Factors associated with artificial intelligence adoption among advertising professionals: evidence from the Motivation–Opportunity–Ability (MOA) framework

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the organizational and productive dynamics of the advertising industry, transforming creative processes, decision-making practices, and professional roles. Despite its growing implementation, empirical evidence on the factors associated with AI adoption among advertising professionals remains limited. This exploratory study analyzes the factors associated with AI tool adoption in the advertising sector through the Motivation–Opportunity–Ability (MOA) model, which enables an integrated examination of motivational, organizational, and competency-related dimensions associated with the use of this technology. A quantitative study was conducted using an online questionnaire administered to 122 advertising professionals, assessing motivational, organizational, and competency-related variables associated with AI use, as well as future adoption intentions. Data were analyzed using Mann–Whitney U tests and Pearson correlation analyses. The findings reveal a favorable attitude toward AI adoption, primarily driven by functional motivations related to productivity and work effectiveness. AI users report higher technological skills and perceive greater organizational support than non-users, while training deficiencies and unequal access to technological resources continue to operate as significant barriers. This study provides empirical evidence on the associations between motivational, organizational, and competency-related factors in AI adoption, highlighting the need to strengthen training and organizational support to foster ethical, sustainable AI integration within advertising.