Two-Thirds of Agencies to Increase AI Use
What happened
A new survey finds that two-thirds of independent agencies plan to increase their use of AI in 2026. The primary drivers for adoption are improving operational efficiency, automating client reporting, and developing new AI-powered services. Agencies are reportedly piloting tools in core areas like campaign analytics and creative production but remain wary of solutions that lack clear ROI or integration capabilities.
Why it matters
- A primary challenge for agencies is updating their business model, as clients expect AI-driven efficiencies to translate into lower fees, threatening the traditional billable hour. In response, some are introducing technology surcharges of 1-5% on top of fees or shifting to value-based pricing. - While operational efficiency is a goal, 35% of agencies cite concerns about a decline in creative quality as the top barrier to AI adoption, followed by a lack of in-house expertise (28%) and the difficulty of integrating new tools with existing systems. - Global spending on AI is forecast by Gartner to reach $2.52 trillion in 2026, a 44% year-over-year increase, signaling a massive expansion of the AI-powered tool ecosystem available to agencies. - Venture capital investment in AI is robust, with nearly half of all global VC funding going to AI companies in 2025; this influx of capital is accelerating the development of specialized marketing and sales enablement tools. - Forrester predicts that by 2030, advertising agencies will have automated 7.5% of jobs, shifting human talent away from routine process work and toward higher-value strategic thinking. - Key AI marketing trends for 2026 are moving beyond simple automation to include hyper-personalization at scale, automated video production, and the use of predictive analytics to model campaign outcomes before launch. - Adoption of AI in marketing is led by the technology sector (~85% adoption rate), with other key agency verticals like retail (~76%) and finance (~72%) also investing heavily to personalize customer experiences and predict behavior. - Agencies are restructuring teams into "pod-based" execution models that unite strategy, creative, analytics, and technical skills to act on AI-driven insights more rapidly.
Key numbers
- A new survey finds that two-thirds of independent agencies plan to increase their use of AI in 2026.
- In response, some are introducing technology surcharges of 1-5% on top of fees or shifting to value-based pricing.
- While operational efficiency is a goal, 35% of agencies cite concerns about a decline in creative quality as the top barrier to AI adoption, followed by a lack of in-house expertise (28%) and the difficulty of integrating new tools with existing systems.
- Global spending on AI is forecast by Gartner to reach $2.52 trillion in 2026, a 44% year-over-year increase, signaling a massive expansion of the AI-powered tool ecosystem available to agencies.
What happens next
- A primary challenge for agencies is updating their business model, as clients expect AI-driven efficiencies to translate into lower fees, threatening the traditional billable hour.
- Forrester predicts that by 2030, advertising agencies will have automated 7.5% of jobs, shifting human talent away from routine process work and toward higher-value strategic thinking.
- Key AI marketing trends for 2026 are moving beyond simple automation to include hyper-personalization at scale, automated video production, and the use of predictive analytics to model campaign outcomes before launch.
Quick answers
What happened in Two-Thirds of Agencies to Increase AI Use?
A new survey finds that two-thirds of independent agencies plan to increase their use of AI in 2026. The primary drivers for adoption are improving operational efficiency, automating client reporting, and developing new AI-powered services. Agencies are reportedly piloting tools in core areas like campaign analytics and creative production but remain wary of solutions that lack clear ROI or integration capabilities.
Why does Two-Thirds of Agencies to Increase AI Use matter?
A primary challenge for agencies is updating their business model, as clients expect AI-driven efficiencies to translate into lower fees, threatening the traditional billable hour. In response, some are introducing technology surcharges of 1-5% on top of fees or shifting to value-based pricing. While operational efficiency is a goal, 35% of agencies cite concerns about a decline in creative quality as the top barrier to AI adoption, followed by a lack of in-house expertise (28%) and the difficulty of integrating new tools with existing systems. Global spending on AI is forecast by Gartner to reach $2.52 trillion in 2026, a 44% year-over-year increase, signaling a massive expansion of the AI-powered tool ecosystem available to agencies. Venture capital investment in AI is robust, with nearly half of all global VC funding going to AI companies in 2025; this influx of capital is accelerating the development of specialized marketing and sales enablement tools. Forrester predicts that by 2030, advertising agencies will have automated 7.5% of jobs, shifting human talent away from routine process work and toward higher-value strategic thinking. Key AI marketing trends for 2026 are moving beyond simple automation to include hyper-personalization at scale, automated video production, and the use of predictive analytics to model campaign outcomes before launch. Adoption of AI in marketing is led by the technology sector (~85% adoption rate), with other key agency verticals like retail (~76%) and finance (~72%) also investing heavily to personalize customer experiences and predict behavior. Agencies are restructuring teams into "pod-based" execution models that unite strategy, creative, analytics, and technical skills to act on AI-driven insights more rapidly.
