The data: Gen Z adults feel more negative about AI in ads than millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers, with 66% of those ages 18 to 29 viewing businesses’ use of AI in ad creation negatively, per the Bentley University-Gallup “2026 Business in Society Survey.” Half (51%) of adults ages 30 to 44, 38% of those 45 to 59, and 46% age 60 and older see it negatively.

Younger adults are also less accepting than older generations of all applications of AI in ads.

• Nearly three-quarters (73%) of adult Gen Zers call it unacceptable for businesses to use AI to create people or voices in ads.
• 60% find it unacceptable to create ads’ final text, image, or video with AI.
• 31% disapprove when brands use AI to brainstorm or create early ad drafts. That’s the only application a majority of Gen Z is okay with, though it still has the highest percentage of disagreement across generations.

Part of Gen Zers’ concern could come from their increasingly strong feelings about how the technology will affect them. In 2026, for the first time, the majority of adults under 30 (55%) are more concerned than excited about AI, per Pew Research. And 73% believe AI will lead to fewer jobs, up from 61% in 2024.

Zooming in: Gen Zers’ worries about AI in ads could also stem from being heavy users of social media, which may be feeding into greater skepticism. Nearly all (91.5%) of US Gen Zers will be social network users in 2026, per our forecast.

Younger consumers are frequently exposed to AI-generated content and voices, deepfakes, and AI-led misinformation on social media platforms. That familiarity could breed concern, leading them to question what’s authentic and when they’re being manipulated.

Why it matters: Marketers shouldn’t assume awareness of AI equates to acceptance—as younger consumers encounter AI more often, they could be more sensitive to how brands deploy it.

• Even if AI saves brands time or money, efficiencies may not be worth it if consumers see the resulting ad as deceptive or low-effort.
• Younger consumers are accustomed to ads that use creators’ language and personalities; synthetic people or voices could risk undermining the human connection that makes those formats effective.

Recommendations for brands: Using AI for audience optimization, personalization, or other behind-the scenes functions where it can accelerate production without removing human judgment and creativity may be the best path to retaining consumer trust, especially with younger generations.

• Focus on making AI additive, not substitutive, by identifying pain points in human-led work and using the technology to ease them rather than replacing full tasks outright.
• Maintain transparency about when AI is used, even when disclosure isn’t required, to avoid consumers feeling tricked.