AI transforming TV ad buying, report

Comcast Advertising has released its annual Comcast Advertising Report, providing data, analysis and actionable insights on trends affecting TV advertising, including a new focus on AI in advertising based on input from senior agency and brand professionals.

Travis Flood, Executive Director, Insights, Comcast Advertising: “2025 was another transformational year for TV as brands navigate the complexity of reaching their audiences across screens and platforms. This annual report, backed by data insights from across the Comcast Advertising portfolio, arms advertisers with actionable advice on the tools and technology – from AI to programmatic to addressable – that they can leverage to deliver meaningful results in the year ahead.”

AI adoption is growing, but results are still limited

Nearly 8 in 10 advertisers (77 percent) believe AI is transforming how TV advertising is bought, with 60 percent noting it has made buying more efficient and 37 percent saying it has made the process easier. However, more than six in ten advertisers (61 percent) report they have not yet seen meaningful business results from AI.

Currently, AI is most widely used for audience identification and segmentation, with 82 percent of advertisers applying it to analyze audience behavior. Automated data collection and integration follows closely at 80 percent. Looking ahead to 2026, measurement and attribution is the top area (30 percent) where advertisers hope AI will deliver tangible improvements.

AI in creative development

Advertisers are increasingly using AI to support creative work, primarily for generating initial creative ideas (41 percent) and producing multiple variations of a concept (35 percent). Only one in five advertisers (20 percent) report using AI for full ad production.

James Rooke, President, Comcast Advertising: “From agentic buying to creative development and better measurement, AI has tremendous potential to help advertisers of all sizes deliver more impactful, outcome-focused campaigns. When done right, AI can support making TV advertising simpler, smarter, more efficient, and even more accessible. But less than a third of advertisers say they trust AI to do advertising-related tasks, and the reality is we’re still in the very early stages of realizing the benefits from this next technology wave. The challenge ahead is to translate AI’s potential into practical innovation that goes beyond just buzz to deliver real business value.”

The survey, conducted in November 2025, gathered 216 responses from brand and agency professionals directly responsible for advertising. More than 75 percent of respondents held Director-level positions or higher at large brands or agencies. Nearly half reported company revenues between $100 million and $1 billion, and a similar number manage advertising budgets ranging from $11 million to over $50 million.

The full report can be accessed here

www.comcastadvertising.com

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