It’s undeniable that AI is playing an increasingly significant role in media buying, even as marketers push back, delay, and attempt to negotiate control every step of the way.
And who can blame them? The discomfort of relinquishing control to AI—whether through Google’s Performance Max or Meta’s Advantage+, both of which promise streamlined media buying—has been gnawing at them for some time.
Marketers have long feared that these AI-driven platforms are distancing them from understanding exactly what they’re paying for. Back in December, media buyers voiced those concerns to Digiday. Now, it appears they’re finally taking action.
One such example comes as an audience curation firm. John Davis, the company’s director of audience development, shared that one of their clients has slashed its Google ad spend by 50%, most of which had been allocated to Performance Max, shifting half of that budget to the open web. However, no specific figures were disclosed regarding the total ad spend.
While some of this shift stems from Performance Max reaching a saturation point—where additional investment results in diminishing returns—Davis noted that these concerns would have been easier to overlook had the platform’s AI instilled greater confidence.
“I have clients who’ve transitioned out of Performance Max completely, moving instead to a mix of Google ads, search campaigns, and campaigns beyond the walled garden—leveraging display, online video, and connected TV,” Davis explained. “I’d even expect to be able to cut a Facebook budget in half as well.”
Sara Kerr, associate media director at ZGM Modern Marketing Partners, echoed a similar sentiment.
“I had one client whose Performance Max CPM was nearly identical to their search CPM, so I cut their PMax spend in half,” she said. “Right now, we’re onboarding a client with a massive spend in Performance Max, and I’m immediately concerned. It’s going to be a tough conversation.”
These concerns aren’t new. The long-standing lack of transparency—regarding ad placements, performance metrics, and whether returns justify the investment—has always been a point of contention. But what’s changed is that those lingering doubts are now leading to action. Marketers are starting to realize that these AI-driven solutions may not be as efficient as they were made out to be.
At best, this results in wasted budget; at worst, it means relinquishing control over an entire media strategy.
“Some days, Google’s Performance Max might spend almost nothing, and then suddenly spend double or even triple the budget. I’ve seen it happen,” Kerr added. “For instance, I noticed a CPM spike even though I was certain it was only running in search. Google really needs to allow advertisers to see where all their placements are running.”
Concerns over control and transparency only intensified and revealed that ads had been served alongside child exploitation content—a stark reminder of the risks that arise when marketers lose visibility over their campaigns.
“In the marketing and media space right now, there’s already a trust deficit,” said Mary Ann Pruitt, president and CEO of Mosaic Media. “Advertisers are questioning where their ads are showing up. On top of that, Google and Meta will likely face new legislation and regulations. All of these factors are fueling an already-existing baseline of distrust.”
Still, it’s hard to say whether this pushback signals a real shift or just another temporary stall tactic. Platforms don’t operate at the whims of advertisers—they set the rules, and everyone else reacts. That won’t change unless marketers start walking away from these AI-powered solutions altogether. And based on the numbers, that’s not happening anytime soon.
Meta, for example, reported in its Q4 2024 earnings that Advantage+ had surpassed a $20 billion annual run rate, marking 70% year-over-year growth.
Meanwhile, although Alphabet didn’t specifically highlight Performance Max’s financial performance, a report from Tinuiti indicated that over 95% of retail advertisers running shopping ads had adopted PMax. Additionally, PMax accounted for 69% of shopping ad spend for the median retailer during Q4 2024, per the same report.
Perhaps this is just another futile attempt by marketers to claw back even a sliver of control from these platforms. Time will tell. “Their [Google’s] typical response is ‘give it time’ and trust us to handle your advertising with our AI,” said TJ Kropp, head of search at Ramp97.
“But when campaign performance dips using their AI black box, there’s no explanation. The lack of transparency in reproducing or improving results is a major deterrent. It forces us to rely on ‘traditional,’ controllable methods that drive optimal outcomes.”
Maybe this resistance is doomed to fail, but one thing is already clear: a creeping sense of regret is settling over the industry. Marketers may be investing in tools that deliver results, but there’s an underlying feeling that they might have had better options if they had played their cards differently.
That’s the real sting—not outright failure, but the nagging suspicion that they settled too soon. Perhaps this pushback isn’t just about the platforms—it’s about marketers confronting their own uneasy compromises.
“Many marketers are already comfortable spending millions on non-AI-powered black boxes—connected TV being a prime example,” said Brian Leder, founder and president of Ramp97. “For those who have accepted non-transparent environments, we can only hope there’s no further surrender to this default approach to advertising.”
A Google spokesperson acknowledged advertisers’ concerns and emphasized that Performance Max is designed to support diverse business goals. They highlighted recent updates—such as asset-level reporting and impression share metrics—driven by user feedback.
The spokesperson also pointed to tools for budget management, placement transparency, and strict policies to ensure brand safety, particularly around age-sensitive content.
Additionally, in response to this article, a Meta spokesperson told: “The vast majority of feedback we hear about Meta Advantage+ is overwhelmingly positive due to its proven ability to efficiently drive results at scale. Advertisers have the control to choose what ad tools they use and define the conversions they value most.”
