AI in marketing: what's working-and what's just noise?
AI isn't a side project anymore. It's in briefs, workflows and post-campaign readouts. But with tools multiplying and pressure building, one question keeps coming up: Where is AI actually improving outcomes-and where is it mostly hype?
That's the point of the March 26 Editors Roundtable from Ad Age. This small-group session digs into how AI is affecting creative development, productivity, measurement and media buying-and what that means for timelines, team structures and targets in 2026. In-person at Ad Age's New York office, with a virtual option.
If you're being pushed to "use AI" without clear guardrails-or trying to separate real lift from noise-this conversation will help you set a smarter plan. Sign up for the Editors Roundtable here.
What you'll discuss
- Where AI is improving creative development-and where human judgment still carries the weight
- Whether productivity gains are raising quality, or just compressing timelines and expectations
- How AI is changing measurement, optimization and evaluation across media and analytics
- The growing role of agentic AI in programmatic buying-and what that means for control, transparency and performance
- How brands and agencies are adopting AI differently-and which skills are becoming more valuable as a result
Why it matters for 2026
Budgets aren't getting looser. Expectations are. Teams need clear rules on where AI belongs, the metrics that prove it and the skills that should be prioritized. This session aims to help you tighten that playbook before another planning cycle locks in.
Who you'll meet
A candid, editor-led discussion with marketers and agency leaders who are actively testing and scaling AI. You'll compare notes with fellow All Access subscribers and members of the Ad Age community on what's working now-and what still feels unresolved.
Format and details
- Date: Thursday, March 26
- Location: Ad Age's New York office (virtual attendance available)
- Group size: Kept small to keep the conversation focused and useful
Participation is limited. Sign up for the Editors Roundtable here.
Practical takeaways you can expect
- A simple framework to judge AI use cases by impact, risk and effort
- Clear questions to ask vendors and internal teams about data, transparency and control
- Benchmarks and signals that show when AI is improving outcomes vs. just speeding delivery
- Role and skill implications for creative, media, analytics and ops
About the Editors Roundtable series
Exclusively for All Access subscribers and Ad Age community members, each session brings a small group together for a focused, editor-led conversation on shifts affecting marketing. You get direct access to the reporters tracking these changes daily-and the chance to pressure-test your approach with peers solving similar problems.
Related resources
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