From Pilots to Performance: Building a Mature AI Ecosystem for Agencies and Advertisers

AI is already transforming advertising, but most agencies and brands are still testing the waters. Ipsos in MENA partnered with the Advertising Business Group (ABG) to uncover how far the industry in the UAE and Saudi Arabia has truly come in its AI journey.

Based on a survey of 100+ marketing and advertising professionals, the findings reveal a clear gap between interest and implementation:

• 96% have used AI tools, but only 26% use them regularly. 
• 73% of companies are integrating AI, but mostly for content creation, not strategic planning. 
• 70% express concern about overreliance on AI without human oversight. 
• Only 35% receive regular AI training, and most of that is limited to marketing and content teams. 
• 63% are concerned about bias and discrimination in AI, emphasizing the need for ethical and accountable use.

The insight is clear: AI is no longer a novelty, but adoption remains fragmented, inconsistent, and often not designed for scale. To move from pilots to performance, the industry must:

• Fix the data: structure it, standardize it, and measure what matters. 
• Upskill across all levels: not just creatives, but planners, strategists, and decision-makers. 
• Build trust with clear governance, transparency, and ethical safeguards.

We were proud to present these findings at the ABG AI Lab, helping shift the focus from tools to transformation, where strategy, structure, and impact truly lead the way.