Artificial intelligence has become mainstream in marketing, with 98 percent of marketers incorporating AI into their workflows, but confidence in its recommendations remains conditional on human oversight and measurement accuracy, according to Nielsen’s 2026 Annual Marketing Report.

The report, unveiled over the last two days, also highlights the growing challenge of demonstrating return on investment (ROI) across fragmented media platforms, even as brand awareness remains a central marketing goal and creator partnerships attract dedicated budgets.

‘Titled Navigating the AI Era: Accuracy, Outcomes and Shifting Trends’, the report examines three key areas: AI adoption and trust, brand-building and performance measurement, and changing consumer attention across media platforms.

While AI adoption is widespread, marketers remain cautious about relying on its recommendations without verification.

Nielsen found that 55 percent of marketers trust AI recommendations but require human review.

The number of marketers prioritising accuracy in measurement has doubled year-on-year, underscoring the need for reliable data and oversight as AI becomes more deeply embedded in marketing decisions.

AI is also increasingly visible in advertising itself. Nielsen Ad Intel recorded approximately 18,000 US advertising creatives mentioning AI in a single month in 2026.

Despite the emphasis on brand awareness, marketers continue to face difficulties linking visibility to business outcomes across increasingly fragmented media channels.

Nielsen found that 49 percent use hybrid or full-funnel metrics to measure combined impact, while inconsistencies in datasets have emerged as a growing measurement challenge, rising by 10 points year-on-year.

The report also found that 29 percent of marketers plan to prioritise brand-lift metrics over the coming year, reflecting the importance of assessing whether campaigns strengthen consumer awareness alongside their commercial impact.

Changing consumer habits are reshaping how marketers define television and allocate resources.

According to Nielsen Scarborough USA+, 41 percent of consumers consider video content to be television regardless of the platform on which it is viewed.

Creator partnerships are also gaining traction, with 58 percent of marketers reporting dedicated and growing budgets for such collaborations.

Meanwhile, 43 percent view sports as a testing ground for reaching new audiences or entering new markets.

The report draws on Nielsen’s 2026 Annual Marketing Survey and media intelligence data. Its budget-focused analysis covers 1,200 marketers across six markets, examining how AI, measurement practices and shifting audience behaviour are influencing marketing strategies.