The news: Despite the rise of artificial intelligence in advertising, marketers worldwide still overwhelmingly rely on user-generated content (UGC) for engaging audiences, per a new study from PhotoShelter.

• 78% of marketers worldwide described UGC as important to their social media strategy, with 36% describing UGC as “extremely important.”
• Meanwhile, only 28% of respondents described AI-generated content as important to their social media strategy, while a majority (72%) stated it was not at all important.

Authenticity wins: Marketers and audiences alike show an enduring preference for authenticity over AI content.

• While AI adoption is widespread—81% of marketers are using genAI—only 4% of marketers highly trust AI content. B2B buyers still rely on human validation, with 55% of these buyers stating that UGC is helpful, per a 2024 Demand Gen Report survey.
• Meanwhile, over half (54%) of marketing decision-makers worldwide worry that overreliance on AI could erode the human creativity that makes ads connect with consumers.
• Audiences show a clear preference for authenticity over AI-generated ad content. Over 30% of US adults state that AI in ads make them less likely to choose a brand, while only 12% are more likely to buy from a brand that uses AI in advertising and 37% view brands using AI-powered advertising negatively.