18% firm-level estimate by giving more influence to larger employers.

[AM002](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am002)

22 %

US firms expected to use AI in a business function within six months.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence projection

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation This is a stated expectation, not observed future adoption.

[AM003](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am003)

57 %

AI-using firms that integrated AI into three or fewer business functions.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation Firm adoption, employment-weighted adoption, and worker task use are different measures. The survey does not isolate marketing departments.

[AM004](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am004)

23 %

US firms reporting that workers used AI in work-related tasks.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation Firm adoption, employment-weighted adoption, and worker task use are different measures. The survey does not isolate marketing departments.

[AM006](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am006)

20.2 %

Firms across OECD countries with available data that reported using AI in 2025.

[OECD](https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/announcements/2026/01/ai-use-by-individuals-surges-across-the-oecd-as-adoption-by-firms-continues-to-expand.html) 2026-01-28 National business ICT surveys compiled in the OECD ICT Access and Usage Database; n varies by country

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study OECD countries where data were available; 2025

Limitation Coverage is limited to countries with available data. Definitions and business-size thresholds can vary by national source.

[AM010](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am010)

68 %

B2B marketers describing their organizations as exploratory or developing in AI implementation.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation This combines the report's 20% exploratory and 48% developing categories.

[AM026](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am026)

16 %

Organizations that had embedded agentic AI organization-wide for customer support.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence scaled deployment

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM039](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am039)

13 %

Organizations that had embedded agentic AI organization-wide for brand discovery and search.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence scaled deployment

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM040](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am040)

83 %

US ad executives saying their company had deployed AI in the creative process.

[IAB and Sonata Insights](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page 505 Gen Z and Millennial consumers plus 104 ad industry executives

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; October 2025 to January 2026

Limitation The executive sample is small and limited to companies spending at least $1 million annually on media. Consumer findings cover Gen Z and Millennials only.

[AM046](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am046)

88 %

Respondents saying their organizations regularly used AI in at least one business function.

[McKinsey & Company, QuantumBlack](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-2025) 2025-11 1,993 survey participants

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study 105 nations; June 25 to July 29, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported and weighted by national GDP. Organization-wide AI use is broader than marketing use.

[AM052](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am052)

23 %

Respondents saying their organizations were scaling an agentic AI system somewhere in the enterprise.

[McKinsey & Company, QuantumBlack](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-2025) 2025-11 1,993 survey participants

### Study context and limits

Evidence scaled deployment

Study 105 nations; June 25 to July 29, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported and weighted by national GDP. Organization-wide AI use is broader than marketing use.

[AM053](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am053)

39 %

Respondents saying their organizations had begun experimenting with AI agents.

[McKinsey & Company, QuantumBlack](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-2025) 2025-11 1,993 survey participants

### Study context and limits

Evidence experimentation

Study 105 nations; June 25 to July 29, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported and weighted by national GDP. Organization-wide AI use is broader than marketing use.

[AM054](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am054)

One-third

Respondents saying their organizations were scaling AI programs across the organization.

[McKinsey & Company, QuantumBlack](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-2025) 2025-11 1,993 survey participants

### Study context and limits

Evidence scaled deployment

Study 105 nations; June 25 to July 29, 2025

Limitation The report describes this as roughly one-third and shows larger companies scaling more often.

[AM055](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am055)

02 / 09

## Small-business use depends on what the survey counts.

A survey asking about any business AI use can produce a very different number from one asking about AI in marketing. Both can be accurate within their definitions.

17.4 %

Small firms across covered OECD countries that reported using AI in 2025.

[OECD](https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/announcements/2026/01/ai-use-by-individuals-surges-across-the-oecd-as-adoption-by-firms-continues-to-expand.html) 2026-01-28 National business ICT surveys compiled in the OECD ICT Access and Usage Database; n varies by country

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study OECD countries where data were available; 2025

Limitation Coverage is limited to countries with available data. Definitions and business-size thresholds can vary by national source.

[AM011](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am011)

52.0 %

Large firms across covered OECD countries that reported using AI in 2025.

