Rumor has it that global ad spend will cross $1 trillion in 2026. A trillion bucks. Whew! That's 5.1% growth against a 3.1% global economy.
Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking about "focus" for 2026. What do I want to focus ADLINGO on next year? What deserves more attention and coverage, and what deserves less? What tech deserves immediate attention, and what can we afford to set aside for now?
When going through my notes and planning for 2026, a theme kept emerging: algo-domination. Or as Dentsu tagged it, the "Algorithmic Era."
It is also interesting to look backward. The technologies that mattered in 2022 are on life support. The models from 2024 look arcane at this point.
So...I've got thoughts.
Deeper focus
Here are a number of topics I know will capture my attention and focus in 2026.
Agentic commerce and AEO
This might be the biggest and also the least defined "focus" area for me. Everything is new. It changes daily.
I'll just go ahead and admit it: I am on "team agents."
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told employees in June that AI agents will "infiltrate aspects of everyday life, from shopping to travel to daily chores and tasks."
