Key stat: 72% of Gen Z consumers in North America have taken action against a brand because of its AI-made marketing, according to a July survey from Rival Technologies.

Beyond the chart:

• Gen Z draws a clear line, though. Some 73% of Gen Z adults say it's unacceptable for brands to use AI to create people or voices in ads, but only 31% object to using it for brainstorming or early drafts, according to Bentley University-Gallup.
• And the backlash isn't limited to Gen Z. Some 44% of US adults go out of their way to shop with brands that don't use AI in their marketing, according to Talker Research for Auros.

Use this chart: Drop this into your next creative review before anyone ships AI-generated faces or voices to a Gen Z audience. Show it to leadership when gen AI cost savings come up, then point to brainstorming and early drafts as the places Gen Z still accepts AI.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• AI Can Make Creative—Can It Be Creative? (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Gen Z Digital Trends 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the August 2026 Rival Technologies report "The Gen Z AI Backlash: How Young Consumers Really Feel About AI in Marketing." 901 Gen Z consumers ages 18–29 from North America were surveyed during July 2026 through Rival Technologies’ proprietary panels. The sample included 466 respondents from the US and 435 from Canada. The survey had an 87% completion rate.