As AI becomes embedded across the media ecosystem, marketers should focus less on the technology itself and more on the data powering it, according to Sean Black, general manager at Audience Path. At EMARKETER’s Ad Buyer Strategies Summit, in conversation with our analyst Yory Wurmser, Black argued that marketers need to look beyond industry buzzwords and understand what AI systems are actually trained on.
Amazon's rapid expansion into artificial intelligence, advertising, and supply chain services is prompting analysts to reconsider what kind of company it has become, even as its core retail operations continue to fuel growth across all divisions. "Is Amazon even a retailer anymore?" said our analyst Suzy Davidkhanian on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers." "It started as a bookstore. It turned into a marketplace. Then it became AWS, and then they started selling their fulfillment services, and then advertising, and now they're making AI chips."
TikTok launches events app: The app makes cultural moments interactive, giving advertisers access to deeper data and encouraging more user engagement.
ChatGPT ads get cheaper via Criteo: Spending cuts and incentives widen access, positioning Criteo as a go-to AI ad gatekeeper.
Physicians integrate both general-purpose and clinical AI into daily workflows, increasing pressure on pharma brands to tailor drug content for the distinct requirements and outputs of each AI ecosystem.
New tools aim to cut friction and amplify creativity.
Bluesky chases Reddit’s formula: With users dwindling, it trades the public feed for niche forums and video in a crowded field.
Microsoft turns store tech into service engines: Project Solara swaps apps for AI agents, recasting devices as task-driven tools for retail and beyond.
Among ages 12 to 21, AI use for mental health rose 40% year over year, bringing chatbots further into their mainstream coping habits.
InMobi and Scope3 have launched a sell-side AI agent, unlocking autonomous media buying across the mobile ecosystem.
Gen X chatbot users (69%) outpaced both Gen Z (65%) and millennials (65%) in ramping AI chatbot use over the past 12-18 months, second only to Gen Alpha's 80%, according to a February 2026 Gracenote study.
As AI-powered search tools become integral to product discovery, retailers face a measurement challenge. Consumers are still researching products, but increasingly bypassing the clicks marketers traditionally relied on. That shift is making it harder for brands to determine which content, publishers, and partners are actually influencing sales.
Google AI Overviews remake the funnel: As post-purchase queries top 94%, brands should treat help docs as prime search real estate.
Walmart turns store data into AI fuel: In-store behavior and searches could train Sparky, helping Walmart avoid becoming a back-end for AI platforms.
Google adds AI opt-out: UK regulators prompt a toggle letting publishers skip AI Overviews without hurting non-AI search rankings.
AI platforms’ contrasting approaches prompt new bank strategies.
Ad-heavy social feeds reward subtlety: Front-loading content with brand messaging hurts favorability, while narrative-led posts keep viewers watching.
Doctors review AI advice that patients bring to appointments, but still have concerns about its accuracy. Healthcare marketers have room to help guide responsible genAI use.