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# Bench Media finds 38% of marketers sign off AI strategy unchecked
- URL: https://www.promptthemarket.com/bench-media-finds-marketers-sign-off-ai-strategy-unchecked/
- Published: 2026-10-12T07:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-12T07:00:00.000Z
- Description: Bench Media's survey of 71 senior Australian marketing leaders also found AI now outranks their own experience as an influence, with agencies near the bottom at 8%.
- Author: Editor News
- Tags: Marketing, Research, Australia, Bench Media, #author-xaviery-malinao

By **Xaviery Malinao** · 2026-10-12

TLDR

A Bench Media survey found 38% of senior Australian marketers accept AI-generated strategic recommendations without human review, rising to 45% for budget and creative decisions. AI ranks as the single biggest influence on marketing decisions at 23%, with agencies last at 8%. Bench Media sells media planning, and the 71-person sample is directional.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

0138% of senior Australian marketers accept AI strategic recommendations without any human review, per Bench Media.

02AI ranks first among decision influences at 23%, ahead of data at 21% and experience at 20%.

03Leaders with budgets over $20 million are about twice as likely to rely on AI for calculated risks.

04Agencies rank second last among influences at 8%, above only peers.

05Most leaders, 59%, still back their own judgement when AI disagrees.

More than a third of senior Australian marketers accept AI-generated strategy recommendations without anyone checking them, a survey by media agency Bench Media has found.[\[1\]](https://benchmedia.com/the-confidence-equation-report/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

The Confidence Equation report polled 71 senior client-side marketing leaders, mostly chief marketing officers and marketing directors. It found 38% take AI strategy recommendations without human review, rising to 45% for budget recommendations and creative concepts.[\[2\]](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/ai-top-influence-on-senior-marketing-leaders-confidence-research-finds?ref=promptthemarket.com)

Bench describes its segment-level findings as directional, and it sells media planning services, so the numbers are a vendor's.[\[3\]](https://mumbrella.com.au/bench-media-survey-reports-90-of-marketers-find-decision-making-easier-940432?ref=promptthemarket.com)

## AI now outranks experience

Asked to weigh what shapes their confidence, the leaders put AI first at 23%, just ahead of data at 21% and their own experience at 20%. Agencies came second last at 8%, above only peers at 6%.[\[2\]](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/ai-top-influence-on-senior-marketing-leaders-confidence-research-finds?ref=promptthemarket.com)

Bigger budgets lean on it harder. Among leaders managing more than $20 million, 51% said AI is the input they rely on most when deciding whether to take a calculated risk, against 24% of those with smaller budgets.[\[2\]](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/ai-top-influence-on-senior-marketing-leaders-confidence-research-finds?ref=promptthemarket.com)

Most still keep the final say. When an AI recommendation conflicts with their own view, 59% said they back their own judgement.[\[2\]](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/ai-top-influence-on-senior-marketing-leaders-confidence-research-finds?ref=promptthemarket.com)

"Ultimately, confidence comes from knowing when to trust the technology, and when to trust yourself," said Michelle Wee, general manager of marketing at Hisense.[\[1\]](https://benchmedia.com/the-confidence-equation-report/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

"There still needs to be a human in the loop," said Emma Fogarty, head of marketing and category at nudie Foods.[\[2\]](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/ai-top-influence-on-senior-marketing-leaders-confidence-research-finds?ref=promptthemarket.com)

## Confidence has climbed fast

Ninety per cent of the leaders said decision-making had become easier over the past year, and 48% said AI had made them more confident.[\[3\]](https://mumbrella.com.au/bench-media-survey-reports-90-of-marketers-find-decision-making-easier-940432?ref=promptthemarket.com)

Eleven months ago the mood was shakier. MiQ's AI Confidence Curve study of 3,169 marketers in 16 countries found 75% of Australian marketers planned to use AI more over the following year, but only half were fully confident in their AI knowledge.[\[4\]](https://www.bandt.com.au/miq-report-reveals-gap-between-ai-usage-readiness-in-advertising/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

"There is still a long way to go to close that gap," MiQ ANZ managing director Fiona Roberts said at the time.[\[4\]](https://www.bandt.com.au/miq-report-reveals-gap-between-ai-usage-readiness-in-advertising/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

SOURCES & CITATIONS

1. [Bench Media: The Confidence Equation](https://benchmedia.com/the-confidence-equation-report/?ref=promptthemarket.com)
2. [Mediaweek: AI is the top influence on senior marketing leaders' confidence (11 October 2026)](https://www.mediaweek.com.au/ai-top-influence-on-senior-marketing-leaders-confidence-research-finds?ref=promptthemarket.com)
3. [Mumbrella: Bench Media survey reports 90% of marketers find decision-making easier](https://mumbrella.com.au/bench-media-survey-reports-90-of-marketers-find-decision-making-easier-940432?ref=promptthemarket.com)
4. [B&T: MiQ report reveals gap between AI usage and readiness (12 November 2025)](https://www.bandt.com.au/miq-report-reveals-gap-between-ai-usage-readiness-in-advertising/?ref=promptthemarket.com)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What did the Bench Media Confidence Equation report find about AI oversight?

The report, drawing on a survey of 71 senior Australian marketing leaders, found that 38% accept AI-generated strategic recommendations without any human review. That rate rises to 45% for budget and creative recommendations.

How does AI rank against other influences on marketing decisions in Australia?

According to the Bench Media report, AI ranks first at 23%, ahead of data (21%), professional experience (20%), internal leadership (11%), industry conversation (11%), agencies (8%) and peers (6%).

Does budget size affect how much Australian marketers rely on AI?

Yes. The Bench Media report found that 51% of marketers with budgets above $20 million rely on AI for calculated risks, compared with 24% of those managing budgets under $20 million.

What did MiQ's global AI study find?

MiQ's AI Confidence Curve study, published in November 2025, found 75% of Australian marketers planned to use AI more, but only half were fully confident in their AI knowledge.

[Xaviery Malinao](https://www.promptthemarket.com/xaviery-malinao/)

Xaviery Malinao writes for Prompt the Market on how brands and agencies are adapting to answer engines, drawing on Bushnote's work with clients across search, AI search and content.