The news: US digital media experts are doubling down on the importance of digital video and display formats, but concerns linger about brand safety.

• 88% cite digital video as a top investment priority, 85% say digital display and image, and just 62% are focused on digital audio, per a report by Integral Ad Science and YouGov.
• However, 83% say brand safety will be an increasing concern as the number of digital video ads grows.

The problem: Social media is a top investment priority for 84% of digital media experts, but risky content on those platforms and potential ad placements near genAI content could restrain investment into ad spending on AI-heavy platforms like YouTube and X.

• Half of brands and agencies worry about ad fraud and made-for-advertising sites.
• 53% of media experts say having ads in proximity to genAI content is a top media challenge for 2026.

This anxiety is merited—the genre of nearby content influences 64% of global consumers’ perception of ads, and about half (49%) of US adults would use social platforms less—or not use them at all—if the amount of AI content in their social feeds grew, per DoubleVerify and Story Radius.

To address these brand concerns, marketers should scrutinize ad placements carefully and take advantage of placement optimization tools on platforms like Reddit and Meta to gain insights into ads’ context and monitor where they are appearing.

The opportunity: Despite worries around digital platforms, 46%—the highest number—say social media holds the most potential for innovation in 2026, per IAS.

Maximizing use of media quality metrics can help improve campaign reach and efficacy—viewability (85%) and attention (77%) are ranked as top metrics for evaluating campaign performance on social media.

Recommendations for brands: If brands can address brand safety risks and improve controls around AI content adjacency, they could capitalize on social’s and digital video’s growing roles as innovation drivers. That includes greater use of placement controls, contextual targeting, and independent measurement partners.

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