Generative AI use in the United States will reach 133 million people in 2026, or 39.2 percent of the population, up 9.8 percent from 121.1 million users in 2025, according to EMARKETER forecasts. The growth rate points to a market moving from rapid early adoption into steady mainstream expansion.

Marketer spending is tracking that curve. Some 79 percent of marketers plan to raise spending on generative AI creator content in 2026, up from 70 percent in 2023. Half of buy side marketers are scaling AI inside measurement workflows, with analytics teams leading internal adoption at 69 percent of organizations. Audience identification and segmentation ranks as the top AI application among brands and agencies.

Consumer sentiment has improved while reservations persist. Favorable views of generative AI reached 68 percent, up from 62 percent in 2024, and 75 percent among marketers. At the same time, 56 percent of internet users say AI makes online content less trustworthy, and 57 percent express concern about fake advertisements produced with the technology.

The governance gap is the widest number in the set. Only 37 percent of marketers include AI governance clauses in vendor contracts, leaving most organizations without formal safeguards on AI related vendor relationships. Roughly 60 percent of US advertising professionals cite accuracy and transparency concerns as the leading barrier to broader AI use in media campaigns. The IAB projects AI will unlock $26.3 billion in media investment through better targeting and measurement.

Source: EMARKETER - https://www.emarketer.com/content/faq-on-generative-ai--how-consumer-adoption-steering-marketing-2026