Consumers are giving mixed signals about AI content in marketing. People like ads and content that seems useful and relevant, but many are still disappointed by marketing that feels robotic, emotionally empty, or a little too invasive.
According to Canva’s “The state of marketing and AI 2026” report, 70% of consumers said they can usually spot an AI-generated ad because it appears to be “missing its soul.” Another 69% fear that the future of advertising will become a sea of “AI-generated broth,” and 65% say AI-powered ads are “so obvious as to be ridiculous.”
The frustration isn’t limited to ads. More than half of those surveyed said they were annoyed by AI-generated social posts, machine-personalized emails, computer-generated product photos, AI voiceovers and AI-written articles.
The report says the problem isn’t so much with AI itself but with how brands use it. The report warns that publishing content on a large scale without strong creative direction could damage trust and drive audiences away.
This skepticism is already influencing purchasing decisions. 74% of consumers said they are more likely to buy from an ad they believe was created entirely by humans, and 87% said the best ads still need a human touch.
At the same time, consumers also think that AI-generated content will soon become impossible to identify. Seventy percent said they believe people eventually won’t be able to tell if an ad was made with AI unless companies disclose it, and more than half expect this to change within the next five years.
However, consumers are far from rejecting AI entirely.
68% said they agree with AI in advertising when it makes ads more useful or relevant. Throughout the report, consumers responded positively to personalization that feels practical and useful rather than scary or overly predictive.
Younger consumers are more open to AI-generated content. Among Gen Z and Millennials, 70% said they care more about the overall “vibe” of an ad than how it was created, and 69% said they don’t care about perfecting AI as long as real people are involved.
Consumers have also responded well to personalization with clear benefits. 81% say they appreciate ads that help them save money, 80% prefer ads in their local language, and 77% want ads to be locally relevant.
Timing also plays a role. 65% said they appreciate ads that appear at the right time or in the right context.
Where brands lose people is when personalization feels intrusive. 58% said they don’t want companies to use AI to predict what they want before they even ask, while 52% say ads feel “too personal” when they seem to know what someone is going to buy before they even search for it.
Consumers were also clear about what would lead them to trust AI-generated advertising more. 53% believe that protecting user data is the most important factor. Another 52% want brands to disclose when AI was used, and 37% want the ability to turn off AI-generated ads altogether.
The full report can be found here. (Registration required)
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