After Futuri sounded an alarm about the growing use of artificial intelligence in Marketing Mix Modelling and how radio could be left behind, a new analysis by global marketing insight firm Ebquity is calling for a hybrid touch when it comes to AI in ad planning.
Inés Miranda, Group Director of Marketing Effectiveness at Ebiquity Iberia, underscores the limitations of AI-generated models, particularly when those models lack real-world business context. She writes about how AI can rapidly simulate “what-if” scenarios and parse thousands of data points to forecast campaign outcomes, but it still can’t understand the emotional or strategic nuance behind why consumers respond.
“AI hasn’t attended your marketing meetings,” Miranda says. “It doesn’t know that your product launch was delayed or that your competitor just slashed prices.”
As mentioned by Futuri, that lack of context creates a critical vulnerability for radio. AI models favor data-rich platforms, often digital or video-first, where engagement metrics are standardized and abundant. Traditional media channels like AM/FM, where performance data is often harder to format or less visible to machines, may be penalized by default. And without human input to interpret that blind spot, radio’s exclusion becomes self-reinforcing.
While being devastating for broadcasters, this would also be a serious mistake for brands and advertisers. A 2024 study by Ebiquity and Gain Theory of $2.2 billion in MMM buys found audio delivers strong returns, with every $1 spent generating $3.12 in profit in 13 weeks and $6.29 over two years.
Some large language model tools already show signs of this shift, generating media plans that favor video and programmatic placements while ignoring audio entirely. The risk isn’t just academic – it’s commercial. If key decision-making tools fail to include radio, brands could be led away from a proven, high-trust medium with unique local and emotional resonance.
Miranda, who also states the positive effects of AI use are undeniable, argues for a hybrid approach: human analysts working alongside AI systems to validate, contextualize, and guide decisions. “Modellers who master AI gain speed,” she writes. “Those who understand its limits gain trust.”
As AI reshapes media planning, the path forward isn’t full automation – it’s collaboration. And for radio to stay in the mix, humans need to stay in the marketing loop.
