Effects of AI on the advertising industry

Status quo and outlook up to 2030

The advertising and communications industry in Germany is undergoing profound change as a result of artificial intelligence (AI). Technologies such as generative AI (such as text and image generators à la ChatGPT, Elevenlabs, or Midjourney), programmatic advertising (automated media buying) and chatbots (and virtual avatars - see also delphi) for customer interaction are increasingly shaping the everyday lives of marketing departments and agencies. German companies invested around 30.9 billion euros in digital marketing in 2024; the sector employs around 268,000 people. At the same time, openness to AI is increasing sharply: 57% of companies are now involved in AI and 20% are already using AI in practice. Against this background, this article examines the current impact of AI on the advertising industry and dares a data-based outlook up to 2030, focusing on generative AI, programmatic advertising and chatbots — and in particular the consequences for job profiles as well as fees, salaries and compensation models in agencies and marketing departments. The aim of this article is to provide decision makers on the corporate and agency side with a well-founded picture of the transformation process.

AI in advertising (2025)

Artificial intelligence arrived in marketing in 2025. AI applications are already part of everyday life in many areas of advertising. language models such as ChatGPT, Midjourney or Runway are used for automated content creation (texts, images, videos, music). We are in a phase of un-hobbling (task-specific, holistic AI solutions) which makes the use of AI tools even easier and therefore accessible to an even larger group of users. Programmatic advertising — the automated, data-driven purchase and sale of advertising space — has already established itself as a new standard over the last few years and generated around 74% of total display advertising revenue (approx. €4.54 billion) through automated bookings. Chatbots have also spread: 35% of German companies already use chatbots to automatically answer customer inquiries. Through providers such as Heygen or delphi Virtual, personalized avatars are now also finding their way into this area and making interaction with chatbots even more attractive for users. We are at the beginning of a new generation of AI Companions, which will lead to serious changes in the communication of brands, influencers, companies... These examples show that AI is already supporting key marketing tasks today and will take on even more in the future — from creation to media planning to customer dialogue.

At the same time, the demands placed on skilled workers are changing. According to a Bitkom analysis, around 8% of all marketing job postings already explicitly require AI skills. In particular, demand concerns specialists who have mastered AI tools and can make use of their benefits. New professional profiles are emerging — such as AI trainers or data ethicists. However, traditional skills such as creativity, marketing expertise, and strategy remain important and are being complemented rather than replaced by AI. Overall, the current wave of AI is making a leap in quality in efficiency and personalization, but at the same time requires companies and agencies to train employees and rethink work processes.

Generative AI

Automation in creation and content production Generative AI — i.e. AI systems that generate content independently — is evolving creative work in advertising and marketing. Modern text generators (such as GPT models) can formulate hundreds of headlines, advertising texts, product descriptions or social media posts in seconds. Image and video generators (e.g. Sora, Midjourney, Runway) create campaign motifs or design variants at the push of a button. German agencies and marketing departments are already using such tools pragmatically to generate initial drafts and ideas. And since 2024, we have even been able to see commercials produced entirely with AI in Germany (see e.g. vodafone or Lacalut).

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It is also interesting that the renowned agency Jung von Matt with JvM Stables developed its own generative AI model, which was trained with 30 years of agency creativity and performs routine design tasks. This gives creative teams more time for conceptual work and quality assurance, while the AI system personalizes and scales image variants, for example.

The effects on creative job profiles are ambivalent. Copywriters are now using AI as an assistant that provides suggestions and raw texts. Her role is shifting to curating, editing, and fine-tuning the content delivered by AI. Image AI gives graphic designers and art directors a wealth of visualization options and focus more on concept development and the final selection/processing of AI outputs. However, this characteristic also means that the jobs of today's copywriters and graphic designers require a significantly higher level of experience to perform the new tasks. In summary, although there was initially skepticism as to whether AI was creative enough for emotionally appealing advertising, these reservations are noticeably diminishing. As the quality of the models increases, agencies and advertisers see AI as a creative partner grows.

Programmatic advertising: Automated media buying through AI In the area of media planning and purchasing, AI has already gained a massive foothold, especially through programmatic advertising. Programmatic advertising refers to automated, data-driven trading with advertising spaces in real time, often using AI algorithms, which address the ideal user with the appropriate ad at the ideal time. In Germany, over 70% of online display ads are controlled programmatically — and the trend is rising. AI-based campaign management tools optimize budgets across channels in real time and take on tasks that were previously carried out manually by media consultants.

For media and marketing professionals, this means a significant change in their job profile. Today, traditional media bookers must primarily be data analysts and technology experts. Routine tasks such as bookings, price negotiations or placement decisions are carried out by AI systems. Instead, the focus is shifting to strategy: target group analysis, selection of the right channels and platforms, and the definition of rules according to which algorithms optimize.

Chatbots and AI in customer dialogue Chatbots and conversational AI systems have taken on a firm place in customer service and marketing in recent years. Consumers are increasingly meeting virtual assistants on websites, in online shops or on social media sites who answer questions or help with product selection. In Germany, every third company is already using chatbots to answer customer inquiries automatically — and the trend is rising. These bots can be available 24/7, respond instantly, and cover a wide range of standard concerns.