[OECD](https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/announcements/2026/01/ai-use-by-individuals-surges-across-the-oecd-as-adoption-by-firms-continues-to-expand.html) 2026-01-28 National business ICT surveys compiled in the OECD ICT Access and Usage Database; n varies by country

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study OECD countries where data were available; 2025

Limitation This is a size comparison, not evidence that firm size alone causes adoption.

[AM012](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am012)

24 %

US small-business owners who said they currently use AI technologies for business activity.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf) 2025-06 521 employer responses overall; AI-use questions use smaller bases, including n=118, n=119, and n=110

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The sample is drawn from NFIB members, and several AI-use findings apply only to the smaller subset of current users.

[AM013](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am013)

75 %

Nonusers who said they did not plan to use AI for business purposes in the next 12 months.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf) 2025-06 521 employer responses overall; AI-use questions use smaller bases, including n=118, n=119, and n=110

### Study context and limits

Evidence stated intention

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The base is respondents not currently using AI, n=385 for the table containing this question.

[AM014](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am014)

27 %

Among current small-business AI users, 27% reported using or planning to use AI for marketing or advertising.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf#page=15) 2025-06 Current AI-using employers, n=118

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported use or plan

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The question asked current AI-using employers which areas they were using or planning to use AI. Multiple responses were allowed; n=118.

[AM015](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am015)

87 %

US SMB respondents reported as adopting AI in marketing by April 2026, up from 26% in 2023.

[Constant Contact](https://news.constantcontact.com/2026-06-10-The-Rise-of-the-SMB-Creator-How-Small-Businesses-are-Leveraging-Social-Media-and-AI-to-Capture-Consumer-Attention) 2026-06-10 3,340 SMB respondents and 2,255 consumer respondents

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; Q2 2026; US adoption figure measured by April 2026

Limitation The release does not publish the full question wording. The broad marketing adoption measure should not be compared directly with NFIB current business use.

[AM021](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am021)

03 / 09

## Marketing is a leading business use case.

The strongest evidence points to active use across sales and marketing, but the maturity of that use varies from experimentation to embedded workflows.

52 %

AI-using firms that deployed AI in sales and marketing, the most common function reported.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation Firm adoption, employment-weighted adoption, and worker task use are different measures. The survey does not isolate marketing departments.

[AM005](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am005)

95 %

B2B marketers saying their organizations use AI-powered applications.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM025](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am025)

86.4 %

Marketing teams saying they use AI in at least a few marketing areas.

[HubSpot](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page More than 1,500 B2B and B2C marketers

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global; Not stated on the public report page

Limitation Results are self-reported, and the public page does not disclose detailed sampling or field dates. Extensive and occasional use are separate response categories.

[AM056](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am056)

04 / 09

## Content is the entry point. Campaign operations are wider.

Copy and creative production lead current usage. Social, SEO, email, and advertising workflows show where AI is moving beyond a single drafting tool.

85 %

Task-level AI adopters reporting generative AI use for writing and editing.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation The base is firms reporting task-level adoption, not all firms.

[AM007](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am007)

29 %

Among current small-business AI users, 29% reported using or planning to use AI for communications.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf#page=15) 2025-06 Current AI-using employers, n=118

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported use or plan

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The question asked current AI-using employers which areas they were using or planning to use AI. Multiple responses were allowed; n=118.

[AM016](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am016)

89 %

AI-using B2B marketers using content tools to generate or optimize copy.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM027](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am027)

53 %

AI-using B2B marketers using tools to generate or edit creative assets.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM028](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am028)

41 %

AI-using B2B marketers using AI-powered SEO tools.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM029](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am029)

38 %

AI-using B2B marketers using AI-powered social media tools.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM030](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am030)

85 %

Ad executives whose companies used AI for social-media ads.

[IAB and Sonata Insights](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page 505 Gen Z and Millennial consumers plus 104 ad industry executives

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; October 2025 to January 2026

Limitation The executive sample is small and limited to companies spending at least $1 million annually on media. Consumer findings cover Gen Z and Millennials only.

