Insights on consumer media habits, pharma ad spending, and AI's growing role in consumer health defined our top stories in H1 2026.

OpenAI ads, Google’s MMM tools, and second-screen viewing were hot topics and made measurement and timing crucial.

Anthropic enters pharma, eyeing drug development that positions it as both a partner and potential rival to drugmakers.

Omnicom secures Adidas: Omnicom is set to win Adidas’ $512M global media account as data, AI, commerce, and scale outweigh media buying alone.

AI changes creator playbooks: Cannes Lions showed platforms weaving AI into creator tools as marketers balance scale with credibility.

Media consumption is climbing again after years of slower growth, thanks partly to genAI. New forecasts reveal how AI, streaming video, live sports, and converged TV are reshaping how US adults spend their time—and driving more screen time in the process.

AI shopping assistants such as Amazon's Alexa for Shopping (formerly Rufus), Walmart's Sparky, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini are reshaping how consumers discover and evaluate products. Retailer-owned assistants are already lifting order values and conversion, while standalone AI platforms struggle to convert recommendations into purchases. This FAQ covers how AI shopping assistants work, what they mean for brand loyalty, and how brands earn a place in AI-generated recommendations.

This FAQ covers how ChatGPT ads work, what they cost, and how marketers should evaluate the channel in 2026.

General LLMs outperform clinical AI on medical tests, but physicians will still favor specialized tools for high-stakes care.

AI search ads are racing ahead: Spending is set to exceed $101 billion by 2030, even as marketers grapple with sparse performance data.

ChatGPT remains one of the web's most-visited destinations, but AI users are becoming increasingly platform-agnostic. New traffic patterns reveal how competitors are attracting a growing share of attention.

New deals with Nvidia and Lilly give Abridge validation from industry giants as it courts healthcare AI buyers.

Loan searches start in-chat, routing qualified borrowers to its marketplace and lender network.

ChatGPT ads get cheaper via Criteo: Spending cuts and incentives widen access, positioning Criteo as a go-to AI ad gatekeeper.

AI is reshaping search faster than AI platforms can build their ad offerings, which is why most spending still sits beside AI-generated results. Conversational search ads will grow quickly and chatbot ads will struggle to prove their effectiveness.

AI usage is becoming habitual as a broader range of people adopt AI for a broader set of use cases. Google’s lead in traditional search has given it the platform to take leadership in AI users next year, even as OpenAI still commands deeper engagement.

AI shopping features offered by ChatGPT, Google, and Microsoft Copilot are broadly similar, but there are variations in the overall experience worth noting. Marketers should know how these tools compare to invest in the right place.

AI platforms’ contrasting approaches prompt new bank strategies.

OpenAI eyes small, local advertisers: New API, pixel tracking, and accessible pricing test whether chatbot ads can drive real actions.