Written by George Crosby, Director – Paid Search

Fresh from Dublin this week, the Google Partner Summit put AI centre stage; not just as a buzzword, but as the driving force behind marketing’s next major transformation. While Google’s “all-in” investment in AI is no surprise, the conversations on the ground went far beyond familiar stats and hype. What emerged were three critical themes: the struggle to scale, the technologies that matter most, and the irreplaceable value of human judgement in an AI-driven world.

Scaling AI: from proof of concept to progress

AI is no longer a pilot project. The best advertisers are scaling its use across campaigns and channels. Yet a BCG/Google study revealed that 74% of companies remain stuck in proof-of-concept, unable to turn potential into performance. 

The reasons, Google suggested, are often structural or mindset-driven: 

• Misunderstood business value. AI is still too often viewed as a silver bullet for efficiency, not as a growth enabler. 
• Underestimated costs. The investment to scale AI properly (in infrastructure, people and process) is higher than many anticipate. 
• Fragmented teams. Misalignment between data, tech and governance slows down implementation. 
• No clear rollout plan. Advertisers have focused on “getting AI on the board” rather than embedding it in long-term strategy. 

Fixing these issues isn’t just about tech integration. It’s about clarity of purpose and cultural change. As Google noted, AI strategy starts with business strategy, not the other way round. 

The mindset challenge: FOMO, FOMU, FOMA 

Beyond structure, Google outlined three common AI mindsets that influence adoption (see their piece here for more depth): 

• FOMO – Fear of Missing Out: Rapid adoption without clear strategy, fuelled by competitive pressure. 
• FOMU – Fear of Messing Up: Over-cautious teams paralysed by risk, often slowed down by governance or legal barriers. 
• FOMA – Focus on Maximising Advantage: The ideal state. Proactive, experimental, and hands-on, with AI treated as a creative and analytical partner rather than a threat. 

Most organisations will recognise a mix of all three. But cultivating a FOMA mindset, i.e. being bold enough to test and iterate responsibly, is key to turning AI from experiment into advantage. 

Google’s “big bets” for advertisers 

This year’s Summit highlighted four focus areas in Google’s AI roadmap (the products most likely to shape activation over the next 12 months): 

AI Max 

Google’s flagship AI release continues to expand, with testing now live on AI Mode ads in the US. Expect updates on brand safety before the year is out, alongside further coverage over visual searches via Google Lens. 

Performance Max (PMAX) 

Still the powerhouse of UK activation, PMAX will see new tools to give advertisers greater visibility of inventory mix and outcomes. While AI Max is the “big bet”, PMAX remains the immediate opportunity for scalable adoption. 

YouTube 

Despite its dominance, YouTube is still “chronically under-invested in”, according to Google. Retaining its title as the most streamed platform in the US for the second year running, YouTube delivers 1.4x the ROI of social media (Nielsen). Google positioned it as the “anchor of the funnel”, powered by generative AI tools that accelerate asset creation and reduce creative bottlenecks. 

Google Cloud Platform 

Demand for Cloud services has surged 370% year on year, reflecting the complexity of connecting multiple AI tools and partners. Google sees agentic AI (systems that can act across platforms autonomously) as the next frontier for improving data flow, measurement, and activation efficiency. 

Each of these represents a key opportunity for brands to simplify, scale and accelerate. (If any of these tools or capabilities are unfamiliar to you, check out our previous blog post to learn more.)  

The takeaway I’ll be sharing with the brands we work with is to focus on a few big bets and embed them deeply, rather than spreading AI effort too thinly.  

Measurement: the foundation of trustworthy AI 

In a fast-moving AI landscape, measurement is what keeps marketers grounded. Although attribution and cross-platform reporting are far from “solved”, Google outlined several developments aimed at improving confidence and accountability: 

• Data Manager API: A new central hub for connecting first-party data, such as CRM inputs, into Google Ads, with built-in diagnostics for integration issues. 
• Google Tag Gateway: A low-effort, high-impact tagging solution for users of Cloudflare or sGTM, expected to gain major traction in 2025. 
• GA4: Evolving with new impression and view-through data, scenario planning tools, and third-party integrations. 

Together with the Modern Measurement Toolkit – Data-Driven Attribution, Incrementality Testing, and MMM (Meridian perhaps, with the right team behind it) – these innovations help marketers evaluate AI tools through a lens of business impact, not just automation. 

If you can’t measure AI, you can’t trust it; and if you can’t trust it, you won’t scale it. 

The human factor: why creativity still counts 

For all the talk of automation, the Summit closed with a reminder that humans still play the starring role. Several speakers shared how they’d experimented with generative AI in their personal lives, including writing bedtime stories for their children. The anecdote landed with humour, but also unease. 

It captured the paradox of AI in marketing: technology can enhance creativity, but not replace the empathy and authenticity that build emotional connection. As one example, L’Oréal’s conscious choice to avoid AI-generated models was highlighted as a powerful stance in an industry built on trust and identity. 

In short, the future of AI in advertising is about amplifying, not replacing human creativity. Advertisers must provide the inspiration and intent that AI can scale, without losing the nuance that makes brands relatable. 

Looking ahead 

Google’s Partner Summit 2025 reaffirmed that the next wave of AI transformation is already here – but scaling it effectively will take more than technology. It requires the right structure, the right mindset, and the right measurement to make AI stick. 

At dentsu, we believe progress happens when innovation and intention meet. The marketers who thrive in this new era will be those who use AI to deepen creativity, accelerate intelligence, and strengthen connection with consumers. 

Find out how dentsu can help your brand use AI responsibly and effectively. Contact us today.