Canva Report: AI in Marketing and Consumer Preferences
Overview
Canva’s State of Marketing and AI Report 2026 reveals intriguing insights into the relationship between marketers’ adoption of AI and consumers’ perceptions. While nearly all marketing leaders (97%) incorporate AI in their daily creative processes, there’s a notable divergence among consumers, with 78% preferring human-crafted advertisements despite AI’s potential advantages.
Key Findings:
- Widespread AI Adoption: 97% of marketing leaders use AI daily, and 99% plan to increase AI investment.
- Consumer Preferences: 78% of consumers favor human-made ads, even with AI’s capabilities, and 87% believe the best advertising still needs a human touch.
- Trust and Transparency: Consumers demand disclosure (53% for data protection, 52% for AI use), opt-out options (37%), and job security assurances to build trust in AI-driven marketing.
- AI Slop Concerns: Mentions of "AI slop" have increased ninefold, indicating consumer awareness of low-quality, machine-generated content.
- The Permission Gap: The report highlights the challenge of gaining consumer permission for AI use in advertising rather than just production.
Consumer Expectations:
Consumers are increasingly specific about their requirements for AI in marketing:
- Data protection (53%)
- Disclosure of AI use (52%)
- Assurance that AI isn’t replacing jobs (39%)
- Ability to opt out of AI-generated ads (37%)
Evolving Landscape:
The report suggests a shift in focus from AI capabilities to consumer consent and transparency. With the line between human and machine content becoming blurred, consumers expect disclosure (70% believe it will be impossible to distinguish without it), and many (56%) predict this threshold will be reached within 2-5 years.