[AM047](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am047)

73 %

Ad executives whose companies used AI for display ads.

[IAB and Sonata Insights](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page 505 Gen Z and Millennial consumers plus 104 ad industry executives

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study United States; October 2025 to January 2026

Limitation The executive sample is small and limited to companies spending at least $1 million annually on media. Consumer findings cover Gen Z and Millennials only.

[AM048](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am048)

Extensive use 42.5 %

Occasional use 38 %

Marketers using AI extensively or occasionally for content creation, respectively.

[HubSpot](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page More than 1,500 B2B and B2C marketers

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global; Not stated on the public report page

Limitation The two values are separate response categories and should not be presented as a single 80.5% estimate without the full questionnaire.

[AM057](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am057)

Extensive use 34.1 %

Occasional use 36.5 %

Marketers using AI extensively or occasionally for advertising automation and optimization, respectively.

[HubSpot](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page More than 1,500 B2B and B2C marketers

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global; Not stated on the public report page

Limitation The two values are separate response categories and should not be presented as a single 70.6% estimate without the full questionnaire.

[AM058](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am058)

05 / 09

## Lead and follow-up evidence needs careful attribution.

Survey respondents report improved lead generation and growing use in email. These are useful operating signals, not proof that AI caused the outcome.

36 %

AI-using B2B marketers using AI-powered email marketing tools.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported adoption

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM031](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am031)

64 %

Organizations reporting that lead generation performance somewhat or significantly improved over the prior three years.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM037](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am037)

06 / 09

## Human review remains part of the operating model.

Respondents consistently point to augmentation, disclosure, and escalation to people. This is evidence about preferred controls and working models, not a universal rule for every task.

66 %

Firms experiencing AI-related task effects that used AI only to augment tasks.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence observed operating model

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation Firm adoption, employment-weighted adoption, and worker task use are different measures. The survey does not isolate marketing departments.

[AM008](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am008)

98 %

Current small-business AI users reporting no change in employee count.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf) 2025-06 521 employer responses overall; AI-use questions use smaller bases, including n=118, n=119, and n=110

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The employment table has n=119. This does not predict future workforce effects.

[AM020](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am020)

68 %

Organizations ranking clear disclosure of AI interactions among the most important factors for building trust in agentic AI.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence organizational priority

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM043](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am043)

61 %

Organizations ranking easy escalation to human support among the most important trust factors for agentic AI.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence organizational priority

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM044](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am044)

73.4 %

Marketers who saw AI working with marketers and assisting with most job duties.

[HubSpot](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page More than 1,500 B2B and B2C marketers

### Study context and limits

Evidence respondent opinion

Study Global; Not stated on the public report page

Limitation Results are self-reported, and the public page does not disclose detailed sampling or field dates. Extensive and occasional use are separate response categories.

[AM059](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am059)

62.7 %

Marketers who believed more unique, human-centered content is needed to compete with AI content.

[HubSpot](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page More than 1,500 B2B and B2C marketers

### Study context and limits

Evidence respondent opinion

Study Global; Not stated on the public report page

Limitation Results are self-reported, and the public page does not disclose detailed sampling or field dates. Extensive and occasional use are separate response categories.

[AM060](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am060)

07 / 09

## Investment is moving toward AI, with scrutiny attached.

The available budget figure records stated 2026 priorities. It should not be read as realized spend or return on investment.

45 %

B2B marketers who put AI-powered marketing tools among their top three areas for increased 2026 investment.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence stated investment plan

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM035](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am035)

08 / 09

## Trust, governance, and measurement are still unresolved.

Consumers and advertisers do not always see AI-generated marketing the same way. Disclosure, measurement frameworks, and content quality remain material constraints.

46 %

Consumers globally who wanted businesses to explicitly label AI-generated content.

