Marketers Bet Big on AI and CTV, But Their Tech Is Lagging: Mediaocean Report

A new report from Mediaocean reveals that while advertisers are confidently boosting spending on digital channels in 2026, their practical ability to execute is being crippled by fragmented tech and poor data quality.

• Chasing the stream: Marketers are decisively moving budgets away from traditional media. Connected TV and digital video are the top targets, with 63% of brands planning to increase investment, while social platforms (at just over 60%) and AI-driven media (over 50%) also see major gains.

• Ambition vs. reality: Despite generative AI being named the most important consumer trend, there's a major "execution gap." While 43% of marketers use AI for high-level research, adoption for practical campaign orchestration plummets to just 19%.

• A crisis of connection: The core issue is infrastructure. Over 40% of respondents cite poor data quality and the challenge of connecting insights across different systems as their biggest hurdles. And while 86% say cross-channel orchestration is a priority, a paltry 10% have the unified systems to actually do it.

The race is on not just to adopt new ad-tech tools, but to build a connected foundation that can turn AI's promise into action. A new focus on sustainability is also emerging, with about one in six marketers now tracking their environmental footprint. The report highlights marketers' internal struggles, but the entire ecosystem is being reshaped as AI transforms ad agencies into tech-fueled vendors.