IAB UK forecasts that AI-driven advertising spend will reach £18 billion by 2030, according to its report The State of AI in Advertising. This figure represents 32% of the total digital advertising market in the United Kingdom as the industry moves from basic automation toward "agentic AI." James Chandler, CSO at IAB UK, notes that these newer systems independently orchestrate planning and optimization across multiple channels.
Agentic AI Adoption Trends
The shift is underway within many organizations. IAB UK finds that 58% of its members experiment with or pilot agentic AI systems. An additional 16% scale these systems or operate under "agent-first" workflows.
The report identifies creative production as the most mature area for AI application. Approximately 63% of members expect AI to impact creative development significantly by 2025. Search, social, and programmatic buying show the most immediate commercial impact because platforms embed AI optimization directly into delivery engines.
The industry is entering a new phase of AI adoption where the conversation is no longer simply about efficiency gains or workflow automation.
Lower Click-Through Rates Challenge Publishers
The transition creates challenges for publishers and brands reliant on search traffic. IAB UK data shows 74% of advertisers believe AI-generated summaries reduce click-through rates to brand websites.
Nearly two-thirds of advertisers have modified their website structures and metadata in response. This move toward Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) seeks to maintain visibility within large language models (LLMs) instead of traditional search engine results pages.
Transparency Hurdles
Full autonomy is not yet the industry standard despite rapid adoption. Only 4% of IAB UK members describe their operations as fully "agent-first."
Confidence in these systems is split. Nearly half (47%) of advertisers do not trust AI agents because they lack transparency in decision-making. Among IAB UK members, this figure rises to 67%. James Chandler emphasized that the industry must solve for transparency and accountability to ensure sustainable scaling.
As competing agentic frameworks emerge, the drive for industry-wide standards and governance becomes a primary task for affiliate and performance marketers.
Affilitizer Editorial Team
This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
