As AI becomes embedded across the media ecosystem, marketers should focus less on the technology itself and more on the data powering it, according to Sean Black, general manager at Audience Path. At EMARKETER’s Ad Buyer Strategies Summit, in conversation with our analyst Yory Wurmser, Black argued that marketers need to look beyond industry buzzwords and understand what AI systems are actually trained on.
ChatGPT ads get cheaper via Criteo: Spending cuts and incentives widen access, positioning Criteo as a go-to AI ad gatekeeper.
New tools aim to cut friction and amplify creativity.
Bluesky chases Reddit’s formula: With users dwindling, it trades the public feed for niche forums and video in a crowded field.
InMobi and Scope3 have launched a sell-side AI agent, unlocking autonomous media buying across the mobile ecosystem.
Meta turns Reels into series: A new feature tests episodic Reels, aiming to convert scroll-by views into repeat visits and deeper ad value.
WPP’s global rebound: India dominance and Natura LATAM deal fuel recovery aims even as losses linger.
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss UK supermarket giant Tesco: its true superpower, its next big bet, and what it should cut—and keep—to maintain its position as the UK’s #1 retailer. Listen to the discussion featuring Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Bill Fisher, and Senior Analyst Carina Lamb.
Local curation slashes publisher returns to 8% and fuels a 120-store expansion.
As AI-powered search tools become integral to product discovery, retailers face a measurement challenge. Consumers are still researching products, but increasingly bypassing the clicks marketers traditionally relied on. That shift is making it harder for brands to determine which content, publishers, and partners are actually influencing sales.
Walmart turns store data into AI fuel: In-store behavior and searches could train Sparky, helping Walmart avoid becoming a back-end for AI platforms.
New duties of 10% to 12.5% on key US trade partners revive cost pressures at a difficult time for retailers.
Consumers’ value focus hasn’t diminished spending, Ulta says.
Better assortments and store upgrades win over the retailer’s higher-income customer base.
Generational differences in credit behaviors point to need for increased credit flexibility at the POS.
Security, reputation, and fees outrank mobile UX when choosing a bank, lifting BofA and Chase.
Reduced employer coverage of weight loss drugs could push patients to cash-pay options or off treatment, increasing pressure on pharma companies to lower prices.
Gen X chatbot users (69%) outpaced both Gen Z (65%) and millennials (65%) in ramping AI chatbot use over the past 12-18 months, second only to Gen Alpha's 80%, according to a February 2026 Gracenote study.
Google AI Overviews remake the funnel: As post-purchase queries top 94%, brands should treat help docs as prime search real estate.