Lenovo's run as FIFA's official technology partner was more than a branding play, it was also a live demo of AI infrastructure and scale that the company can now bring straight into enterprise sales conversations, according to North America President Ryan McCurdy. FIFA named Lenovo as its exclusive tech partner for FIFA World Cup 2026 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil. For the 2026 World Cup, Lenovo deployed and managed more than 25,000 devices and AI-powered infrastructure across three host countries, 16 cities, and 104 matches with 99.99% uptime across all instances, according to the company. That gave McCurdy's team a real-world case study of enterprise-grade AI at scale to point to in sales conversations.
Mike and Ike will also be a presenting sponsor for a major Dignitas Fortnite tournament, “Flavor Brawl,” held in October. This tournament will be hosted by esports streamer AussieAntics on his Twitch channel. The broadcast will include custom Mike and Ike brand integration, according to the company.
AI referrals convert at higher rates, despite limited scale: Marketers should measure value per visit and build AI visibility alongside SEO.
Multitasking and ad avoidance make creative variety, contextual targeting, and frequency control essential.
Lack of measurement standards and tool consolidation could hinder growth.
Brand and side-effect questions prompt longer-than-average chats, raising the value of comprehensive information as consumers weigh treatments.
Neighborhood-based rewards are a unique concept, but the price tag may be holding merchants back.
As consumers start using chatbots for discovery, FIs need to optimize their content for AI.
It’s the future of chatbots, but its proactive alerts could become intrusive
In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why it’s important for people to think about AI adoption differently than we have in the past, which AI tools are most popular, and what our “Building Blocks of AI” framework tells us about how and why people use artificial intelligence. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Vice President of Insights Stephanie Paterik and Principal Analyst Nate Elliott. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.
Commerce media is entering a new phase, one defined less by rapid expansion and more by operational maturity, EMARKETER analysts and industry leaders say. Commerce media ad spending will reach $83.71 billion in the US this year, accounting for 20.5% of all digital ad spending, according to EMARKETER's June 2026 forecast. As the channel becomes a core part of marketers' media strategies, the conversation is shifting from whether to invest to how to make those investments deliver measurable business results. In a new EMARKETER guide titled "Commerce media outlook: What industry leaders see ahead," our analysts and industry leaders give their thoughts about the capabilities brands should prioritize today, the consumer behaviors that will shape tomorrow, and what it will take to succeed as commerce media becomes a permanent pillar of the media mix. Arielle Feger, a senior analyst at EMARKETER covering retail and commerce media, told us what actually gets consumers' attention and how marketers can build trust.
SMS marketing is permission-based brand communication sent by text message, spanning promotional alerts, restock and shipping notifications, loyalty updates, and conversational two-way messaging. It sits alongside email as a core owned channel.
Its planned bot-ad framework could clarify ROI, though opaque AI platforms may still limit marketers’ visibility.
AI tools need clear context and insights to improve utility and earn strategic trust.
Original characters aim to own the season, though AI concerns could dampen the campaign's appeal.
Automation can fill resource gaps while also tying more of advertisers’ workflows to Meta.
Microdrama audience growth in China is slowing, but the industry’s biggest opportunity is just beginning. AI, premium storytelling, and branded content are transforming the format into a serious media and marketing platform.
Tech advocates see AI autonomy in medicine, but doctors’ safety, liability, and control concerns will stand in the way.
83% of consumers abandon sites without clear information, and paid traffic can’t fix product pages that fail to earn trust.
India, Brazil have more room to expand, but advertisers must weigh returns market by market.