91% of streaming viewers pause content, turning idle moments into powerful chances to engage. That single stat says a lot about where media, advertising, and technology are headed.
Let’s explore the major takeaways from PDMI and CES. We’ll look at how agentic AI and interactive CTV are reshaping the landscape, alongside the platform moves and regulatory shifts defining the industry today.
If you want to know what’s changing and what to do next, start from here.
Industry Highlights from PDMI and CES
This week’s highlights from PDMI and CES reveal an industry racing to simplify, automate, and optimize as AI, CTV, and data converge faster than ever before.
PDMI Member Experts Weigh In on Ad Tech Optimization
The latest Take 20 event made one thing clear: ad tech is growing quickly. Leaders agreed that optimization today is less about buying ads and more about building smart systems that actually work.
Experts from AudienceXpress, Blockboard, and Denali TV shared how performance now depends on clean data, better automation, and real accountability. AI plays a big role, but only when paired with guardrails that reduce fraud and build trust.
They also stressed that CTV and linear TV can no longer live in separate boxes. Audiences move freely, so data and optimization must move with them.
Key Takeaways:
- AI speeds planning and optimization, but transparency keeps it honest.
- Blockchain and verification help stop waste before ads run.
- Remnant and CTV inventory need daily, data-driven optimization.
- First-party data and context drive stronger performance outcomes.
CES Signals the Future of Advertising Technology
CES 2026 showed an industry in merge mode. Platforms are consolidating, and agencies are building fewer, bigger systems to handle media, data, and measurement together.
Agentic AI stole the spotlight. Groups like Omnicom and Stagwell positioned AI as an operating layer that guides decisions, not replaces people.
Meanwhile, CTV keeps growing fast. Bigger screens, new ad tools, and fresh Peacock inventory from NBCUniversal signal long-term momentum.
The message from CES is simple: automate smartly, scale carefully, and follow the audience everywhere.
AI’s Expanding Role in Media and Performance Marketing
AI is now actively reshaping how ads are planned, bought, and acted on across every stage of the customer journey.
Agentic AI Takes Over the CES News Cycle
At CES, agentic AI moved from buzzword to backbone. Autonomous agents now find products, choose brands, and trigger purchases, reshaping how performance works from start to finish.
That shift is changing CTV buying. Marketers are handing more decisions to machines, using AI to plan, place, and optimize ads in real time, while creatives adapt to smarter, more responsive formats.
The takeaway is clear: the funnel is collapsing, automation is rising, and AI now sits at the center of media strategy.
Apple and Google Deepen AI Collaboration
Google’s Gemini will power new Apple AI features, including a more personal version of Siri coming later this year. The multi-year deal signals strong confidence in Google’s AI tech.
For Siri, search, and ads, this changes the game. Siri will move from sending users to links to actually answering questions, comparing options, and recommending what to do next, often before anyone opens a website.
The bigger signal is scale. Apple and Google are betting on shared AI foundations, pushing platform-level integration that could reshape how people search, shop, and interact across screens.
The Evolution of CTV and Interactive Advertising
Connected TV is moving from passive viewing to active engagement, as interactivity and integration turn the living room into a performance-driven media channel.
Is Interactive CTV Finally Ready for Scale?
For years, interactive CTV looked good on stage but rarely showed up in actual campaigns. CES changed that. In 2025, interactive ads moved from demos to real use, with pause ads leading the charge.
The tech finally caught up to demand. Advertisers now understand CTV, measurement has improved, and viewers are leaning in. In fact, 91% of streamers pause content, creating a natural moment to interact.
What’s next matters most. Buyers should watch standardization efforts from IAB Tech Lab, new formats beyond pause ads, and whether platforms can scale interactivity without breaking the viewing flow.
Disney’s Push Toward Integrated Advertising
At CES, Disney showed how ads work better when creative, planning, and measurement connect in real time. AI helps teams build ads faster, adjust creative on the fly, and see what works while campaigns are live.
Disney now positions itself as one unified ad platform, not a set of separate tools. Brands can plan, create, and measure across streaming, sports, and entertainment in one system.
For large media owners, the signal is clear: integration beats fragmentation, and scale now depends on smart, connected ad stacks.
Media, Retail, and Platform Power Plays
Power is shifting as media and retail companies compete for control, scale, and customer attention.
Paramount vs. WBD: A High-Stakes Media Dispute
Paramount has taken Warner Bros. Discovery to court, pushing for more details about WBD’s preferred Netflix deal. Paramount wants shareholders to see how WBD valued the Netflix bid versus its own $30-per-share offer.
At the heart of the fight is transparency. Paramount argues investors need clearer numbers to make an informed choice, while WBD’s board continues to back Netflix.
For the industry, this signals more turbulence ahead. Media consolidation is getting messier, more public, and increasingly decided by courts and shareholders, not just boardrooms.
Amazon’s Big Box Retail Expansion
Amazon plans a 229,000-square-foot big-box store near Chicago, larger than a typical Walmart Supercenter. The site would mix groceries, household goods, and general merchandise, with space to support delivery pickup.
Why bet on brick-and-mortar again? Physical stores let Amazon blend shopping and fulfillment, making orders faster and more convenient.
The ripple effect could be big. A store like this fuels retail media, connects online and offline data, and strengthens Amazon’s omnichannel strategy from shelf to screen.
Member Insights and Industry Education
Member insights this week highlight new tools and clear guidance for performance and compliance.
Web-Exclusive Member Content
Buyist launched Auware, a new AI-powered app for Shopify brands that turns clicks into customers. Auware auto-builds audience-specific landing pages in minutes, using proven performance playbooks.
This is where AI earns its keep. By matching messages to each shopper’s mindset, Auware boosts conversion rates and ROAS, helping performance teams move faster and sell more.
Legal and Regulatory Updates for Marketers
Recent insights from BakerHostetler’s AD Nauseam podcast show the Federal Trade Commission returning to basics. Enforcement now targets clear consumer harm, including deceptive fees, subscription traps, earnings claims, and misleading AI marketing.
Looking ahead, Venable LLP will host a webinar on the INFORM Consumers Act, outlining new expectations for marketplaces and sellers.
For 2026, brands should tighten disclosures, document compliance, and prepare for audits as enforcement grows more focused and hands-on.
The Future Is Yours to Script
The pace of change is relentless, but you have the tools to stay ahead. Take these insights from PDMI and CES and turn them into your competitive advantage.
Contact TelNet Agency today. Let’s turn this data and AI into the strategy you need to dominate the new era of CTV.