These are the results of a survey conducted by the digital media agency Xaxis among more than a thousand decision-makers, in co-operation with the European Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Researchers wanted to study the current and future influence of artificial intelligence on digital advertising.
In the Artificial Intelligence: Myth versus Reality in the Digital Advertising World report, decision-makers in the digital advertising world, together with advertisers, agencies, media and intermediaries, recognize the obvious contribution that artificial intelligence assures in reaching outcomes in the digital advertising ecosystem.
Almost 80% of respondents believe they have a good understanding of AI, and majority of them believe it will positively affect their business goals. Nearly 50% of those surveyed felt AI improved productivity and increased competitive advantage.
AI was seen to facilitate effective targeting and was able to enhance digital advertising objectives – right person, right place, right time. Indeed, better targeting was cited by 61% of agencies; 43% of publishers and 53% of intermediaries.
Respondents highlighted the key concerns for the future of AI as relying less on human control (47%) and gaining trustworthy insights (55%). According to research authors, a positive and productive balance must be maintained between artificial intelligence, work of real humans, and end consumers.
“The greatest potential of artificial intelligence, which has not yet been harnessed even by a long shot, is in its ability to reach optimal business results and in the use of simple metrics,” says John Wittesele, president of the EMEA region at Xaxis, while Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe, adds that using artificial intelligence in digital advertising allows better targeting, optimization and business growth.
