Marketing technology (martech) has entered a new era defined by AI agents, composable architectures, and the rise of buyer-side AI assistants that are fundamentally changing how customers discover brands and B2B vendors.

Email’s reliability is no longer enough to offset rising consumer expectations. AI accelerates production and enhances relevance, while engagement, trust, and tougher inbox rules push marketers to rethink how they will use the channel in 2026.

On today’s EMARKETER Miniseries—AI-Driven Media Management—we explore the core building blocks of AI innovation, what partnering with Amazon Ads looks like in practice, and advice for leaders or teams who don’t come from technical backgrounds but need to build or use AI systems. EMARKETER Senior Director of Content Jeremy Goldman speaks with Adam Epstein, co-founder and CEO of Gigi. Listen everywhere you find podcasts, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

In 2026, marketing success will hinge on visibility, credibility, and governance. AI-led discovery is redefining how B2B buyers find brands, human influence is reshaping how marketers build trust, and data governance is powering growth.

B2B digital ad spending is rising as marketers lean into formats that build visibility and engagement. Video and display are growing faster than search, reshaping strategies to reach decision-makers.

EMARKETER recently published its “Field Guide to AI-Powered Programmatic Platforms,” created in partnership with MiQ. It examines how AI is enhancing programmatic advertising platforms and offers marketers a guide to choosing between these adtech tools. This FAQ explores key questions from the report.

The news: Private equity firm Novacap will buy digital advertising measurement and analytics firm Integral Ad Science (IAS) for $1.9 billion, the companies announced Wednesday. The deal will take IAS private after four years of public trading and is expected to close this year. Our take: Measurement fragmentation and transparency concerns with leading ad firms like Google means third-party measurement and attribution companies have a lucrative opportunity to provide much-needed standards.

B2B marketing data spending is rising as marketers prioritize strategies that improve ROI, enable AI, and fuel pipeline growth. Trusted data sources and integrated tools are helping teams optimize segmentation, compliance, and campaign performance.

Efficiency, ROI, and AI integration are now driving B2B martech buying decisions. Marketers are consolidating stacks, prioritizing automation, and investing in tools that deliver measurable performance gains.

B2B marketers are under pressure to prove event ROI. B2B events are a key channel for driving engagement and building pipeline—but the pressure to prove ROI is increasing. Event participation must be strategic and aligned with clear business outcomes. This report reveals 10 data-backed best practices to help sponsors and exhibitors boost engagement, generate pipeline, and turn event participation into measurable business results.

Following Google’s second antitrust loss in under a year, Google is at a crossroads. The recent ruling that Google maintains an illegal monopoly on ad tech, combined with last year’s ruling of antitrust practices in online search, could reshape digital advertising.

Retail media networks (RMNs) are using APIs to give advertisers more control over the management, measurement, and optimization of their campaigns.

CMOs are mastering brand bravery to stand out in competitive markets. Through bold strategies, innovative campaigns, and authentic storytelling, they balance daring moves with trust and integrity. In this report, four leading CMOs share how they transform risks into impactful brand actions.

The top B2B marketing trends in 2025 include AI-driven insights, first-party data strategies, and balancing automation with authenticity. In this report, marketers and agencies can learn how to embrace these evolving strategies in order to boost engagement, trust, and ROI.

CMOs are using AI tools to transform marketing by enhancing creativity, optimizing campaigns, and streamlining operations. AI will shape marketing's future, but strategic implementation, data privacy, and bias remain hurdles for widespread adoption.

B2B digital ad spending is expected to rebound in 2024. Trends in B2B buying behavior, programmatic advertising, and AI use are contributing to the shift in spending toward display, mobile, social media, and video.

We spoke with four CMOs on their approaches to data management, communication, and fostering a culture of innovation to maximize marketing effectiveness.

Automation and AI are enhancing email marketing with improved personalization and efficiency.