Cost and ROI of AI vs Human Video Ads

Cost To Create A Video Ad: AI Vs. Human

Info

Source: NP Digital
Date: September 2025
Category: Video Marketing
Study Methodology: Data from 19 companies sharing cost and ROI data for video ads created with AI, humans, or both.

AI dramatically reduces production costs, but combining AI with human input produces the strongest ROI. The best results come from balance, not extremes.

Essential Statistics

AI-only video ads cost $591 on average.
Human-only video ads cost $4,874 on average.
AI plus human ads cost $2,694 on average.
AI-only ROAS averaged 3.3.
Human-only ROAS averaged 3.8.
AI plus human ROAS averaged 4.1.

Key Takeaways

AI drastically lowers production cost.
Human input improves performance quality.
Hybrid approaches deliver the best ROI.
Cost efficiency does not guarantee returns.
Balance maximizes performance.

Actionable Insights

Use AI to reduce production cost, but keep humans involved in creative direction.
Adopt hybrid workflows for scalable, high-performing ads.
Measure ROI, not just cost savings, when evaluating AI tools.
Reserve human effort for storytelling and refinement.
Optimize production for performance, not novelty.