79% of marketers plan to use AI more in their roles, while 38% cite lack of training: Report

In India, 79% of marketers plan to increase the use of AI in their roles over the next year, while most of them already use AI tools in some or all projects. A report titled AI Confidence Curve by a programmatic media firm, MiQ, found that 72% plan to apply AI in more ways over the next 12 months, yet only 46% feel confident in doing so successfully.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming global advertising, but marketers remain uncertain about how best to use it.

The report highlights what the firm describes as a growing ‘confidence gap,’ with AI adoption outpacing readiness by 27 percentage points.

Commenting on the report findings, Jordan Bitterman, Chief Marketing Officer at MiQ, said, “We discovered that most marketers are bunched together at the early stages of a confidence curve. We’re at the start of a journey that will ultimately see us all move up the curve as we apply AI to more of our mission-critical work. Usage currently outpaces readiness by 27 percentage points, and we see that as pure opportunity. To close the gap, industry leaders must tap into tools and training.”

The report found that globally, 66% of marketers already use AI in most or all of their projects, with top applications including content creation (40%), marketing automation (39%), and social media management (38%). In India, AI adoption is even stronger in social media management, visual design, and content creation, with tools like Google’s Performance Max (69%) and Canva (66%) leading usage.

Despite the enthusiasm, challenges persist. 38% of marketers cited a lack of training, 42% mentioned data-sharing restrictions, and 44% said they struggle to measure results effectively. In India, 69% identified lack of expertise as the top barrier to AI adoption, while 54% said AI’s role in marketing remains poorly understood.

Varun Mohan, Chief Commercial Officer, India, MiQ, said, “AI tools will have a tremendous role to play in the future of marketing as a force multiplier, and teams that prioritise early adoption and upskilling for AI will find themselves significantly ahead of the curve. This is a competitive edge that will define the next phase of data-led marketing transformation in India.”

The report also found that Indian marketers lead globally in consumer mindset and activity-based targeting, with 45% planning campaigns around browsing and shopping behaviour, the highest among all markets. It also highlights a preference for YouTube (80%), social media (61%), and digital video (58%), highlighting the country’s rapid evolution in multi-channel digital advertising.