McDonald’s had the most downloaded app of any quick-service restaurant in the US in March, with 3.5 million downloads, about 2 million more than No. 2 Starbucks, according to Apptopia. Taco Bell, Subway, and Domino’s Pizza rounded out the top five.

In March, 37% of US teens called TikTok their favorite social media app, up from 30% the same month two years ago, according to Piper Sandler. Snapchat dropped to second place, falling to 27% from 31% during that period. In the No. 3 spot is Instagram, which 23% of teens named their top choice.

Amazon will capture more than half (51.1%) of all retail ecommerce sales in Germany this year, according to our forecast. Canada will have the second-highest share of Amazon ecommerce sales among the countries we track, at 41.5%, followed by the US, UK, Japan, and Mexico.

Global spending on AI-centric systems—including the software, hardware, and services for these systems—will increase 27% this year to reach $154 billion, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).

Despite bankruptcy rumors, Carvana will be the fastest-growing retail ecommerce company in the US both this year and next year, according to our forecast. In second place this year is Chewy, signaling the strength of category-focused retailers.

US consumers are increasingly turning to Walmart.com, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to start their online shopping searches, according to Jungle Scout. Amazon, search engines, and Facebook have lost share since Q1 2022.

Social media newcomer Lemon8 racked up about 64,000 US downloads per day, on average, in recent weeks, according to Apptopia. The platform, which comes from TikTok owner ByteDance, capitalizes on the shopability of photos and short videos with its Pinterest-meets-Instagram format.

TikTok eclipsed Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat in US users within just a few years, according to our estimates, and now it’s chasing Instagram. After years of exceptional growth, TikTok will boast more than 100 million US monthly users in 2023—unless lawmakers stand in its way.

Millennials are the age group most likely to buy products or services advertised on podcasts, according to a survey of US podcast listeners by Morning Consult. These ads are also more likely to drive purchases among listeners earning more than $100,000 per year.

Nearly half (49%) of US adults are interested in AI-powered online search capabilities, per Morning Consult. Other popular applications of AI technology include recipes, roadside assistance, smart assistants, and product design based on consumer trends.

Last October, we projected that Twitter’s 2023 ad revenues would reach $4.74 billion worldwide. Since Elon Musk’s takeover, we’ve cut our projection by nearly $2 billion, to just $2.98 billion, as the app grapples with brand safety issues, confusing policies, and broken technology.

Amazon will increase its share of US ecommerce sales in five product categories next year, per our forecast. The biggest gains will be in health and personal care, furniture and home furnishings, and apparel and accessories.

US spending on identity solutions and services will increase by 13.0% YoY to reach $10.4 billion this year, per the Winterberry Group.

VC funding for creator-focused startups has plummeted in the US, even as these startups multiply. Last year, funding dropped by 51% YoY, while the number of creator-related startups increased by 550%, per The Information. This is part of a greater trend of cooling VC investment.

Nearly half of US millennials are members of a travel loyalty or rewards program, the highest among all generations, according to a Morning Consult survey. The higher their income, the more likely US adults are to belong to such a program—more than three-quarters of those earning $100,000 or more hold a membership.

Nearly three-quarters of US TikTok users will also use Instagram this year, making it the most popular alternative to the social video app, per our forecast. That’s good news for Instagram Reels, which is positioning itself as a viable successor in the event of a US TikTok ban.

When asked about generative AI, 62% of US adults strongly or somewhat agreed that it can save time and resources in the workplace, but there were concerns about the effectiveness and accuracy of its written work, according to Ipsos.

YouTube’s ad business took a hit in the latter half of 2022, with revenues down year over year in both Q3 and Q4. The company has since hired a new CEO, hiked YouTube TV prices, and introduced podcasts to YouTube Music to try to reverse the downward trend.

After a slight dip in 2022, US retail ecommerce sales growth will accelerate each year through 2027, according to our forecast. By that point, ecommerce sales will reach $1.736 trillion and make up one-fifth of total retail sales.

Retail media will stay ahead of connected TV (CTV) in US ad spending and close in on traditional TV this year, according to our forecast. Search overall, including paid search on retail media networks, will reach $108.48 billion in 2023.