How consumers feel about the use of AI in advertising

As part of the advertising industry, we likely all have our own opinions about the use of AI. But do audiences care about brands using AI to produce creative?

As part of our research into the state of creative effectiveness in 2025, we wanted to learn what consumers think about AI and advertising and the role of AI in the future of creative.

In our study of 1,000 US consumers, we saw some mixed reactions. Read on for our 5 key findings. 

Starting with the bigger picture, roughly a third of consumers say they like the use of AI in advertising, roughly a third say they’re neutral on the subject and a third say they dislike it.

There are some key differences to note among age and gender here. Men and younger consumers are more likely to like AI in advertising, while women and older consumers are more likely to dislike it. 

It's fair to say this reflects attitudes and concerns towards AI as a whole, with older generations being more suspicious and fearful.

That said, consumers’ feelings on AI may not necessarily translate to their feelings toward the brands using it.

The majority (52%) of consumers say the use of AI in advertising doesn’t change their perceptions of the brand. And that number is higher among older consumers — two-thirds of those aged 56-75 saying it doesn’t change their perception of a brand. 

While only 18% overall say it makes them like the brand more, that number increases to nearly a quarter (23%) for consumers aged 18-35. Interestingly, that age group is also the group most likely to like a brand less with the use of AI (34%). 

But most notably, 30% overall do say it would make them like brands using AI less — a percentage that holds relatively consistent across ages and genders.

AI can’t negatively affect consumer opinions if they can’t spot AI in the first place. So can audiences tell if an ad is created with AI? 

A third believe they can, while 40% think they might be able to. Men are more likely to believe they can spot AI than women, and younger consumers are more likely to believe they can spot AI compared to older consumers. 

However, that’s just what consumers believe about themselves. So is it true? 

If an ad is AI-generated and done poorly (as in, it looks visually off or sounds like a robot wrote it), then consumers will likely be able to tell. And that has the potential to negatively impact brand perceptions. 

But let’s take a look at how consumers’ responded to an AI ad that was done well. 

We saw in Puma’s ad generated with AI agents in early 2025 that audiences couldn’t spot the AI. Ultimately, people tended to remember a rough story and a few key moments, not the details of every scene. So even if the ad had a few minor inaccuracies, they weren’t enough to notice or remember.

There are a lot of things AI executed well in Puma’s ad: 

1. The ad is grounded in an idea that resonated with people. When people talk about the ad, 30% mention how emotive the message was for them: Uplifting, inspiring, empowering and motivational. The message is seen as highly relevant.

2. People recognize it’s an ad for Puma because the ad’s structure gives a strong visual presence to the brand. The logo is featured on all of the clothing from the moment the mood changes to talk about how Puma does things differently — and people notice this. 

3. People generally like the ad and feel positive towards it. People like the message of empowerment/greatness and the diversity of athletes and sports being represented.

Here’s what consumers had to say about it: 

• “I like the motivational speech and how I see different athletes from different sports pushing the limits to become great.”

• “I love how inclusive it is and how it validates people who aren't necessarily the best in their athletic pursuits.”

• “It carried a message I could relate to.”

• “Everything was very inspiring.”

The learning here? A great story, human insight, good branding and visuals can help you create an ad with AI that doesn’t negatively impact viewers — resulting in a solid ad.

Consumers may have some hesitation around seeing AI in advertising. But at the end of the day, the outcome is all that matters to them, not the development process. 

So to answer that big question (as much as creatives may not love this): 

AI is here to stay.

And that’s the main takeaway. A good ad must stand out and grab attention, influence the way people think or feel about the brand and make the brand come to mind more powerfully, more positively and more often in the moments that matter. If you can use AI to help you accomplish that, why not? 

After all, we never truly know how consumers will respond to an ad, AI generated or not. That Puma ad for example got some industry backlash, but real consumers liked it. And that’s all that matters. 

In the future, AI in advertising will become a lot more common, so it’s worth it to start experimenting now. Then don’t forget to test the outcomes with real consumers. You may be surprised with what you find. 

The best ads are those that are grounded in a real consumer insight — something that matters to people and is somewhat surprising or that people haven’t thought about in that way before. Something that is relevant to the brand. 

In our view, AI should be used in combination with humans to create the best results. At least for now. Why? Human creativity. Ultimately, humans are best positioned to land on that idea that will resonate. 

And once you have a great idea, AI can be used to help bring that idea to life in various ways. 

For more on this, download our report for a deeper dive into our findings, including: 

• How creative effectiveness varies among different ages and genders 

• The impact of various advertising characteristics on effectiveness, like the use of celebrities, music, AI, etc.

• Strengths and weaknesses of different categories including CPG food, QSR, alcoholic beverages, financial services, telecommunications and more

• Helpful tips and examples to help you develop your most effective creative — including guidance from our partners at VaynerMedia, an integrated strategy, creative and media agency