Consumers want AI ads with a human touch

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“headline”: “Consumers want AI ads with a human touch”,
“description”: “New research finds consumers accept AI in marketing when it adds value, but many reject ads that feel generic, intrusive, or emotionally hole.”,
“datePublished”: “2026-05-22T08:00:00-05:00”,
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Consumers are giving mixed signals about AI content in marketing. People like ads and content that feel useful and relevant, but many are still turned off by marketing that comes across as robotic, emotionally empty, or a little too invasive.

Seventy percent of consumers said they will normally spot an AI-generated ad since it appears like it’s “missing its soul,” in accordance with Canva’s “The state of promoting and AI 2026” report.  Another 69% worry the longer term of promoting will turn into a sea of “AI-generated slop,” and 65% said AI ads are “so obvious it’s laughable.”

The frustration just isn’t limited to ads. More than half of respondents said they’re annoyed by AI-generated social posts, machine-personalized emails, computer-generated product photos, AI voiceovers, and AI-written articles.

The report says the issue is less about AI itself and more about how brands are using it. The report warns that pumping out content at scale without strong creative direction could damage trust and push audiences away.

That skepticism is already influencing buying decisions. Seventy-four percent of consumers said they usually tend to buy from an ad they imagine was created entirely by humans, and 87% said the most effective promoting still needs a human touch.

At the identical time, consumers also think AI-generated content will soon turn into unimaginable to discover. Seventy percent said they imagine people eventually is not going to find a way to inform whether an ad was made with AI unless corporations disclose it, and greater than half expect that shift inside the subsequent five years. 

Still, consumers are removed from rejecting AI altogether.

Sixty-eight percent said they’re nice with AI in promoting when it makes ads more helpful or relevant. Throughout the report, consumers responded positively to personalization that feels practical and useful as an alternative of creepy or overly predictive.

Younger consumers are more open to AI-generated content. Among Gen Z and Millennials, 70% said they care more about an ad’s overall “vibe” than the way it was created, and 69% said they don’t mind AI polish so long as real persons are involved.

Consumers also responded well to personalization with clear advantages. Eighty-one percent said they value ads that help them lower your expenses, 80% prefer ads of their local language, and 77% want promoting that feels locally relevant.

Timing plays a role, too. Sixty-five percent said they appreciate ads that show up at the appropriate moment or in the appropriate context.

Where brands lose people is when personalization feels intrusive. Fifty-eight percent said they don’t want corporations using AI to predict what they want before they ask for it, while 52% said ads feel “too personal” once they appear to know what someone is about to purchase before they even seek for it.

Consumers were also clear about what would make them trust AI-generated promoting more. Fifty-three percent said protecting user data is an important factor. Another 52% want brands to reveal when AI was used, and 37% want the choice to opt out of AI-generated ads altogether.

The full report could be found here. (Registration required)

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