A new study warns that excessive reliance on artificial intelligence in radio advertising is undermining effectiveness. Research by yaman.AI, conducted from February through July 2025 across 108 rated markets, found that more than 60% of locally-produced commercials failed to meet baseline effectiveness standards, raising concerns about creativity being sidelined in favor of automation.
The study showed only 39% of ads scored at least 8 on a 10-point scale measuring emotional impact, brand recall, clarity, and call-to-action strength. Researchers consider this threshold the dividing line between filler content and messaging that produces results. By category, legal spots performed worst at an average score of 4.0, while automotive and retail reached 5.0. Home improvement ads scored 6.0, and healthcare led with 7.0, but even the top category fell short more than half the time.
The report pointed to a growing trend of stations shifting creative duties to sales departments, eliminating trained writers and producers. Instead of using AI to enhance the creative process, many operators are relying on it as a wholesale replacement, driven by cost-cutting pressures. This shift, the study argues, may explain the widespread underperformance.
yaman.AI founder Yaman Coskun urged stations to rethink their approach. “As radio stations nationwide grapple with AI adoption in creative departments, we’re seeing a troubling trend in commercial quality. AI is not an excuse to fire people – it’s a revolution to empower them,” he said.
Coskun emphasized that radio’s core advantage remains emotional resonance, something AI alone cannot deliver. “Radio’s emotional power is built by humans for humans. The low-hanging fruit is enhancing creative by equipping human talent with AI – not replacing them.”
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