Generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are becoming top priorities for marketers in 2025, according to a recent report by Mediaocean. The “2025 H1 Advertising Outlook Report” surveyed nearly 700 marketing and advertising professionals in November 2024. The report found that 63% of respondents identified generative AI as the most critical consumer trend for 2025, even surpassing connected television.
Automation was the only investment area that showed growth since the last survey, with 17% more marketers identifying it as crucial. Despite the growing importance of AI and automation, 86% of advertisers reported a lack of synchronization between their creative and media processes. This highlights an ongoing challenge for the industry to effectively integrate AI into business operations.
AI applications are prevalent in various areas, such as data analysis (47%), market research (38%), copywriting (32%), and image generation (22%). However, the approach remains tactical and fragmented.
ai trends drive marketing priorities
Brian Wieser, CEO and Principal of Madison and Wall, suggests in the report’s foreword that marketers should consider implementing AI across entire ecosystems rather than in isolated functions. “The key factor driving adoption of AI is an ongoing need for efficiency,” Wieser writes. The report also notes a decrease in concern about a cookieless future among marketers, with 31% expressing concern in 2024 compared to 39% in 2023.
However, there is still a significant need to better measure campaign effectiveness on the open web, especially as Google introduces more prominent consumer opt-out mechanisms. Digital media continues to dominate ad budgets, with social media, digital display/video, and connected TV (CTV) remaining the fastest-growing channels. 68% of respondents plan to increase social media spending, 67% will boost digital display spending, and 55% will enhance their CTV investments.
The findings suggest that there is significant room for improvement in the integration and synchronization of AI and automation within the marketing ecosystem. Marketers need to shift from focusing on short-term results to adopting broader, strategic approaches to fully harness the potential of AI and automation.
