AI-powered search is reshaping how consumers discover products, and it's creating urgent monetization challenges for publishers, browsers, and commerce platforms. Consumers spend an average of at least 23 minutes a day in AI chat platforms, and that time will more than double by 2028, according to industry experts. "Consumers on average spend at least 23 minutes within AI chat today, and that will more than double by 2028," said John Nitti, global chief business officer at adMarketplace, during a panel at Advertising Week New York this week. "Advertising expenditure is actually a two-year lag. So the consumer has always been ahead of marketing."

AI is changing more than how consumers discover brands. It is forcing retailers and marketers to reconsider the role of their websites, how they connect advertising to business outcomes, and whether the digital experiences they own can compete with the leading AI chatbots.

We attended Fierce Pharma Week, where speakers noted that AI insights that improve patient experiences and content are the next frontier.

Last November, we identified 11 trends we expected to shape the business landscape in 2026. Our Trends 2026 update reveals where expectations are holding, where surprises have emerged, and what businesses should watch through year-end.

Insurers can reach SMB customers earlier by offering advice and pricing before shoppers compare providers.

Wearables are shifting from fitness trackers to connected healthcare platforms. The value of AI, clinician access, and health data integration is expanding, as high costs risk excluding consumers who need these tools the most.

Issuers should design products around value and essentials as consumers demonstrate resilience.

At this week's CommerceNext Growth Show in New York City, executives from Ulta Beauty, Tapestry, Stitch Fix, and Novi shared how they're using AI to deepen customer relationships and why winning loyalty now means appealing to both consumers and the AI models guiding product discovery.

David’s Bridal shoppers can now make purchases within ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, another signal that retail at large is headed on an AI-enabled path.

A leaked Amazon deck positions its Rufus AI shopping assistant as a high-intent retail media channel with CPC pricing on the horizon.

AI brands’ new playbook: Bypassing marketing channels and seeking premium sports partnerships help secure the C-suite’s attention and fan loyalty.

Agency roles are shifting upward; execution is becoming software, while oversight, integration, and governance gain importance.

As conversational AI becomes a new entry point for discovery, advertisers are rethinking how relevance and usefulness show up in these environments. Roundel’s pilot with OpenAI offers an early look at what user-first advertising could mean inside AI-driven conversations.

Anthropic says it prioritizes trust over monetization; the company says ads inside AI chat would undermine credibility in work, health, and reasoning contexts.

71% of US marketers say establishing ethical and privacy standards is the top step for preparing for AI agent-led commerce, according to an October 2025 survey from ANA and The Harris Poll.

Voice assistants evolve into AI-first interfaces—blending conversation, context, and control across ecosystems.

Consumers are integrating AI into everyday health searches as tools grow more conversational, even though output reliability remains uneven. The balance of speed, accuracy, and trust will shape how people use AI for information and care.

Google is quietly exploring how Gemini could support advertising in 2026, per Adweek, even as the company publicly denies any such plans. Agencies say Google has framed potential Gemini ads as high-intent, conversational opportunities for ecommerce brands—signals emerging alongside rapid user growth. Gemini’s global MAUs have climbed roughly 30% since August, and its US footprint is projected to reach 85.7 million users by 2029. If prompt-level signals become targetable, conversational AI could function as a new, more precise form of intent advertising.

Marketing professionals see AI leading to several shifts in consumer behavior that will greatly impact the fundamentals of digital advertising in the next 2 to 3 years, per a Funnel and Ravn Research study of in-house marketers and agency professionals. As AI reshapes digital and search advertising, the brands that thrive will be those who seize the opportunities presented by AI-driven changes.

CVS Health’s Aetna is adding conversational generative AI (genAI) to its insurance website and mobile app. Aetna’s move highlights how insurers can use genAI to become more attractive to employer benefit packages.