Digital Advertising Trends to Watch in 2026

5 Ways AI and Video Are Expanding Their Reach

Report by Ross Benes, and Yoram Wurmser  | Dec 12, 2025

Top Trends to Watch in 2026

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Need-to-Know Trends Reshaping the Digital Future

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Table of Contents
Big Tech’s AI automation push will encroach on agencies’ bread and butter
Streaming services will capture most video subscription fees
AI platforms will try to bolster premium publishers—with mixed success
YouTube will benefit the most from the video podcast surge
New standards will unlock agentic ad buying and selling
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
In 2026, AI will reshape advertiser workflows and behaviors, while rising video consumption will boost CTV and YouTube.
Topics
Digital Advertising
Media Buying
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
United States
Table of Contents
Big Tech’s AI automation push will encroach on agencies’ bread and butter
Streaming services will capture most video subscription fees
AI platforms will try to bolster premium publishers—with mixed success
YouTube will benefit the most from the video podcast surge
New standards will unlock agentic ad buying and selling
Sources
Media Gallery

AI and video will be the two biggest stories in advertising in 2026. While AI upends advertiser workflows and web behaviors, CTV and YouTube will emerge as big winners as video consumption evolves and expands to new experiences.

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Table of Contents

  1. Big Tech’s AI automation push will encroach on agencies’ bread and butter
  2. Streaming services will capture most video subscription fees
  3. AI platforms will try to bolster premium publishers—with mixed success
  1. YouTube will benefit the most from the video podcast surge
  2. New standards will unlock agentic ad buying and selling
  3. Sources
  1. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Advantage+ Is Helping Reverse Meta's Downturn in Ad Revenue Share, Even as Time Spent Share Continues to DropStreaming Services Will Account for Almost Half of US Video Subscription Revenues in 2026
Google Search Clickthrough Rates Are Down Even When AI Overviews Are AbsentYouTube Will Have About 32 Million More US Podcast Viewers Than Spotify in 2026
AdCP Could Impact a Much Larger Share of Digital Ad Spend Than ARTF

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authors

Ross Benes, and Yoram Wurmser

Contributors

Rahul Chadha
Director, Report Editing
Eleni Digalaki
Nikolai Dineros
Zach Goldner
Senior Forecasting Analyst
Kyndall Krist
Senior Copy Editor
Penelope Lin
Director, Data Visualization
Emma Noyes
Graphic Designer, Data Visualization
Oscar Orozco
Senior Director, Forecasting
Tracy Tang
Paul Verna
VP, Content
Max Willens