AI took over search, ads, and discovery in 2025 as YouTube and CTV became the new centers of gravity for consumers and marketers. Our top 20 Tech & AI Briefing stories of the year highlight an evolution toward an AI-first world where attention and advantage move faster than ever.

CTV dominated televisions

2025 was the year streaming finally overtook linear TV. In 2026, prepare for a landscape defined by platform wars, shifting ad dollars, and a push to optimize vertical content for the living room screen.

• Streaming overtakes linear TV for the first time: With 44.8% of TV viewing in May, streaming now leads cable and broadcast combined—driven by YouTube’s surge and CTV dominance. Read online
• Instagram and TikTok eye TV, chasing YouTube’s lead: Both platforms will bet on CTV to boost engagement despite past failures and a mismatch with their core, younger audiences. Read online
• Amazon’s CTV edge is growing fast: With shoppable ads, major sports rights, and a safer environment, Prime Video is reshaping how and where brands spend on streaming. Read online

The rise of YouTube

With soaring Shorts views, TV dominance, and creator influence, YouTube emerged as the year’s most powerful content engine. In 2026, expect it to keep growing as a one-stop hub for entertainment, shopping, and search.

• The new TV looks like YouTube: Forget old-school programming—YouTube’s Shorts, podcasts, and second-screen features are reshaping television into an interactive, on-demand experience powered by creators. Read online
• YouTube challenges Prime Video’s aggregation model: YouTube is positioning itself as an all-in-one streaming platform, attracting advertisers and reshaping VOD consumption habits. Read online
• YouTube Shorts steamroll streaming rivals: Shorts soar to 200 billion daily views and 1 billion TV hours, handing marketers a dual-screen goldmine. Read online
• YouTube isn’t just TV-adjacent—it is TV now: With big names like NBCU and Nat Geo creating YouTube-first content, brands must treat the platform as a core distribution channel, not a sidecar. Read online
• YouTube cements its Gen Z edge: Over half of Gen Z is spending more time on YouTube, our report finds, deepening bonds with creators and challenging TikTok and Instagram to keep pace. Read online