Webinar Replay: How AI is Shaping the Affiliate Industry
FollowThe PMA Measurements and Insights Council recently hosted a webinar entitled “How AI is Shaping the Affiliate Industry: Exploring Tools, Trends, and Trust in Performance Marketing.” The webinar rolled out the results of our recent AI and affiliate marketing study, which is now available for free download. The webinar video is also now available for replay (Linkedin and YouTube).
Thank you to our sponsor for this webinar, NucleusLinks.
Key Takeaways:
- Affiliate marketing has experienced a dramatic surge in AI adoption, with 97% of marketers now using AI in their work. The usage spans multiple areas including content creation (90%), optimization strategies (67%), affiliate recruitment (47%), coding (38%), and fraud detection (19%), demonstrating the technology’s versatility across different marketing functions.
- AI-generated content has exploded from 31% to 90% used in just 18 months, representing a transformative shift in content production. However, this rapid adoption comes with challenges, as 51% of marketers believe AI will devalue original content, highlighting the growing need for unique, emotionally resonant storytelling that differentiates brands.
- ChatGPT has emerged as the dominant AI tool, with 93% of affiliate marketers using the platform. Other significant tools include Gemini/Google (72%), Perplexity (42%), Microsoft Copilot (31%), and Claude/Anthropic (31%), indicating a diverse and rapidly evolving AI technology landscape.
- The emergence of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is transforming how content is created and discovered. Publishers must now focus on creating high-quality, authoritative content that answers specific user questions and provides unique value, as AI tools increasingly become primary information sources.
- The future of content creation lies in balancing AI efficiency with human creativity and emotional intelligence. Publishers are advised to either create uniquely authoritative content or build distinctive audience experiences, such as community engagement, to differentiate themselves in an AI-saturated market.
- The rise of AI-generated content presents significant challenges, with 54% of marketers believing click-through rates will decrease. These challenges include content saturation, reduced differentiation, and the critical need for more personalized, emotionally connected content that can’t be easily replicated by AI.
Panelists:
- Jenna Walsh, Awin, Council Chair
- Denys Babaiev, Scale Your Web
- Cornelius Frey, NucleusLinks
- Jake Leskovar, xpflow
- Renee Christensen, Right Side Up
- Tricia Meyer, PMA (Moderator)
Thank you to everyone who participated–our panelists and our viewers who interacted live.
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Tricia Meyer is an attorney and affiliate marketer. She is the founder and owner of Helping Moms Connect as well as the current Executive Director of the Performance Marketing Association. She is the co-owner and primary white wine drinker of the Wine Club Group.
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