the State of
AI Transformation Across Agencies in 2025

Ad Agency AI Adoption Report

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WHAT’S INSIDE THE REPORT?

  • The Skills Crisis is Real: 73.2% of agencies say "staff upskilling bootcamp" as their top need for external support, while 51.8% cite lack of dedicated time as a barrier, with daily operations crowding out AI initiatives.
  • Lack of Differentiation in the Market: Despite rating AI capabilities as critical, 57.1% of agencies admit they only have "talking points" and lack a compelling, differentiated AI narrative for client pitches. Only 16.1% have a well-defined and battle-tested AI story.
  • A Measurement Blind Spot: Agencies still struggle to quantify AI’s impact. 46.4% of agencies don't measure AI's business impact at all—tied with those relying solely on time-savings metrics.
  • A Future Defined by AI : Expectations for disruption are high: agencies rate the expected transformation of their business by 2030 as 8.2 out of 10.

The industry is at an inflection point. The next phase of AI adoption will require agencies to shift from ad-hoc experimentation to formalized strategy, major talent investment, and the creation of measurable, differentiated client value.

What the Industry Is Saying

Agencies feel the pressure to talk AI, but most are still figuring it out.
Our survey reveals what’s really happening.

75% say AI shows up in <50% of pitches

Only 11% of teams have a formal GenAI roadmap

Avg. confidence in AI client convos: 5.6 / 10

“This report makes one thing clear: AI transformation is a human challenge before it’s a technical one. Agencies that empower their teams—through upskilling, policy, and real accountability—will define the next decade of advertising.”

David Mainiero
Chief AI Officer