Marketing 2026: AI as Infrastructure and Trends Redefining Strategies

In-depth Analysis and Contextualization

Imagine a scenario where artificial intelligence is no longer an experiment, but the beating heart of marketing operations. By 2026, the digital sector in Brazil enters an era of technical maturity, driven by the pursuit of efficiency amidst increasing volumes of data and rising costs. Experts like Gustavo Pedrazza highlight that data-driven strategies have ceased to be a differentiator and have become essential, prioritizing predictability and total integration between media and analytics[1]. This transformation arrives at a critical moment: with digital advertising projected to exceed US$1 trillion globally and Brazil leading the growth, agencies and brands need to adapt to pillars such as automation, advanced segmentation, and performance-driven content[2]. The narrative is clear: marketing is leaving empiricism behind to embrace algorithmic precision, redefining how professionals build consumer journeys in a fragmented ecosystem.

Data, Cases and Examples

The trends are concrete and backed by impactful numbers. US Media maps six key vectors: AI as infrastructure for personalization at scale and predictive modeling; retail media growing 14.1% and surpassing paid search by 2028, with giants like Amazon and Mercado Libre dominating first-party data; CTV with a 9.5% increase in investments, focusing on advanced measurement in streaming[2]. Kantar complements this with ten predictions, including AI agents at scale – already used by 25% of consumers in shopping assistants – and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) for presence in generative responses[5]. In Brazil, the tax reform increases advertising costs on Meta starting in January, putting pressure on budgets that have grown 14.5% annually until 2026, according to eMarketer[3]. Cases such as chatbots integrated with CRM illustrate automation solving complete journeys, balancing tech with a human touch[2]. Serasa Experian reinforces with 12 trends, from multimodal SEO to slow marketing in communities[4].

Consequences, Opportunities and Trends

These changes bring challenges such as data fragmentation – the ‘new villain’ creating digital Towers of Babel – and the need for omnichannel integration for guided ROI[6][4]. Opportunities arise for agile brands: adopting GEO ensures visibility in AIs, while retail media and CTV open up high-conversion platforms. Professionals should prioritize synthetic data, Digital Twins, and creative optimization with human emotion, as Kantar warns[5]. By 2026, the real impact is increased efficiency: 86% of CMOs see media as a growth engine, increasing budgets by 80%[2]. Trends point to hyper-personalization, short videos, and cultural inclusion, paving the way for predictive and ethical marketing. Brands that invest now will lead in competitiveness, transforming increasing costs into exponential returns.

References

• [1] Terra: Digital strategies gain strength in operations in 2026
• [2] Business & Companies Journal: 6 trends that will redefine digital advertising in 2026
• [3] StartSe: Your marketing budget will be more expensive in 2026
• [4] Serasa Experian: The 12 most promising marketing trends for 2026
• [5] Meio & Mensagem: Ten marketing trends for 2026, according to Kantar