- Nearly 87% of Indian SMBs say AI has enabled access to new advertising channels like streaming TV
- 75% of surveyed SMBs report AI-enabled advertising has supported their business growth
- 68% of respondents state AI tools have increased creativity in their marketing efforts
Nearly 87% of small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India believe that artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled them to access advertising opportunities, such as streaming TV, that previously felt out of reach, according to a study by Amazon Ads.
The research, released on Thursday, noted that 75% of surveyed Indian SMBs stated that AI-enabled advertising has supported their business growth.
Additionally, 68% of respondents said that AI tools have unlocked greater creativity in their marketing efforts.
“We are seeing Indian SMBs approach advertising with a confidence we have not seen before. The share of Amazon advertisers using AI-powered tools in India has grown by 77% year over year, with SMBs generating 62% more ad creatives with those tools in Q1 2026 over last year,” said Kapil Sharma, Director of Amazon Ads India.
“Today, AI-powered tools are opening up channels like streaming TV that once felt reserved for big brands with big budgets. It is exciting to see SMBs writing their own growth stories and at Amazon Ads, we are focused on innovating on their behalf to offer self-service solutions built to help businesses of all sizes,” he said.
ALSO READ: FPI Ownership In NSE-Listed Companies Falls To 17-Year Low Of 15.1%; DII Extends 7-Quarter Lead
The study found that three years ago, barriers such as high costs (48%), minimum spend requirements (39%), and planning complexity (36%) kept many SMBs away from streaming TV. Today, 62 per cent of those interested in the medium say it helps them reach new audiences, while 59 per cent say it can increase brand awareness.
AI is also facilitating international trade for Indian sellers. According to the report, 56% of respondents who found cross-border campaigns inaccessible three years ago now say they are more accessible due to AI-powered tools.
Furthermore, 59% of businesses said AI has supported their expansion into new countries.
However, the report emphasised that human oversight remains critical. Only 2% of SMBs reported using fully automated decision-making without human review. Business owners remain the final decision-makers for 40% of respondents, followed by AI tools with human review at 32%.
The research surveyed 300 B2C marketing decision-makers from SMEs in India as part of a larger global study involving 4,100 respondents across 14 countries.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.