Smartly, the leading AI-powered advertising technology platform, today released its seventh annual Digital Trends Report, revealing that 2026 will mark a new era of predictive marketing where AI turns the funnel into a fluid, intelligent journey. The research highlights three major forces driving this shift: the rise of AI-powered decisioning and outcomes, the convergence of social, video, and CTV, and the evolution of precision-first marketing.
Based on proprietary data and insights from more than 450 global marketers, the report finds that most marketers are using AI for creative asset creation and optimization, with the majority planning to expand their predictive and creative intelligence capabilities in 2026. As campaigns stretch across more screens, precision-first marketers, those deeply embedding AI into workflows, now use six or more platforms to reach audiences, signaling that cross-channel fluency is no longer optional.
“AI is fundamentally rewiring marketing, from creative ideation to performance optimization, and redefining how brands connect with consumers across social, video, and CTV,” said Brianna Gays, SVP, Marketing and Communications at Smartly. “We’re seeing a new class of precision-first marketers emerge, those who let intelligence guide where, how, and how fast they scale. They’re not just keeping pace with change, they’re shaping it.”
Key Findings from Smartly’s 2026 Digital Trends Report
As video consumption continues to proliferate across social and streaming platforms, Smartly’s findings underscore the growing connection between creative intelligence and video performance, laying the foundation for continued innovation across adtech, cross-platform, and CTV solutions.
The 2026 Digital Trends Report is available for download at https://bit.ly/3JwpCEA.
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