Where Agencies Are Planning to Focus
The survey found that 78% of agencies are prioritizing improved efficiency and higher margins, followed by process automation (64%) and expanding service offerings (44%) all with AI. With 75% viewing productivity as AI’s biggest opportunity, they are looking to embed AI capabilities throughout their organizations; completely altering and improving workflows where possible in order to stay ahead of competition. This can come in many forms, including changing workflows to make use of new AI functions integrated into existing software platforms without the need for changing tools or building new complicated and pricey AI tools from the ground up.
AI also enables deeper strategic work, taking menial tasks off consultants’ hands. Nearly half of respondents said AI could allow them to spend more time on creativity (47%) and consulting and strategy (44%), while 36% see value in generating more content at scale.
“By eliminating repetitive manual tasks, our team now focuses more on strategic thinking, product development, and high-value client work, whilst the system handles data gathering, research compilation, and initial content structuring, enabling us to scale our operations without proportionally increasing headcount,” stated Greg Radford, Head of Agency and Marketing, Constructiv Digital in Duda’s new 2026 Agency Growth Operating Framework ebook.
AI’s Questionable Quality
When it comes to the quality of AI output, there are mixed reviews. While 53% believe AI can drive higher-quality output, at the same time, 64% cite “AI slop,” namely low-quality content generated by AI, as their top concern. In fact, AI slop and fatigue is driving tech companies to hire more writers, editors and chief communications officers to write compelling stories.
Concerns around AI extended beyond content quality. Half of respondents (50%) worry about clients misunderstanding it, while 28% fear downward price pressure and 25% cite ethical concerns. Notably, 31% of respondents are concerned about being replaced by AI, underscoring ongoing anxiety around automation and the future role of agencies.
Traditional Search Remains a Priority
Proclamations of ‘SEO is Dead’ from last summer have long gone silent. While AIO is increasingly important, the survey reveals that traditional SEO remains the top priority for 2026 (43%), outpacing AI search optimization (30%). However, respondents increasingly view AI search as an opportunity in 2026, with 33% citing increased visibility and traffic through AI search as a potential upside. Despite widespread discussion around AI-driven search disruption, only 28% are concerned about decreased visibility or traffic due to AI.
Agent-to-Agent Commerce
Nearly 70% of respondents believe it will be very or somewhat important for brands to optimize for AI agent-to-agent shopping in 2026. Nevertheless, preparedness remains uneven: 27% are taking no steps, 25% are still planning, 22% are enhancing product metadata for discoverability, and 14% are optimizing product listings specifically for AI agents. Agencies still have time to prepare, as reports such as the 2026 IBM Institute for Business Value study reveal that consumers are leveraging genAI in their buying journey, but not diving into agent-to-agent shopping yet.
AI is not a question of ‘if,’ but ‘how’ for agencies in 2026, as they lead the way for strong AI adaptation and implementation for their clients. As they shift value propositions, work smarter and automate routine work, clients can expect to see more strategy, creativity, and smart consulting. However agencies who want to build for a long-term future will look beyond productivity to building new value propositions for their clients; going from efficiency to unlimited possibilities.
The survey was conducted between November and December 2025 among 36 Duda customers, primarily small agencies, "including agencies located in North America (61%), Europe (22%), Asia (14%), and the Middle East (3%)" with 89% employing 10 or fewer staff.
Reviewed by Asim BN.
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