A new large-scale academic study has added data-backed clarity to a debate long driven by hype: can AI truly match human creativity in advertising? According to research analyzing over 500 million ad impressions, the answer is yes – at least when it comes to performance.

Conducted using live campaign data from Taboola’s performance platform Realize, the study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from Columbia University, Harvard University, Technical University of Munich, and Carnegie Mellon University. By examining hundreds of thousands of ads that generated more than three million clicks, the researchers found that AI-generated ads performed on par with human-created campaigns in real-world environments.

Interestingly, AI ads even showed a slightly higher raw click-through rate (0.76%) compared to human-made ads (0.65%). Once statistical controls were applied, performance levels evened out – suggesting that AI can now scale creative output without compromising effectiveness. The key differentiator, however, was how human the ads felt. AI creatives that leaned into human cues, especially clear, visible human faces, consistently delivered stronger engagement than ads that looked overtly artificial.

The study also found no negative impact on downstream conversions, easing advertiser concerns about quality loss when using AI at scale. Early adoption has been strongest in categories like food and drink and personal finance, where speed and volume matter.

Using a “sibling ads” methodology – comparing AI and human creatives from the same campaign on the same day – the research isolated creative origin as the true variable. The takeaway is clear: AI is no longer a shortcut, but a competitive creative partner, reshaping how advertising is produced, tested, and scaled.