76% of Advertisers See AI Uplifts, 86% Will Shift 25% Budgets to Open Web
TBLA•Taboola’s study finds 76% of advertisers see AI-driven uplifts on search and social, and 86% would shift up to 25% of budgets to the open web if similar agentic AI existed. However, 74% of advertisers spending $1M–$4.9M monthly cite integration as a barrier, leading Taboola to launch its Realize+ beta.
1. Study Findings on AI Performance
Taboola’s recent survey of 200 senior performance marketers shows 76% achieved meaningful performance gains from agentic AI on search and social platforms. The research also found that 86% of respondents would reallocate up to 25% of their advertising budgets to the open web if they had access to comparable AI-driven solutions outside walled gardens.
2. Integration Barrier Among Large Advertisers
While smaller advertisers report few obstacles, 74% of companies spending $1M–$4.9M per month identify integration into existing workflows as their primary challenge. This disparity highlights the need for seamless deployment and support when scaling agentic AI across larger marketing operations.
3. Realize+ Beta Launch
In response, Taboola launched the Realize+ beta in April 2026, an agentic AI system featuring a Decision Engine for real-time spend reallocation and an Element Generator for automated creative and targeting. The beta aims to enable advertisers to drive outcomes at scale by extending AI-powered performance beyond search and social channels.
