Meta's Bold Move: Shifting Advertisers to AI-Driven Targeting for Better Results

Meta's Push Towards AI-Driven Ad Targeting

Remember when Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hinted at a future where advertising would be fully automated? Meta is now making significant strides towards this vision, leveraging its AI targeting and bidding tools alongside generative AI creative options. This shift isn't just an option—it's becoming a necessity for advertisers.

The Decline of Manual Targeting

Early last year, Meta began removing and consolidating detailed ad targeting options to reduce reliance on manual targeting, which it claims often hampers ad performance. This move was justified by the underuse of certain criteria, their granularity, or their sensitivity.

Retrieved from Jon Loomer on August 18, 2025

The Rise of Broader Targeting

Meta's strategy encourages advertisers to trust its AI systems for audience targeting. According to Meta ads expert Jon Loomer, "The belief that Meta needs these inputs is a targeting myth." He advocates for deprioritizing interests and behaviors, suggesting that Meta's AI can more effectively identify the right audience.

Proven Success with AI

Meta's Q2 earnings highlighted the success of this approach, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg noting, "AI unlocked greater efficiency and gains across our ads system." Specifically, AI-powered recommendations drove 5% more ad conversions on Instagram and 3% on Facebook. Additionally, removing detailed targeting exclusions improved the median cost per conversion by 22.6%.

What's Next for Advertisers?

These changes are set to take effect from January 15th, 2026, requiring advertisers to adapt their strategies. Meta's vision is clear: a future where ad targeting is entirely automated, relying on AI to understand your audience and product better than any manual selection could.