[Constant Contact](https://news.constantcontact.com/2026-06-10-The-Rise-of-the-SMB-Creator-How-Small-Businesses-are-Leveraging-Social-Media-and-AI-to-Capture-Consumer-Attention) 2026-06-10 3,340 SMB respondents and 2,255 consumer respondents

### Study context and limits

Evidence consumer preference

Study United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; Q2 2026; US adoption figure measured by April 2026

Limitation The publisher sells marketing technology. The release uses a broad SMB marketing AI adoption measure that is not directly comparable with the NFIB business-use question.

[AM023](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am023)

37 %

SMBs globally reported as fully transparent about their AI use.

[Constant Contact](https://news.constantcontact.com/2026-06-10-The-Rise-of-the-SMB-Creator-How-Small-Businesses-are-Leveraging-Social-Media-and-AI-to-Capture-Consumer-Attention) 2026-06-10 3,340 SMB respondents and 2,255 consumer respondents

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported practice

Study United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; Q2 2026; US adoption figure measured by April 2026

Limitation The publisher sells marketing technology. The release uses a broad SMB marketing AI adoption measure that is not directly comparable with the NFIB business-use question.

[AM024](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am024)

12 %

B2B marketers reporting that content quality decreased with AI.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM034](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am034)

One-third

Customers who said they would disengage after discovering content was AI-generated.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence consumer stated response

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM041](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am041)

37 %

Customers who said they would disengage after learning they were interacting with AI when expecting a person.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence consumer stated response

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM042](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am042)

44 %

Organizations with a measurement framework implemented for generative AI.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence observed governance practice

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM045](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am045)

Ad executives’ belief 82 %

Young consumers’ response 45 %

Ad executives who believed young consumers felt positive about AI-generated ads, compared with the share of surveyed consumers who actually reported positive sentiment.

[IAB and Sonata Insights](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page 505 Gen Z and Millennial consumers plus 104 ad industry executives

### Study context and limits

Evidence perception gap

Study United States; October 2025 to January 2026

Limitation This is a 37-point perception gap across two survey groups, not a causal result.

[AM049](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am049)

Gen Z negative 39 %

Millennial negative 20 %

Gen Z consumers reporting negative sentiment toward AI-generated ads, compared with Millennials.

[IAB and Sonata Insights](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page 505 Gen Z and Millennial consumers plus 104 ad industry executives

### Study context and limits

Evidence consumer sentiment

Study United States; October 2025 to January 2026

Limitation The executive sample is small and limited to companies spending at least $1 million annually on media. Consumer findings cover Gen Z and Millennials only.

[AM050](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am050)

73 %

Gen Z and Millennial consumers saying AI disclosure would increase or make no difference to purchase likelihood.

[IAB and Sonata Insights](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) 2026; exact day not stated on the report page 505 Gen Z and Millennial consumers plus 104 ad industry executives

### Study context and limits

Evidence stated purchase response

Study United States; October 2025 to January 2026

Limitation This combines two response categories and does not mean disclosure increases purchases for 73%.

[AM051](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am051)

09 / 09

## Most outcome data is self-reported, not causal.

Productivity, quality, personalization, lead, and retention findings describe what respondents observed. They do not isolate AI from strategy, staffing, channels, or market conditions.

2 %

AI-using firms reporting AI-related employment decreases.

[U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) 2026-04 Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page

### Study context and limits

Evidence observed outcome

Study United States; November 2025 to January 2026

Limitation The report also cautions against causal interpretation of its regression evidence.

[AM009](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am009)

30 %

Current small-business AI users reporting increased productivity.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf) 2025-06 521 employer responses overall; AI-use questions use smaller bases, including n=118, n=119, and n=110

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The impact table has n=110 and does not establish causation.

[AM017](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am017)

23 %

Current small-business AI users reporting improved product or service quality.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf) 2025-06 521 employer responses overall; AI-use questions use smaller bases, including n=118, n=119, and n=110

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The impact table has n=110 and does not establish causation.

[AM018](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am018)

8 %

Current small-business AI users reporting lower operating costs.

