{
  "id": 253647,
  "title": "UK SMBs are increasingly turning to AI for their ads — and many consider it their secret weapon for expansion",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/uk-smbs-are-increasingly-turning-to-ai-for-their-ads-and-many",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T06:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/pro/uk-smbs-are-increasingly-turning-to-ai-for-their-ads-and-many-consider-it-their-secret-weapon-for-expansion"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent survey by Amazon Ads reveals that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the UK are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for their advertising efforts on streaming TV platforms. According to the poll of 4,100 respondents across 14 countries, 73% of UK SMBs find AI advertising tools make streaming TV an affordable and accessible platform for their promotional messaging.\n\nThe shift towards AI-powered advertising stems from the cost barrier that once hindered access to streaming TV, which was the primary hurdle for SMBs three years ago. Now, 54% of SMBs interested in TV advertising see AI tools as crucial for reaching new audiences and boosting brand awareness. Moreover, 68% of UK SMBs have reported that AI advertising has supported their growth, while 52% believe it has facilitated expansion into other countries.\n\nWith 88% of SMBs planning to use AI for creating adverts and 74% aiming to utilize the technology for streaming ads, a clear trend is emerging. Notably, 45% of surveyed businesses intend to employ AI for competitor analysis in the future. This growing confidence in AI's capabilities has been highlighted by Cyril Clerget, General Manager of Global SMB Advertising at Amazon Ads, who noted that SMBs are now viewing cross-border campaigns as more accessible than they were just three years ago.\n\nThe survey underscores the potential of AI as a game-changing tool for SMBs seeking to remain competitive in the future, with affordable AI solutions proving attractive for those wishing to tap into the streaming TV advertising market.",
  "summary": "A recent survey by Amazon Ads has revealed that 37% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the UK believe that AI-powered advertising tools are their secret weapon for expansion, particularly in the realm of cross-border campaigns. The survey, which polled 4,100 respondents across 14 countries, found that AI advertising tools have made streaming TV an affordable and accessible platform for SMBs, with nearly three-quarters (73%) of UK SMBs reporting that AI has made streaming TV advertising more accessible. The study also noted that 68% of UK SMBs found AI advertising to have supported growth, while 52% highlighted its role in expanding into other countries. With 88% of SMBs planning to use AI for creating adverts and 74% aiming to use the technology for streaming ads, AI appears to be paving the way for a more competitive future in the advertising landscape.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}