Marketers’ AI ambitions stall amid fragmented ad stacks

Mediaocean has published a new industry survey that points to a widening gap between marketers' interest in generative AI and their ability to deploy it across campaigns because of fragmented advertising systems.

The company's 2026 H1 Advertising Outlook Report draws on responses from more than 6,100 participants across brands, agencies, media companies, and technology providers. It finds that generative AI continues to rank as the leading consumer trend for marketers and that planned spending increases concentrate in video, social, and newer AI-driven ad formats.

AI priorities

The survey shows 70% of marketers cite generative AI as the most important consumer trend. It marks the third consecutive reporting period where generative AI tops the list.

Adoption data in the report suggests marketers use AI most often in earlier stages of work such as research and analysis. The survey finds that 43% of marketers use AI for data analysis and 43% use it for market research. The figures drop in areas closer to activation. The report says 33% use AI for creative development and 19% use AI for campaign orchestration.

Systems fragmentation

The report highlights a disconnect between the importance marketers place on cross-channel coordination and the state of their technology stacks. It finds that 86% of marketers say cross-channel orchestration is important. Only 10% say they have fully unified ad tech systems.

The report also lists barriers to scaling AI. It says 42% cite data quality or access issues. It says 41% cite difficulty connecting AI insights across systems.

Mediaocean's Chief Marketing Officer Aaron Goldman linked the results to operational constraints in marketing organisations.

"As AI becomes more deeply woven into the media lifecycle, the advantage won't come from adopting even more tools-it will come from orchestrating them," said Aaron Goldman, Chief Marketing Officer, Mediaocean. "This research shows marketers are ready to move from experimentation to execution, but fragmented systems are slowing progress. Smarter, more connected foundations are what turn AI insights into action at scale."

Spend shifts

The report suggests marketers plan selective increases in digital channels. It says planned spend rises in connected TV and digital video, with 63% indicating increases in each category. It reports planned increases for social platforms at 61%.

The survey also points to interest in advertising formats tied to AI tools. It says 54% plan spend increases in "AI-driven media/ads on AI agents".

Traditional channels remain under pressure in the survey findings. The report says print and linear television continue to face constraints. It does not provide percentages for declines in those channels in the headline findings.

Operating models

Beyond spend intentions, the report frames a shift in priorities away from single-channel optimisation. It says 39% of marketers prioritise AI and 39% prioritise cross-platform orchestration. The figures indicate two parallel tracks of investment and organisational focus.

The survey positions cross-platform orchestration as a broader operational challenge that spans planning, activation, measurement, and optimisation. It links those functions to the ability to apply AI consistently across media channels.

Mediaocean describes the report as the ninth edition of its bi-annual research series. The latest survey work took place in November 2025, according to the report methodology notes shared by the company.

The findings arrive as marketers manage growing numbers of channels and formats, along with a continued shift in viewing habits towards streaming and short-form video. The report suggests that technology integration, data access, and workflow alignment remain central constraints as organisations expand AI use beyond analysis and research into live campaign management.

Mediaocean positions its business around software for advertising operations and AI-driven workflows. The company says more than $200 billion in annualised ad spend runs through its platforms and that it supports 100,000 users globally.

The company owns Prisma, which it describes as a system of record for media management and finance. It also owns Innovid, which it describes as an ad tech platform for creative, delivery, measurement, and optimisation. It also operates Protected by Mediaocean, which it describes as a solution for ad verification and brand safety.

Goldman said marketers now face a practical test in deploying AI across complex media environments.

"The advantage won't come from adopting even more tools-it will come from orchestrating them," said Goldman.