AI agents to reshape brand discovery by 2026, says Kantar

Kantar has forecast a major shift in how consumers discover and choose brands as artificial intelligence agents move into the mainstream, with new research indicating that almost a quarter of AI users already shop with an AI‑powered assistant.

The marketing data and analytics group has set out ten trends it believes will define marketing strategies in 2026. The themes span AI search, synthetic data, retail media networks, inclusion, innovation and the growing importance of micro‑communities.

Kantar said advances in generative AI, recommendation engines and search interfaces would change how people interact with brands and information. The firm said marketers faced a period of rapid adjustment as AI systems mediate more purchase decisions and shape what products consumers see.

Jane Ostler, Chief Insights Officer at Kantar, said recent years had marked a turning point in the use of artificial intelligence across marketing functions.

"2025 taught the industry new tech fundamentals, proving that technology like Generative AI can help marketers understand people better and make smarter decisions to drive growth and value for their brands. Now, AI agents, algorithm-driven recommendations and GenAI search are fundamentally changing how people interact with the world around them. When AI becomes the language that we all speak, ensuring that brands still create trusted and authentic human connection will be paramount," said Jane Ostler, Chief Insights Officer, Kantar.

Ostler said long‑term success would depend on strong data foundations and a willingness to test new approaches. She linked this to the way brands express their identity as AI usage increases.

"Success must be built on a foundation of high-quality and responsible data, backed by innovation and experimentation," continued Ostler. "The brands that thrive in 2026 will be those that use technology to drive creativity, inclusivity and growth but don't lose sight of what makes them different."

AI agents

Kantar reported that 24% of AI users already rely on an AI‑powered shopping assistant. The firm said people were increasingly briefing agents to research products and influence what they buy. It said brands would need approaches that speak to both algorithmic agents and human audiences across traditional media.

The company said this shift would place new pressure on marketers to ensure their brands are visible within the data and content that AI models analyse. It said chief marketing officers would focus more on the presence of brand information in the text and media that train generative systems.

Kantar said this would drive interest in Generative Engine Optimisation, as marketers seek a place in AI‑generated recipes, how‑to guides and reviews. It said the strongest brands would be those that shape the content that machine models draw from when generating answers and recommendations.

Data and creative

The report pointed to the growing use of synthetic data and augmented audiences. Kantar said AI techniques would deepen audience understanding and influence strategy, but only where the underlying data was reliable. It said 2026 would bring further evolution in tools such as digital twins and in the integration of text, voice, images and virtual reality into marketing workflows.

The firm said organisations would need disciplined structures, clear guardrails and partners that they trust when deploying synthetic or AI‑generated audience insights. It said this requirement applied across planning, testing and measurement.

Kantar highlighted what it called a shift from "creative optimisation" to "creative intelligence". It said 74% of marketers expressed excitement about generative AI. The company said the next phase would involve using AI in systematic testing of advertising to assess attention, emotion and purchase intent. It said this would depend on high quality training datasets for creative effectiveness and on human input that preserves authenticity.

Treatonomics trend

The research described a behavioural pattern that Kantar labels "Treatonomics", based on consumers seeking small, frequent rewards. It said many people now emphasise everyday "inchstones" rather than major life milestones. According to the firm, 36% of people would go into short‑term debt for spending on things they enjoy.

Kantar said brands would examine whether their products align with this search for everyday enjoyment. It said marketers would look at how they frame messages around small pleasures and control in uncertain economic conditions.

Innovation and inclusion

The report linked future growth to a more expansive approach to innovation. Kantar said disruptor brands had created USD $6.6 trillion in value over the past twenty years. It said companies that avoided risk in 2026 would face constraints on future growth.

The firm said brands would benefit from embedding experimentation as a routine activity. It said this culture involved structured exploration, permission to push boundaries and rewards for teams that test new ideas. It said effective innovation would align closely with brand purpose and with consumer motivations and tensions, rather than with standalone technologies.

Kantar also identified inclusion as a commercial priority. The company reported that 65% of people now value companies that promote diversity and inclusion, compared with 59% in 2021. It said future‑oriented brands would move away from performative messages and would increase investment in inclusive innovation and culturally fluent programmes.

The firm said brands would be expected to show authentic representation both internally and externally. It said that in a climate of backlash some companies would need to communicate their values more clearly and take more definite positions.

Retail media and creators

Kantar said retail media networks were becoming central to shopper marketing. A net 38% of marketers plan to increase investment in retail media networks in 2026. The company said its data showed these channels deliver 1.8 times better results than standard digital ads and nearly three times higher purchase intent.

The firm said brands and retailers would need closer collaboration on consumer‑focused advertising formats. It said the effectiveness of retail media in 2026 would depend on integrating data from different retail touchpoints.

Spending on creator content is also set to rise. Kantar said a net 61% of marketers plan to increase budgets in this area in 2026. It said this growth raised expectations for measurable return on investment and for long‑term brand‑building impact.

The company said coherent cross‑channel ideas are now 2.5 times more important to campaign success than a decade ago. It noted that only 27% of creator content today ties strongly to the brand. It said 2026 would require a move from standalone creator executions towards longer‑term creative platforms that align brand and creator output.

Kantar said chief marketing officers would define clearer guardrails and success metrics for creator work. It said the aim would be to give creators room to operate in their own style while maintaining brand consistency.

Micro-communities rise

The report described a shift away from broad social reach as people respond to algorithmic feeds that reward generic and sales‑heavy content. Kantar said users were gravitating towards smaller micro‑communities that offer a greater sense of belonging and more focused interests.

The firm said authenticity and relevance were now more likely than reach alone to drive engagement. It said brands would concentrate on sustained participation in these communities and on offering tangible value around specific passions and needs.

Kantar said marketing leaders would enter 2026 with increased focus on AI‑mediated discovery, new data practices and more targeted expressions of brand identity in digital environments.