A new survey of 875+ direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand operators has given us a snapshot of where AI is actually being used in marketing – and where it’s falling short.

While the report was global, the takeaways are very relevant to New Zealand ecommerce operators, founders, and marketers.

Adoption Is Almost Universal

• Nearly every brand is using AI already. Only 6.5% said they aren’t using it in marketing at all.
• The most common use is copywriting and ad text creation (77.5%) – the quick wins where AI can save time and generate content at scale.
• Other common uses: personalisation in email (43%), ad creative generation (42%), and audience targeting (32%).
• Bigger brands ($10M+ revenue) are more likely to use AI for forecasting, budgeting, and strategic decision-making, while smaller brands are sticking to creative tasks.

The Main Blockers

AI adoption is rising, but it’s not all smooth sailing.

• Uncertainty about which tools to trust (45%) and lack of training/expertise (42%) were the biggest barriers.
• Quality concerns (39%) – many feel AI outputs don’t yet meet their creative bar.
• Data privacy worries (28%) matter more for larger brands.
• Interestingly, budget (21%) wasn’t seen as the biggest problem.

Why Brands Are Using AI

• The top goal is efficiency – a huge 83% said they use AI to save time and streamline work.
• Other big goals: creating better-performing content (44%), boosting return on ad spend (36%), and making campaign decisions faster (32%).
• Few are using AI yet for data accuracy, deeper customer insights, or testing new channels, which shows most teams are still in “execution mode” rather than strategy mode.

Impact So Far

• Results are mixed: 1 in 4 teams aren’t sure if AI is driving impact yet, and 13% said they’ve seen no lift at all.
• The biggest gains are showing up in ad creative (21%) and email/SMS campaigns (20%) – channels where speed and iteration matter most.
• Reporting, conversion optimisation, and media buying haven’t shown the same lift yet, especially for smaller brands.

Who Owns AI in Marketing?

• For 40% of brands, the answer is “no one” – AI is being explored independently across teams.
• Where there is ownership, it’s usually with the CEO/founder (26%) or CMO/head of marketing (27%).
• Larger brands are more likely to have decentralised adoption, while smaller brands often have founders leading the charge.

Jobs and Teams

Most marketers don’t see AI as a job killer. Over 51% say AI will enhance their team, and 23% think roles will simply evolve.

Only 5% are actively planning to cut headcount because of AI.

The general feeling? AI frees up humans for strategy, while agents handle repetitive work.

Overall Sentiment

• 43% are cautiously optimistic – excited, but keeping a close eye on risks.
• 34% are outright excited, seeing AI as a competitive advantage.
• A smaller group are concerned (14%) about long-term impacts on creativity and jobs, while only 4% remain sceptical.

The Road Ahead

A massive 84% expect to use more AI in the next 12 months – with almost half predicting a significant increase.

The shift is clear: from experimenting with tools → to embedding AI as a core part of marketing systems and workflows.

What This Means for Our Brands

For New Zealand DTC operators, the message is clear:

• AI is no longer optional. Most global brands are already using it, at least for copy, ads, and content.
• Training and trust are the missing pieces. If your team isn’t confident, adoption will stall.
• Creative is the entry point. Start with content, then expand into forecasting, budgeting, and deeper analytics as you scale.
• It’s about augmentation, not replacement. The strongest operators are using AI to multiply output, not cut people.

In short: AI is here to stay.

The winners in ecommerce will be the ones who go beyond experimenting and start building systems that make AI part of their daily operations.