• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, March 5, 2026

Brand ads perform well next to AI content, although consumers are getting more unsure of what is real or AI-generated.

In fact, 32% of people mistakenly believe human-created content is AI-powered, according to “AI Slop or Not? Navigating the Risks and Opportunities of Ad Adjacency to AI-Generated Content,” a study conducted by OM Media Trials, a team within Omnicom Media, and Zefr.

Moreover, 81% of people say there is at least one type of AI-generated content that is inappropriate for brands to appear next to, whether sexual or involving public figures. 

When this happens, responsibility is shared by brands, platforms and content creators.

The study also found that consumers in Canada are more sensitive to brand adjacency than those in the U.S.

Certainly, this confusion is not doing publishers any good.

“AI content is rapidly becoming unavoidable for advertisers, but treating all AI as a single risk category is both inaccurate and limiting,” says Jon Morra, chief AI officer Zefr. “This research shows that some AI environments can drive positive brand outcomes, while others introduce real brand risk. The difference lies in the type of AI content and how it aligns with brand values.”

AI-generated content is not inherently harmful for brands, especially when it consists of satire, humorous youth depictions and creative expression, the study notes. However, negative outcomes tend to be associated with spam-like or misleading AI content and uncertain environments.  

Kara Manatt, executive vice president of intelligence solutions at OM Media Trials, argues that “AI content is only going to become more prevalent in the months and years ahead. “The solution is not to shut off an entire category of content, but to give brand the control and intelligence to align with the right AI environments,, and avoid the ones that create risk.”