Artificial intelligence has begun to be used in media planning and campaign management, as well as idea and content production in advertising.
As the share of artificial intelligence platforms increases in product research and brand discovery, companies are also looking for ways to stand out in these channels. Interactive Advertisers Association (IAB) Türkiye President Neslihan Olcay stated that artificial intelligence is not just a temporary innovation and that it structurally changes the functioning of advertising.
According to the 2026-2027 results of Turkey's Marketing Leaders Trends Research, conducted in cooperation with IAB Turkey and Bahçeşehir University Faculty of Communication Advertising Department, 32.9 percent of marketing leaders reported that they have fully integrated artificial intelligence tools into their business processes, and 48.6 percent reported that they tried them in different channels. The rate of those who did not use the vehicles yet remained at 2.9 percent.
90 percent of participants predicted to increase their investments in artificial intelligence-based campaigns in 2027.
In the research, data analysis, content creation and strategy development were among the prominent usage areas. Stating that artificial intelligence should not be evaluated only through advertisements prepared entirely with this technology, Olcay noted that the technology is also used in marketing decisions and campaign management.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PLATFORMS OPENED NEW ADVERTISING AREAS
Olcay said that consumers are turning to artificial intelligence-supported platforms to research products and services, compare options and get suggestions. Stating that these platforms create new discovery and advertising areas, Olcay pointed out that visibility in search engines and social media alone may not be sufficient.
In the research, Claude ranked first with 75 percent among the platforms whose use is expected to increase in 2027 in the context of brand visibility. ChatGPT ranked at 67 percent and Google Gemini at 51 percent.
The use of artificial intelligence in advertising also includes adapting advertising text and images to the individual. According to the BBC's news updated on November 18, 2025, advertising company Cheil UK, operating in England, worked with the technology initiative Spotlight on an artificial intelligence platform that prepares different advertisements according to people's characteristics and living conditions. This system can change the tone of the ad and the expressions used according to the person; It can also differentiate music and colors.
In a US study reported by the BBC, iPhone ad texts adapted by ChatGPT according to personality characteristics were found to be more persuasive than personalized ad texts. Participants did not object to the fact that the texts were written by artificial intelligence. Advertising and branding experts whose opinions were included in the news pointed out that targeting that extends to personality traits may raise concerns about the use of personal data and privacy.
One of the new areas opened to brands on artificial intelligence platforms is chat agents where users can ask questions about products. According to the news of Digiday, an advertising publication, dated November 10, US-based artificial intelligence company OpenAI has launched Business Hub, which allows companies to create and verify profiles in ChatGPT and add product and company information, in the USA. This area works like a business profile where companies can promote themselves and their products on ChatGPT.
For now, e-commerce and online service companies in the US can also create chat agents that respond by representing the brand when the user asks for more information about the product. It is clearly stated to the user that these agents belong to the brand. For example, the user can ask about the features, color or price of the product, the chat agent answers these questions and can direct the user to the brand's website during the purchasing phase.
In Digiday's news, it was stated that these agents are a free visibility option for now, while sponsored agents are being tested in the form of paid advertising. The analysis panel offered by OpenAI shows how many times brands are mentioned, viewed and how many clicks they receive on their websites. However, the number of clicks alone does not reveal that the user has visited the site or made a purchase.
Olcay said that it has become important for brands to be correctly understood by artificial intelligence systems, to be found reliable and to be among the recommendations. To do this, he recommended that product information be consistent across digital sources and that brands monitor their visibility on these platforms.
Visibility in artificial intelligence searches ranked first with 74 percent among the areas where marketing investments are expected to increase in 2027. This was followed by social media ads with 58 percent, video ads with 51 percent and influencer/creator marketing with 47 percent.
Artificial intelligence agents have also begun to be used in the planning and purchasing stages of advertising processes. In the research, the rate of those who cited agent-based artificial intelligence among their marketing strategy priorities for the next 12 months was 44 percent. Visibility in artificial intelligence searches and adding new channels to the marketing mix were marked by 25 percent each, while agent-based commerce was marked by 21 percent.
These systems can contribute to research and media planning, and can also undertake some steps of ad buying and campaign optimization. In IAB Europe's 2026 survey, 58 percent of respondents expect ad buying with AI agents to be implemented or scaled within a year.
WHILE PRODUCTION COSTS DECREASED, THE DIRECTION OF THE BUDGET CHANGED
In the research, customer acquisition, data analytics and artificial intelligence stood out with 19 percent each in the areas expected to be prioritized in the 2027 marketing budget. Digital transformation was marked at 13 percent, and content production and management at 11 percent.
In response to the question regarding the change in marketing budgets in TL terms, 52 percent of the participants reported that they expected an increase in the inflation rate in 2027. While the rate of those who predicted that the budget would increase above inflation remained at 10 percent, 20 percent stated that the budget would remain the same and 18 percent stated that it would decrease.
Olcay said that artificial intelligence enables some content to be prepared in a shorter time and at a lower cost. He stated that in this way, brands can try more creative approaches with the same budget and adapt content to different audiences.
Noting that the decrease in production costs will not necessarily reduce the total advertising investment, Olcay stated that budgets can be directed to areas such as data analysis, technology, strategy, measurement and optimization. He stated that license, infrastructure, integration and training expenses should also be included in the cost calculation.
THE ROLE OF AGENCIES GOES BEYOND CONTENT PRODUCTION
Olcay said that the fact that brands can produce some routine content with their own teams does not eliminate the need for agencies, and stated that the duties of agencies such as understanding brand goals and consumers, developing creative ideas and designing holistic campaigns continue.
Pointing out that similar tools, commands and ready-made templates can make content similar to each other, Olcay said that artificial intelligence makes content production widespread, but does not ensure originality by itself. He stated that the value of agencies will be measured by the strategy and differentiation they add to brands, rather than the amount of content they produce.
TASKS HAVE CHANGED MORE THAN PROFESSIONS
Olcay explained that artificial intelligence accelerates the processes of preparing text alternatives, adapting visuals to different media and completing repetitive tasks. He stated that this transformation means a change in the tasks that make up the professions, rather than the complete disappearance of professions.
He also said the decline of some entry-level jobs could affect the way young people gain experience in the industry.
In the comparative graph of the research, the rate of those who are concerned about artificial intelligence changing human functions increased from 12 percent in 2026 to 23 percent in 2027. While the rate of those who were not concerned decreased from 66 percent to 41 percent in the same period, 36 percent of the participants were undecided on this issue in 2027. Olcay stated that in addition to using the tools, employees should also develop their skills in questioning and verifying the results they produce.
TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY STANDED OUT
20.1 percent of survey participants cited the reliability and confirmability of AI outputs as one of the main barriers to use. Olcay also drew attention to data security and intellectual property issues, as well as transparency and human control.
With the amendment to the Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices Regulation, which came into force on August 1, it has become mandatory to state this in a clear, understandable and distinguishable manner if digital characters that are indistinguishable from humans are included in advertisements using artificial intelligence.
Olcay said that if the content prepared with artificial intelligence contains false information, discriminatory expressions or any element that could damage brand reputation, the responsibility cannot be left to the technology. He stated that the responsibility of the institutions that publish the content and run the campaign remains.
