AI raises the bar for alcohol advertising standards
The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has completed a large-scale AI trial to assess drinks advertising compliance, finding that 48% of alcohol free ads could be breaking the rules.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has published the results of a world-leading trial using artificial intelligence to monitor alcohol advertising, finding that around 96% of ads are likely to comply with industry rules.
The project used the ASA’s AI-based Active Ad Monitoring System to analyse nearly 6,000 paid-for alcohol-related ads shown to UK audiences in early 2025. The ads, covering alcoholic drinks, alcohol-free alternatives and related promotions across search, display and social media, were evaluated using large language models (LLMs) capable of interpreting and applying the ASA’s advertising rules.
Ads flagged by AI as potential breaches were then reviewed by human experts to confirm whether they were likely to break the rules.
Majority of advertisers following the rules
The findings revealed that only 1-3% of ads appeared to breach alcohol advertising rules, while another 1% required further review. The main issues among non-compliant ads included misleading or unauthorised health and nutritional claims, irresponsible drinking messages, and content that could appeal to children.
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Adam Davison, director of data science at the ASA, said: “We believe AI has the potential to make our online ad regulation much faster and more effective. This report shows that the latest advances in AI can be used to help our experts scan large volumes of ads and check them against lots of complex rules more quickly. It highlights that the alcohol sector is generally sticking to the rules, which is great news. We’ve also spotted places where we think we can do more, and deliver better regulation thanks to our rapid adoption of AI.”
Alcohol-free sector under scrutiny
While compliance across alcohol brands was high, the alcohol-free sector showed more frequent issues. Nearly half (48%) of alcohol-free product ads were flagged for potential breaches, primarily due to unclear or missing ABV labelling.
The ASA said it will contact advertisers responsible for clear breaches and issue new guidance to help alcohol-free brands improve clarity around ABV information – a key requirement for consumers who avoid alcohol for health, religious or personal reasons.
AI strengthening responsible advertising
The ASA said the trial marks a major step forward in using AI to strengthen regulation and support responsible advertising. Insights from the project will be used to further refine its AI tools, enabling faster and more targeted monitoring across sectors.
By combining AI efficiency with expert human oversight, the regulator aims to identify emerging risks more quickly and maintain public trust in UK advertising standards.
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