78% of consumers wish marketers would stop using AI daily
▼ Summary
– Almost all marketers now use AI for creative work, but nearly all consumers prefer human-made content.
– This tension between industry enthusiasm and public unease is the central finding of Canva’s 2026 State of Marketing and AI report.
Nearly every marketer on the planet now relies on AI to produce creative content. Yet nearly every consumer wishes a human had made it instead. That fundamental disconnect, between the industry’s fervent adoption of AI and the public’s lingering skepticism, lies at the heart of Canva’s 2026 State of Marketing and AI report. The findings expose a widening gap between what brands think their audiences want and what those audiences actually feel.
According to the report, 78% of consumers wish marketers would stop using AI every single day. That statistic lands with particular weight given that AI tools have become nearly ubiquitous in marketing departments worldwide. Marketers are using AI to generate copy, design visuals, personalize campaigns, and automate workflows at a pace that has left many consumers feeling alienated rather than impressed.
The report’s data suggests that the problem isn’t necessarily with AI itself, but with how it is deployed. Consumers are increasingly able to detect when content lacks a human touch. They report feeling manipulated or distanced from brands when the messaging feels generic or overly optimized. Even when AI produces technically flawless work, the absence of genuine human perspective can erode trust.
Canva’s research surveyed both marketers and consumers to map this trust gap. On one side, marketers see AI as a productivity booster and a creative collaborator. On the other, consumers view it as a shortcut that sacrifices authenticity for efficiency. The report urges brands to rethink their reliance on fully automated content and to integrate AI in ways that preserve a human voice.
The takeaway for marketers is clear: AI is a powerful tool, but it cannot replace the emotional resonance that only a person can provide. Brands that want to close the trust gap will need to be transparent about their use of AI and ensure that the human element remains central to their messaging. Otherwise, they risk pushing away the very people they are trying to reach.
(Source: The Next Web)
