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Explore our Research →Shoppers hate paying for return shipping more than any other part of the process
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The health and fitness industry’s future is subscription-first, not hardware-led
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Email is consumers’ top marketing channel, but inbox fatigue threatens ROI
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How payment providers should react to OpenAI’s Instant Checkout walkback
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Learn More →Top Trends to Watch in 2026
From the Next AI Ad Revolution to Retail’s Loyalty Reset, 11 Trends That Will Shape the Digital Landscape in the Coming Year
Report by Ross Benes, Jacob Bourne, Grace Broadbent, Sky Canaves, Paola Flores-Marquez, Rajiv Leventhal, Sarah Marzano, Minda Smiley, Max Willens, Yoram Wurmser | Nov 13, 2025
Top Trends to Watch in 2026
Need-to-Know Trends Reshaping the Digital Future
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
1. Big Tech’s AI push will threaten the creative role of agencies
2. Brands will put generative engine optimization strategies to the test
3. Gen Alpha’s digital coming of age marks the next phase of the social video race
4. The microdrama craze will mint a new generation of creators, with dual support from social networks and entertainment studios
5. Streaming subscriptions at $20 will push viewers toward ad-supported alternatives
6. Autonomous agentic commerce will remain niche, even as AI reshapes retail
7. Retailers will revamp loyalty programs for the coming era of AI commerce
8. GenAI tools will become a routine part of how most consumers seek health information
9. Financial media networks will acquire shopping surfaces to compete for commerce budgets
10. Payment players race to define their place in the stablecoin ecosystem
11. AI’s content takeover will shake consumer trust in the internet
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Automation, new commerce models, and a fresh generation of consumers are transforming the rules of connection and creativity. Explore the 11 trends shaping the digital future.
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
1. Big Tech’s AI push will threaten the creative role of agencies
2. Brands will put generative engine optimization strategies to the test
3. Gen Alpha’s digital coming of age marks the next phase of the social video race
4. The microdrama craze will mint a new generation of creators, with dual support from social networks and entertainment studios
5. Streaming subscriptions at $20 will push viewers toward ad-supported alternatives
6. Autonomous agentic commerce will remain niche, even as AI reshapes retail
7. Retailers will revamp loyalty programs for the coming era of AI commerce
8. GenAI tools will become a routine part of how most consumers seek health information
9. Financial media networks will acquire shopping surfaces to compete for commerce budgets
10. Payment players race to define their place in the stablecoin ecosystem
11. AI’s content takeover will shake consumer trust in the internet
Sources
Media Gallery
Executive Summary
The boundaries between media, marketing, and commerce are blurring, creating both opportunity and uncertainty. AI platforms are poised to automate creative work, further encroaching on agency territory. Retailers are racing to protect customer relationships as ChatGPT enables in-app purchasing. And Gen Alpha—the first generation raised on touchscreens—is making its social media debut already fluent in its language. From AI’s creative threat to loyalty’s next era, 11 trends will reshape how brands compete in 2026.
authors
Ross Benes, Jacob Bourne, Grace Broadbent, Sky Canaves, Paola Flores-Marquez, Rajiv Leventhal, Sarah Marzano, Minda Smiley, Max Willens, Yoram Wurmser
Contributors
- Suzy Davidkhanian
- VP, Content
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- Graphic Designer, Data Visualization
- Naomi Rebuelta
- Copy Editor
- Amy Rotondo
- Director, US Research
- Shelleen Shum
- VP, Forecasting
- Paul Verna
- VP, Content
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