[NFIB Research Center](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf) 2025-06 521 employer responses overall; AI-use questions use smaller bases, including n=118, n=119, and n=110

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study United States; 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text

Limitation The impact table has n=110 and does not establish causation.

[AM019](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am019)

50 %

SMB AI users globally naming time savings as the primary benefit.

[Constant Contact](https://news.constantcontact.com/2026-06-10-The-Rise-of-the-SMB-Creator-How-Small-Businesses-are-Leveraging-Social-Media-and-AI-to-Capture-Consumer-Attention) 2026-06-10 3,340 SMB respondents and 2,255 consumer respondents

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; Q2 2026; US adoption figure measured by April 2026

Limitation The publisher sells marketing technology. The release uses a broad SMB marketing AI adoption measure that is not directly comparable with the NFIB business-use question.

[AM022](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am022)

80 %

B2B marketers reporting improved operational efficiency from AI.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM032](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am032)

58 %

B2B marketers reporting improved content quality from AI.

[Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) 2025-10 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study Global, mostly North America; June 24 to August 14, 2025

Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.

[AM033](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am033)

70 %

Organizations reporting that personalization performance somewhat or significantly improved over the prior three years.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM036](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am036)

59 %

Organizations reporting that customer retention performance somewhat or significantly improved over the prior three years.

[Adobe and Oxford Economics](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers

### Study context and limits

Evidence self-reported outcome

Study North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East; October to November 2025

Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.

[AM038](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-statistics/#am038)

HOW THIS RESOURCE WAS BUILT

## Methodology and limitations

### Inclusion and verification standards

### Inclusion standard

We included a number only when it appeared in an original government dataset, official research report, original survey, or the publisher’s own report page. Secondary statistics roundups were not used as evidence.

### Verification standard

Each source URL was loaded during the September 12, 2026 review. Every displayed number maps to a ledger ID, publisher, research period, geography, sample note, evidence type, and limitation.

### Claims, curator role, and known limits

### What the page does not claim

Self-reported improvement does not prove causation. Stated plans are not realized adoption. Opinions and preferences are not measured business outcomes. Unlike survey questions are not averaged together.

### Curator role

Markethink is the curator and analyst, not the original source of third-party statistics. Our analysis is labeled and kept separate from source findings.

- Definitions of AI, generative AI, and agentic AI vary by study.
- Several sources are vendor-sponsored or vendor-published and rely on self-reported responses.
- Global surveys do not automatically represent every country or small business.
- Some subgroup findings use much smaller samples than the headline survey.
- This page is a dated evidence review, not a live market counter.

MACHINE-READABLE

### Audit the dataset yourself.

The downloads contain all 60 rows and their research context.

[Download CSV](https://markethink.ai/downloads/ai-marketing-statistics-source-ledger.csv)[Download JSON](https://markethink.ai/downloads/ai-marketing-statistics-source-ledger.json)