On the job side, the chatbot trend is primarily influencing roles in customer service and sales. Simple inquiries that used to be answered by call center employees or community managers are now handled by AI. However, human tasks are shifting rather than completely omitted: Human agents now primarily handle complex or escalated cases. In addition, the new field of “conversation design” is emerging — specialists design the dialogue trees, tonality and personality of chatbots. It remains to be seen to what extent the new development of virtual avatars (see Delphi or Heygen and AI Companions) will result in these bots taking on even more tasks or even new tasks (consulting).

Effects on job profiles and labor market

The examples in creation, media and customer dialogue make it clear that AI is changing the working world of advertising. Existing job profiles are changing significantly in some cases and new roles are being created. Overall, there is a shift away from routine tasks towards higher-value activities: Human work is more focused on strategy, creativity, empathy and the control of AI systems.

Changing fees, salaries and compensation models With the change in tasks and processes, companies and agencies are faced with the question of appropriate remuneration for services in the AI-supported advertising world. Traditionally, agency fees are often based on hourly or daily rates or flat project fees. Generative AI and automation could turn these calculations on their head. Some industry experts are therefore discussing whether lump sum payments (valuebased compensation or payment for performance) are becoming more important again. Subscription and licensing models are being created at the same time.

There is a differentiating trend for employee salaries in advertising. Highly qualified profiles in the AI/tech sector can demand significantly higher salaries than traditional marketing roles. Creatives and consultants without specialist AI knowledge, on the other hand, will hardly experience salary jumps from AI alone. Cultural change and a new self-image of creative people

With the advent of AI technologies, there is not only a technical but also a profound cultural change in the advertising industry. The traditional self-image of creative people — as originators of brilliant ideas — is increasingly being supplemented by the interplay with machine creativity. The “Creative Genius” becomes a “Creative Curator”, which not only uses AI results but also orchestrates them. This change requires new ways of thinking and is changing the psychographic profile of many roles: Instead of just being original, the ability to interact with AI tools, to direct them and in doing so take responsibility for ethics, brand values and impact is becoming increasingly important. The requirements for reflectivity, digital curiosity and systemic thinking are increasing. For many creative people, this also means an emotional change — from pride in their “own handwriting” to the ability to see hybrid work with AI as a productive extension of their own expression. At the same time, a new elite is emerging: those who embody both creative and technological excellence. The change therefore also affects agency cultures, where collaboration across disciplines, openness to experiments and a learning, less hierarchical attitude are becoming a survival factor in an increasingly AI-influenced industry.

Outlook up to 2030

With a view to 2030, it is expected that AI will become an integral part of the advertising industry. Many applications that are currently still experimental will be mature and self-evident. Generative AI is likely to have a firm place in the creative process. Programmatic advertising will continue to dominate the media business. Chatbots and conversational AI in general will be much more intelligent and humanly similar in 2030 than they are today.

What has not yet been considered in detail here is how the emerging dominance of AI agents from 2026 will once again have a strong impact on the advertising industry. It can be assumed that as a result, we will see even more AI and even more specialized but also less humane experts in the industry.

Overall, however, it can be said that AI will enable productivity gains and new creative opportunities for the advertising industry, and will continue to trigger very strong, disruptive changes in working methods.

conclusion

The ongoing penetration of the advertising industry with AI is bringing significant changes — from campaign design to media management to customer communication. Germany is faced with the task of using this transformation productively in order to remain internationally competitive. The latest management report shows: AI is already a growth factor and is changing qualification requirements. By 2030, this trend is likely to intensify. Job profiles are changing, but there are also new opportunities for those who adapt. Agencies and marketing departments are well advised to see AI as a tool that increases human creativity and efficiency — not as a substitute for human ideas. Remuneration systems and work models will have to adapt so that value creation remains fairly distributed when machines do some of the work.

The bottom line is that AI gives advertising the opportunity to become more relevant, personalized and effective. Consumers receive better-tailored messages, companies achieve greater efficiency and reach. However, the change requires vision: Anyone who gains experience early on, establishes ethical guidelines and keeps their organization agile will play a leading role in tomorrow's AI-supported advertising world. The coming years — no months — are a design phase in which it will be decided how well companies bring people and AI together in advertising.

The future of advertising is hybrid — an intelligent symbiosis of creative, collective genius and artificial intelligence.

List of sources

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Bitkom. (2025). The value proposition of digital marketing in Germany. Press release dated January 23, 2025. https://www.bitkom.org/Presse/Presseinformation/Digitales-Marketing-30-Milliarden-Euro

BVDW — Federal Association of Digital Economy. (2024). DMEXCO trend barometer 2024: The future of media agencies. https://www.bvdw.org

FAZ. (2025, January 3). How the use of AI is changing the job market. Holger Schmidt. https://www.faz.net

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Young from Matt. (2023). jvM Stables: Our own generative AI model. Agency case study. https://www.jvm.com

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The Observatory International. (2024). Compensation models in transition: How AI is forcing new models. Speech by Franziska von Lewinski (W&V conference, 2024).

Statista. (2024). Forecast of the advertising market in Germany up to 2030 — Segment: Digital advertising. https://www.statista.com/statistics/791943

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Delphi.ai /Heygen. (2024). AI Companions and Virtual Avatars in Marketing. Market overview & white paper. https://www.heygen.com / https://www.delphi.ai

Business Week. (2023). AI doesn't replace people — but it does replace those who don't use AI. https://www.wiwo.de

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