Marketers Deploy AI in Social, Retail Media but Hesitate on Ad Buying

Marketing teams are selectively embracing artificial intelligence, with adoption concentrated in social and retail media channels while other applications face resistance, according to new survey data.

Nearly half of marketers (49%) now use AI in their social media campaigns, while 42% have deployed the technology for retail media initiatives, according to a Digiday+ Research survey conducted in the first quarter of 2026. The study polled more than 100 marketing professionals about their AI adoption patterns.

Why it matters

The uneven adoption pattern reveals that marketers aren't simply implementing AI everywhere possible. Instead, they're making calculated decisions about where the technology adds value versus where human judgment remains essential. This selective approach suggests the industry is maturing beyond initial AI hype toward practical deployment strategies.

Trust drives adoption decisions

The survey findings indicate that trust plays a central role in determining where marketers will and won't apply AI capabilities. While social and retail media have crossed the adoption threshold for a significant portion of respondents, the research points to notable skepticism around AI-powered ad buying specifically.

This hesitation around automated ad purchasing suggests marketers remain cautious about ceding control over budget allocation and targeting decisions to algorithmic systems, even as they embrace AI for content optimization and campaign management in other contexts.

Channel-specific implementation

The concentration of AI adoption in social and retail media reflects the specific characteristics of these channels. Both environments generate massive volumes of performance data and require rapid optimization across numerous variables — conditions where machine learning excels.

Social platforms in particular have built extensive AI infrastructure into their advertising tools, making adoption more accessible for marketing teams without requiring custom development. Retail media networks similarly offer AI-powered optimization as standard features within their platforms.

The complexity beneath the numbers

While the top-line adoption figures show substantial AI usage, the research emphasizes that implementation patterns are "a bit more complicated" than simple percentages suggest. Marketing teams are making nuanced decisions about which specific tasks within each channel merit AI assistance versus human oversight.

This granular approach indicates that the industry has moved past the phase of experimental AI pilots toward strategic deployment based on demonstrated ROI and risk assessment for specific use cases.

The findings were first reported by Digiday based on proprietary survey data collected from marketing professionals including agency, brand, and technology executives.