Each year, CES introduces a wave of new technologies and serves as a global stage for companies across various industries to showcase their latest innovations. This year, the most powerful tech event drew more than 148,000 attendees and over 4,000 exhibitors to Las Vegas, cementing its position as the essential kickoff for the year’s media and advertising strategies.
Unsurprisingly, AI sat at the center of nearly every major conversation. For the media, advertising, and martech industries, CES reinforced just how quickly AI is reshaping the way brands connect with consumers – and how quickly the infrastructure supporting digital advertising technology is evolving to meet this moment. Here are our key takeaways from CES 2026.
AI Agents Are Moving From Theory to Transaction
Several panels and key announcements pointed to agentic AI as the future of media transactions. Major platforms are experimenting with autonomous systems that can make media buying and optimization decisions with limited human intervention. NBCUniversal made headlines by announcing the first-ever cross-platform agentic media buy partnering with RPA, FreeWheel, and Newton Research to execute premium video campaigns – including live sports inventory on linear television – in seconds rather than days.
Ad Age noted ad tech innovators, including Viant, Magnite, and PubMatic are racing to be first to fully automate programmatic markets through AI. For B2B tech marketers, this shift signals a fundamental change in how programmatic advertising infrastructure will operate – with AI agents sitting on top of existing DSPs and SSPs to automate previously manual workflows like deal ID setup and campaign planning.
Traditional SEO Is Being Rewritten for an AI-First World
The rise of agentic AI is poised to fundamentally transform SEO. With more users relying on large language models and AI assistants instead of conventional search engines, the effectiveness of keyword-based optimization is diminishing. According to The Trade Desk, while AI-driven search will undoubtedly shift traffic patterns, premium open-web inventory can still gain an advantage – but only if brands strategically adjust their approach.
Brand reputation and context are increasingly vital in the new digital ad paradigm. Ad tech companies must prepare for machine-to-machine discovery by strategically utilizing brand APIs, structured data, and considering how AI agents interpret information. For B2B tech brands, this means investing in authoritative content and thought leadership to ensure correct brand representation when AI systems offer recommendations or answer category-specific queries.
The Creator Economy Evolves Into a Full Media Channel
Creators are expanding beyond social platforms, fundamentally changing how media buyers access and activate creator-led audiences. CES 2026 featured an expanded Creator Space with three days of programming focused on performance metrics, brand partnerships, and commerce – signaling that creators are now central to the digital advertising ecosystem, not peripheral to it.
Advertisers can now access creator inventory directly or programmatically. Creators are transitioning from influencers to media companies, expanding into streaming and podcasting. This shift facilitates better audience targeting and measurement, which is vital for B2B marketers seeking to engage decision-makers in authentic, trusted spaces.
The integration of retail media data with creator partnerships is also creating new opportunities for performance-driven campaigns that connect influence directly to sales outcomes, making creator strategies more accountable and ROI-focused than ever before.
The Bottom Line for B2B Tech Marketers
CES 2026 made it clear that the advertising technology landscape is entering a new era defined by automation, intelligence, and accountability. For B2B tech brands, martech platforms, and digital advertising technology companies, the implications are significant: invest in AI-ready infrastructure, rethink your approach to search and discovery, and treat creators as strategic media partners rather than tactical activations.
As specialists in B2B and adtech communications, we stay closely attuned to the trends shaping the industry so we can continue to serve as strategic partners to our clients. If you’re looking for guidance on building a compelling narrative, leveraging media and digital platforms, and reaching the right audience at the right time, get in touch at hello@kitehillpr.com.
– Jessica Ohaeri, Account Executive