Observed Signal · Sep 29, 2026 · Market Research · Source: Meedia · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Kantar Study: Marketers Invest in AI, Consumers Skeptical
A new Kantar study, 'Media Reactions 2026', reveals a significant gap between marketer investment in AI and consumer trust. While 75% of marketers plan to increase ad spending on AI assistants in 2027, only 23% of consumers trust product recommendations from AI. Additionally, 62% of marketers expect generative AI to play a central role in brand recommendations, yet only 32% of consumers use AI assistants to research brands and products. The study also highlights growing uncertainty among marketers: only 57% believe their company has the right media mix, down from 64% the previous year. Kantar's new Ad-Equity ranking shows Google, Amazon, and YouTube leading among consumers, while marketers favor YouTube, Instagram, and Google. The study also notes a shift toward micro- and nano-influencers, with 66% and 61% of marketers planning to increase investment in these segments, respectively.
Highlights a critical disconnect in the AdTech industry between marketer investment in AI and consumer trust, which could shape future AI ad strategies and platform investments.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- 75% of marketers plan to increase ad spend on AI assistants in 2027.
- Only 23% of consumers trust product recommendations from AI.
- 62% of marketers expect generative AI to play a central role in brand recommendations.
- Only 57% of marketers are confident in their company's media mix, down from 64%.
- 66% of marketers plan to increase investment in micro-creators, 61% in nano-creators.
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mapped“The 'Media Reactions 2026' study by Kantar shows a gap between marketer AI investments and consumer trust....”
“In the Ad-Equity ranking, Google leads among consumers, while marketers place it third....”
“Amazon is ranked second among consumers in the Ad-Equity ranking....”
“YouTube leads among marketers in the Ad-Equity ranking and is also top for consumers....”
“Instagram is ranked second among marketers and fourth among consumers....”
“Netflix appears in the top five for both consumers and marketers....”
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