Easier access could attract more brands, but better measurement should come before bigger budgets.

AI is rewriting the shopping journey, and marketers have to follow it. That means watching how brands show up in large language models (LLMs), and how they engage customers arriving through AI-driven searches. This is the “intelligence revolution.” “The intelligence age is gaining steam,” said Stephanie Paterik, vice president of insights at EMARKETER, in her keynote presentation at this week's Future of Digital Summit. “One billion weekly ChatGPT users worldwide is a number that OpenAI hit just this month. Sixty-nine percent of CEOs around the world tell us that AI is changing their business, not just how they send an email or craft, you know, a report, but how they are fundamentally operating.”

Agentic commerce has moved from buzzword to balance sheet, and the numbers prove it. AI-driven commerce is projected to grow from under $50 billion this year to nearly $300 billion by 2030, rising from roughly 3% to 15% of total US e-commerce sales.

AI is gaining influence over what consumers discover and consider long before it commands a meaningful share of the digital economy. But existing advantages in reaching consumers, earning trust, and driving transactions still matter.

Health wearables have moved past step counting. They now offer personalized coaching, advanced health monitoring, and 24/7 conversational support. The technology is advancing faster than the answers to the questions it raises: whether the data is reliable, who can afford the devices, and whether doctors want the information at all. Modern devices now track complex health metrics including electrocardiograms to detect irregular heart rhythms, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, heart rate variability, and stress levels. That is far beyond the basic step counting of earlier generations. "Wearables, of course, have been around for a while, but they're really having a moment this year," said our analyst Rajiv Leventhal on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers."

Brands can test one-on-one engagement, but access to valuable intent data remains unclear.

In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why travel brands are missing from trip-planning responses, what AI answers are most likely to include, and what brands can do about it. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Senior Analyst Gadjo Sevilla and Vice President of Global Brand Partnerships at Verve Anna Slater. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

Travelers are increasingly using AI to plan trips, but brands aren’t always part of those early conversations. New data from Verve Intelligence shows where influence is happening and when brands have the best opportunity to enter the consideration process.

AI recommendations are reshaping how consumers discover products. In our inaugural report on the food and beverage industry, we track ChatGPT brand visibility in Q3 2026, the sources informing recommendations, and what it takes to stay competitive.

EU oversight validates AI’s role in discovery, but marketers shouldn’t divert traditional search budgets yet.

Gen Z’s varied AI use expands brand visibility: Marketers can reach users with content built for AI answers, ideas, and decisions.

Millennials are entering their peak earning years with deep digital fluency, but adulthood is changing their habits. AI is becoming a practical tool, digital fatigue is reshaping social media use, and family life is influencing media and shopping.

Consumers trust AI as much as they trust experts, giving lesser-known brands a strong route to credibility and consideration.

In July 2026, we analyzed 7,460 ChatGPT recommendations across 16 food and beverage categories to compile the EMARKETER AI Visibility Index.

SMBs automating invoices through agentic AI saves valuable time; payment providers need to convince them to trust the tools.

New ad tools and markets are paying off, but unproven returns could limit ad spending.

Fragmented financial lives and AI are challenging banks to move beyond selling products. The next era belongs to banks that build deeper relationships through insights, continuous guidance, and, ultimately, acting on behalf of customers.

In today’s podcast episode, we discuss why the next few years will be so important and industry-defining for AI, why ChatGPT has driven stronger adoption than highly recognizable competitors like Meta AI and Copilot, and why Claude is best at converting users into paid subscribers. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, along with Principal Analyst Nate Elliott and Analyst Grace Harmon. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify.

Issuers need to strengthen their AI visibility with strategic partnerships and GEO strategies.