Research shows marketers moving from AI experimentation to execution, while fragmented systems slow progress across planning, activation, and measurement
NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2026, the foundational software and AI partner for omnichannel advertising, today released its 2026 Advertising Outlook Report, revealing how marketers are beginning the year with renewed confidence in digital media investment even as marketers face growing pressure to turn AI enthusiasm into real-world execution. Based on insights from hundreds of marketers, the bi-annual report shows AI evolving from an experimental capability into a core force shaping modern advertising, while also exposing critical gaps in how systems, data, and workflows are connected.
For the third consecutive period, Gen AI ranks as the most important consumer trend, cited by 70% of marketers, underscoring its growing influence on how people discover content, engage with brands, and make decisions. While enthusiasm for AI remains high, adoption patterns reveal a steep maturity curve. Even though 43% of marketers are using AI for data analysis and 43% for market research, adoption drops as AI moves closer to execution, with 33% using AI for creative development and only 19% for campaign orchestration, highlighting a gap between insight and impact.
The report also points to a growing orchestration challenge as media channels proliferate, and AI becomes more deeply embedded in marketing workflows. While 86% of marketers say cross-channel orchestration is important, only 10% report having fully unified ad tech systems in place, creating friction not just in scaling AI, but in coordinating planning, activation, measurement, and optimization across increasingly complex media environments.
Additional findings in Mediaocean's 2026 Advertising Outlook Report include:
- Media investment is rebounding selectively, with planned spend increases concentrated in CTV and digital video (63% respectively), social platforms (61%), and AI-driven media/ads on AI agents (54%), while traditional channels such as print and linear TV continue to face pressure.
- AI maturity is becoming a central focus, as marketers shift from experimentation to execution, citing data quality or access issues (42%) and difficulty connecting AI insights across systems (41%) as the biggest barriers to scaling AI effectively.
- Marketers are shifting from channel-level optimization to system-level intelligence, with 39% prioritizing AI and 39% prioritizing cross-platform orchestration, signaling a move away from siloed point solutions toward more connected and adaptive infrastructures.
"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, CMO, 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."
The 2026 Advertising Outlook is the ninth installment in Mediaocean's bi-annual research series, drawing on insights from more than 6,100 total respondents. The latest findings are based on surveys conducted in November 2025 across brands, agencies, media companies, and technology providers. The full report is available for download at: https://www.mediaocean.com/2026-advertising-outlook-report
For a deeper dive into the report, register for Mediaocean's webinaron Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET, featuring Goldman, T-Mobile's Julie Mullins, Sonata Insight's Debra Aho Williamson, and Innovid's Kristen Hade.
About Mediaocean
Mediaocean provides end-to-end software and AI for advertising, making content more accessible around the world. Our vision is a perpetually thriving media industry where marketing drives sustainable growth for the global economy. With over $200 billion in annualized ad spend running through its platforms, the company supports 100,000 users across the globe. Mediaocean owns and operates Prisma, the industry's trusted system of record for media management and finance; Innovid, the leading independent ad tech platform for creative, delivery, measurement, and optimization; and Protected by Mediaocean, an integrated solution for ad verification and brand safety. Visit www.mediaocean.comfor more information.
Media Contact
Meg Coyle: mcoyle@mediaocean.com
