- New research from Amazon Ads shows that 79% of Canadian small and medium-sized business (SMB) marketing leaders believe AI advertising tools will drive future growth by freeing up time for strategic business priorities.
- SMBs estimate they could save 4.4 hours per week – equivalent to about 30 working days annually – using AI to create and manage advertising campaigns.
- While over half of SMBs are currently using or testing AI tools, 49% admitted feeling overwhelmed by the number of AI advertising tools available, and 47% didn’t know where to start.
New research from Amazon Ads reveals that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across Canada are bullish about the future impact of AI in advertising on their business. The research shows that 79% of SMB marketing leaders believe that AI in advertising will help support future growth by creating more time for strategic business priorities. The study also found that 59% of SMBs are already either using or actively testing AI tools for advertising purposes. However, many face challenges in implementation, with approximately half feeling overwhelmed by the number of tools available and others eager to adopt AI in advertising but uncertain how to begin.
Unlocking future growth
SMB marketing leaders estimate they could save approximately 4.4 hours each week—about 30 working days annually—by implementing AI tools to create and manage their advertising campaigns. They plan to use this time to drive business growth in various ways: 31% intend to focus more on sales activities, 21% on developing team skills, and 23% on exploring new marketplaces and channels they previously lacked time to pursue.
SMBs also expect a 24% reduction in advertising costs over the next year thanks to AI-enabled efficiencies through reduced time on data analysis (32%), better predicted campaign performance (20%), improved campaign reporting and optimization (22%) and media planning support (18%).
AI in advertising today
Of the 59% of SMB marketing leaders currently using or testing AI advertising tools, many are already seeing tangible benefits. The study also found that SMBs expect to experience additional benefits to their advertising campaigns in the future, including improved audience reach (42%), accelerated creative content generation (47%), and automation of repetitive advertising operations (30%).
“Getting lifestyle photography can be a big investment as a small brand. Having product shots that we can use on Amazon and then using Gen AI to create different lifestyle images is just so much more cost effective. And since you really don’t know what’s going to resonate, the faster you can iterate, the better.” said Don Thompson, Founder of Beacon Commerce Canada, Amazon Ads’ Rising Star in Canada.
Confidence gaps remain
Despite widespread use and testing of AI tools, confidence isn’t universal among SMBs. The study found that nearly half (49%) of marketing leaders feel overwhelmed by the number of tools available, 47% are excited about AI in advertising but don’t know where to start, and 40% admitted feeling like they’re “faking it” when using AI—highlighting the need for easy-to-use advertising solutions that can be adopted without technical expertise or a steep learning curve.
Control still matters
Despite these implementation challenges, SMBs have a clear vision of how AI best fits into their advertising strategy. The research shows that SMBs want to preserve human involvement in key decisions, particularly final creative approval (51%), budget allocation (44%), and understanding cultural and emotional context (36%). This balanced perspective indicates that SMBs see AI as a powerful assistant that complements rather than replaces human expertise and judgment.
“We know that time is one of the most valuable resources for SMBs, and every hour saved can be reinvested in developing new ideas or strengthening customer ties,” said Uri Gorodzinsky, Managing Director, Amazon Ads Canada. “That’s why we’ve built AI capabilities into advertising tools that are intuitive and easy to use, helping SMBs produce high-quality ads quickly, freeing up time to focus on growth.”
Methodology
The research was commissioned by Amazon Ads and conducted by Opinium, among a sample of 300 B2C marketing decision makers from SMEs in Canada as part of a wider survey that included 4,100 respondents across 14 countries.
The research also includes a cross-section of industries, from goods & manufacturing, commerce & retail, to education and culture.
The data was collected between 12th June 2025 and 23rd June 2025.
About Amazon Ads
Amazon Ads works with SMBs as a strategic partner helping them to move from experimentation to confident, long-term AI use. More about Amazon’s AI tools and support.
Amazon Ads offers full-funnel advertising solutions to help businesses of all sizes achieve their marketing goals at scale. Amazon Ads connects advertisers to highly relevant audiences through first-party insights; extensive reach across premium content like Prime Video, Twitch, and third-party publishers; the ability to connect and directly measure campaign tactics across awareness, consideration, and conversion; and generative AI to deliver appropriate creative at each step.
Source: Amazon Ads
