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Marketers Claim a Broader Role and Increased Influence Amid Pressures

The CMO Survey

Marketing leaders place greater emphasis on defending market position and investing in talent/capabilities, while other executives prioritize attracting investors and business partners. Looking ahead to 2026, marketing leaders forecast stronger budget growth: 8.9% Despite slower growth rates, marketing budgets now represent 9.4%

Transform 130
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Why brands must bridge the knowledge gap in AI adoption

Martech

In 2023, IDC estimated AI spending to be $150 billion, with projections to exceed $300 billion by 2026. The wrong priorities are made When adoption outpaces understanding, effort and investment are placed in the wrong places. The most-cited challenge in that same study was implementation challenges.

Transform 140
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Why 2025 is the year for martech optimization, not expansion

Martech

Half of all governments worldwide will regulate the use of AI by 2026, per Gartner’s prediction , so make sure you have a compliance framework in place. You may need to acquire data management technology that provides a means to manage the integrity and governance of your data.

Transform 117
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Generative engine optimization: What you need to know

Martech

Additionally, focusing on entities (specific topics, people, places, things) ensures your content is accurately represented by AI, further reinforcing your brand authority. As AI becomes a bigger part of our daily lives, these platforms are becoming the go-to place for people to find information.

Transform 117
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How tariffs impact retail sales and ad spending, and why 2025 might be different

Martech

It specifically states that a sharp hike in tariffs could lead to a broader economic slowdown and potentially contract consumer spending and GDP in 2026, which would, as you might imagine, negatively impact retail sales. Much like the NRF, Deloitte’s outlook also mentions tariffs. Speaking of tariffs, let’s clarify how they work.

Retail 121
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Customer experience tools and strategies: 2025 Predictions

Martech

Compliance deadlines for both of these updated accessibility guidelines begin as early as April 2026. Brand safety tools do more than ever to evaluate and rate content to avoid placing ads in the wrong context. However, entire platforms have become suspect to certain audiences.

Customer 128
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AI adoption accelerating, but many fall behind: IAB report

Martech

With 70% of agencies, brands and publishers yet to fully integrate AI across media planning, activation and analysis, half of them expect to do so by 2026, signaling a critical turning point for the industry. Ad inventory optimization : AI is helping publishers predict demand, improve pricing, and place ads efficiently.