PRIMARY SOURCE INDEX

## Nine original sources, with their boundaries.

- S1 ### [The Microstructure of AI Diffusion: Evidence from Firms, Business Functions, and Worker Tasks](https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/CES-WP-26-25.html) U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies · 2026-04 · United States ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period November 2025 to January 2026 Sample Nationally representative Business Trends and Outlook Survey AI supplement; exact n not stated on the summary page Source type Government statistical working paper Limitation Firm adoption, employment-weighted adoption, and worker task use are different measures. The survey does not isolate marketing departments.
- S2 ### [AI use by individuals surges across the OECD as adoption by firms continues to expand](https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/announcements/2026/01/ai-use-by-individuals-surges-across-the-oecd-as-adoption-by-firms-continues-to-expand.html) OECD · 2026-01-28 · OECD countries where data were available ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period 2025 Sample National business ICT surveys compiled in the OECD ICT Access and Usage Database; n varies by country Source type Official intergovernmental statistics Limitation Coverage is limited to countries with available data. Definitions and business-size thresholds can vary by national source.
- S3 ### [Small Business and Technology 2025](https://www.nfib.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-NFIB-Technology-Survey.pdf) NFIB Research Center · 2025-06 · United States ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period 2025; exact field dates not stated in the report text Sample 521 employer responses overall; AI-use questions use smaller bases, including n=118, n=119, and n=110 Source type Original small-business association survey Limitation The sample is drawn from NFIB members, and several AI-use findings apply only to the smaller subset of current users.
- S4 ### [The Rise of the SMB Creator: Q2 2026 Small Business Now report findings](https://news.constantcontact.com/2026-06-10-The-Rise-of-the-SMB-Creator-How-Small-Businesses-are-Leveraging-Social-Media-and-AI-to-Capture-Consumer-Attention) Constant Contact · 2026-06-10 · United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period Q2 2026; US adoption figure measured by April 2026 Sample 3,340 SMB respondents and 2,255 consumer respondents Source type Original vendor-commissioned SMB and consumer survey Limitation The publisher sells marketing technology. The release uses a broad SMB marketing AI adoption measure that is not directly comparable with the NFIB business-use question.
- S5 ### [B2B Content and Marketing Trends: Insights for 2026](https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/b2b-research/b2b-content-marketing-trends-research) Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs · 2025-10 · Global, mostly North America ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period June 24 to August 14, 2025 Sample 1,015 B2B marketers from 1,229 global responses Source type Original industry survey Limitation Results are self-reported. The research was sponsored by a marketing technology company, and the B2B sample was mostly North American.
- S6 ### [Adobe 2026 AI and Digital Trends Report](https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-report.html) Adobe and Oxford Economics · 2026; exact day not stated on the main report page · North America, Latin America, Europe, APAC and the Middle East ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period October to November 2025 Sample 3,000 executives and CX practitioners plus 4,000 customers Source type Original global business and consumer survey Limitation Business results are self-reported by executives and CX practitioners at organizations with at least $250 million in revenue. Customer results are a separate sample.
- S7 ### [The AI Ad Gap Widens](https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens) IAB and Sonata Insights · 2026; exact day not stated on the report page · United States ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period October 2025 to January 2026 Sample 505 Gen Z and Millennial consumers plus 104 ad industry executives Source type Original advertising industry and consumer survey Limitation The executive sample is small and limited to companies spending at least $1 million annually on media. Consumer findings cover Gen Z and Millennials only.
- S8 ### [The state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformation](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-2025) McKinsey & Company, QuantumBlack · 2025-11 · 105 nations ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period June 25 to July 29, 2025 Sample 1,993 survey participants Source type Original global executive and practitioner survey Limitation Results are self-reported and weighted by national GDP. Organization-wide AI use is broader than marketing use.
- S9 ### [2026 State of Marketing](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report) HubSpot · 2026; exact day not stated on the report page · Global ### Research period, sample, and limitation Research period Not stated on the public report page Sample More than 1,500 B2B and B2C marketers Source type Original vendor marketing survey Limitation Results are self-reported, and the public page does not disclose detailed sampling or field dates. Extensive and occasional use are separate response categories.

DEFINITIONS

## Glossary

AI adoption A respondent reports using an AI technology. This can range from one task to organization-wide use.

Experimentation or pilot Limited testing that has not necessarily reached standard workflows or broad deployment.

Scaled deployment Use expanded across a function or organization. Each source’s exact definition still applies.

Generative AI Systems that create text, images, audio, video, or other outputs from prompts or data.

Self-reported use Use described by a survey respondent. It is not independently observed behavior.

Self-reported outcome An improvement or decline described by a respondent, without experimental proof that AI caused it.

UPDATE LOG

## What changed in this edition.

September 12, 2026

Initial research edition prepared with 60 verified statistics from 9 original sources. The review records the evidence available on that date and will change only when the research changes.

KEEP RESEARCHING

## Put the numbers in operating context.

[Guide AI marketing for small business Where AI helps, where tools stop, and what a managed system adds.](https://markethink.ai/ai-marketing-for-small-business/)[Operating model How managed AI marketing should work See how Markethink pairs AI execution with expert strategy, review, and accountability.](https://markethink.ai/)

APPLY THE RESEARCH

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