Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe), the industry association for advertising in the region, has revealed a recent report showcasing the impact of AI on the sector.
The study titled Impact Report on the Impact of AI on Digital Advertising has highlighted urgent calls for AI governance from the advertising industry.
The survey took responses from 95 companies, including publishers, ad tech, agencies, and advertisers across European markets.
AI tools are widely adopted by now in the industry, with 85 percent of companies reporting AI-use in their marketing, most commonly being used for targeting (64 percent) and content generation (61 percent).
74 percent of companies said at least one campaign function is now automated with AI.
The report’s findings will go towards shaping the priorities of the body’s AI Working Group, which will focus on responsible AI adoption.
Inconsistent Governance
One of the report’s most telling findings was that most companies have inconsistent frameworks and governance structures in place.
Many organisations report governance not being formalised or sitting with a single lead.
Less than half of companies (43 percent) have AI guidelines specifically for marketing and advertising, and only a third of companies receive buy-side guidelines on AI. For those who do receive guidelines, these are only from a minority of clients.
Privacy in the use of AI and digital ad campaigns was the leading concern of respondents, with a lack of expertise and training, and differing views on if data should be used to train AI models, highlighted as leading obstacles.
Wayne Tassie, Group Director NL at DoubleVerify and Chair of IAB Europe’s Advertising & Media Committee, commented on the report: “IAB Europe’s report underscores the urgent need for clear frameworks, ongoing training, and responsible deployment. By addressing these challenges, AI can become an organic part of daily workflows and unlock a new era of efficiency, creativity, and sustainable growth for our industry.”
