Home AI CES 2026: What’s Real – And What’s BS – When It Comes To AI

CES 2026: What’s Real – And What’s BS – When It Comes To AI

SHARE:
Jamie Seltzer, global chief data and technology officer, Havas Media Network, speaks to AdExchanger at CES 2026.
Jamie Seltzer, global chief data and technology officer, Havas Media Network, chats with AdExchanger at CES 2026.

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, AdExchanger and the Chief Marketer Network asked digital advertising insiders for their perspective on where the industry stands as we kick off the new year.

We got their takes on trends to watch in 2026, as well as what the industry got wrong last year and how it can learn from those mistakes.

We also asked them to separate the real AI use cases having an impact on the market today from the AI hype they heard at the show.

Check out the videos below for hot takes from these industry experts:

  • Tony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab
  • Tim Vanderhook, CEO, and Chris Vanderhook, COO, Viant
  • André Swanston, CEO, PHȲND
  • Jamie Seltzer, global chief data and technology officer, Havas Media Network
  • Rob Deichert, COO, TripleLift
  • Dave Olesnevich, head of product, The Weather Company
  • Joshua John, senior director, product strategy, Yahoo DSP
  • Chris Signore, SVP, business development, Magnite

What’s something the ad industry got wrong in 2025 that you hope to learn from this year?

What’s a trend to watch in 2026?

What’s an AI use case you feel positive about for this year?

What’s something you’ve heard about AI at CES that you want to call BS on?

How would you describe CES 2026 in three words or one phrase?

Must Read

Comic: Measuremints

Nielsen Is Acquiring DoubleVerify For $2.15 Billion

On Thursday, Nielsen entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DoubleVerify in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $2.15 billion.

WBD Hopes To Buoy Linear TV Long Enough For Streaming To Find Its Way

Warner Bros. Discovery cited softer ad sales growth and the continued decline of linear TV as its reasons for missing investor expectations in Q2. Unsurprisingly, streaming ads are the biggest bright spot on WBD’s earnings report card.

Comic: The Mobile Freight Train

AppLovin Asks For Patience As It Grows Its Ecommerce And Consumer Ads Business

“We’re deemed a new bucket, so a testing category,” AppLovin CEO told investors regarding its nascent consumer and ecommerce ads business. “And to graduate up takes time. This stuff compounds over quarters and years.”

Privacy! Commerce! Connected TV! Read all about it. Subscribe to AdExchanger Newsletters

Magnite Doesn’t Want To Be A DSP. It Just Wants To Own The Decisioning Layer

On Wednesday, Magnite CEO Michael Barrett painted a picture of a company that’s edging into the buy side by adding more DSP-style capabilities for planning and activation.

For Cuisinart, AI-Generated Ads Are As Handy As A Kitchen Blender

Cuisinart’s marketing team has been eager to take advantage of generative AI-based creative.

Paramount Skydance Insists The WBD Merger Will Be Good For The Media And Ad Industry

During Paramount Skydance’s Q2 earnings call, CEO David Ellison limited his remarks to a two-minute monologue about the company’s confidence in the intended merger.