World

Global firms use AI at Indian hubs to bring more ad work in-house

June 1, 2026 5:20 pm

[Photo Credit: Reuters]

Global companies are using AI at their Indian hubs to bring more creative work in-house, cutting turnaround time and their reliance on external agencies for advertising as the new technology reshapes the ​ad industry.

Executives at Kimberly-Clark, J.C. Penney-parent Catalyst Brands and Target India told Reuters that their global capability ‌centers in the country are using AI tools across marketing functions – from generating product images and videos to selecting influencers and optimizing campaigns.

For major advertisers across industries, from consumer goods to truck manufacturing, AI’s ability to speed up and scale campaign creation is proving appealing as they ​look to rein in marketing costs.

Kimberly-Clark, for instance, has cut content creation time from nearly a month to two ​hours using an India-built AI platform, which also helps it identify suitable influencers and localize ⁠campaigns across markets.

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Content creation two years back took 24 days but now it “only takes two hours” due to AI, Kimberly-Clark ​India head Deena Dayalan said at a Reuters summit in Bengaluru.

Catalyst Brands is piloting computer-generated product images and videos for its ​online listings that can cut the need to ship inventory around the world for photo shoots, India Managing Director Nihar Nidhi said.

Copywriters at Roundel, Target’s ad business, are using AI to generate ads faster and ​help the company respond more quickly to changing trends, India President Andrea Zimmerman said.