The news: Global ad spend is entering what Dentsu calls the algorithmic era, with 71.6% of advertising investment in 2026 shaped by algorithmic decisioning. That’s up from 69.8% in 2025. According to Ben Angove, chief strategy officer of Dentsu’s Amplifi Global unit, algorithms now influence “the content publishers create, the work teams do, and the way campaigns are evaluated,” not just audience targeting.

• Algorithmic influence is no longer limited to targeting. It now spans content creation, media activation, optimization, and measurement, introducing both scale and uncertainty across the marketing workflow.
• 35% of marketing agency leaders consider algorithm changes to be a top concern, per AgencyAnalytics.
• Beyond agencies, platform algorithm changes and volatility is the number one barrier to business growth among creators worldwide, per CreatorIQ.