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Artificial Intelligence

As AI agents gain traction, reliability will determine if consumers stick around.

As product catalogs grow, content multiplies, and shopping journeys splinter across platforms, AI recommendation engines are becoming the connective tissue between desire and decision. In 2026, retail leaders expect the technology to move from responding to queries to proactively anticipating what consumers want and guiding them through increasingly complex choice environments.

Agentic AI is becoming agencies' operating layer. CES 2026 showed holding companies reframing AI as the system that unifies workflows, accelerates execution, and boosts accountability.

Pharma branding agencies are using AI platforms to craft standout drug names while avoiding risk and streamlining time to market.

A new Rx refill program cuts out physicians, raising fears over safety—tougher regulatory oversight is likely to come.

ChatGPT Health lets users upload medical data for personalized wellness advice—a feature likely to gain traction as folks trade in data privacy for AI-powered health insights.

Spotify outlines how AI, automation, and immersive experiences will reshape how brands connect with consumers in 2026.

Disney+ is adopting vertical video to drive daily habits; the format’s expansion aligns with marketer demand for mobile-native surfaces that blend awareness with measurable engagement.

Alphabet’s $3.88 trillion valuation signals a new race—where scale, systems, and control beat shiny devices.

Our analysts (or “bakers”) will compete in a Great British Bake Off–style episode, discussing how the digital shelf for ecommerce will adapt to speak to AI audiences and how retailers will counter AI’s rise by connecting with customers IRL. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Senior Analyst Blake Droesch.

AI influenced $262 billion in global holiday sales, but most impact came from chatbots and behind-the-scenes customer service, not from shopping assistants.

Agentic AI is reshaping commerce by removing friction from the middle of the funnel. As shoppers delegate comparison, evaluation, and planning to AI agents, the journey from intent to action is accelerating, raising the stakes for trust, transparency, and brand presence in fewer, faster interactions.

Despite its scale, ChatGPT isn’t making money—ads are now a must, but integration without disruption is key.

Walmart's latest genAI tools simplify campaign creation and optimization, helping advertisers prepare for a future shaped by AI-driven discovery.

As AI platforms become the first stop, not showing up in answers means not being seen—at all