As we navigate the trends highlighted in The Omnichannel Beacon: Spotting 2026’s Next Big Wins, 2026 marks the definitive move of omnichannel advertising from simply being “everywhere” to being “impactful everywhere.” AI now powers CTV campaigns, making creative, targeting, and measurement faster and more precise.
With streaming viewership now accounting for 44.8% of all TV time, it officially overtakes linear, broadcast, and cable combined for the first time in history (Source: MNTN/Nielsen). The integration of AI is no longer a luxury; it is the baseline for performance.
Here is how AI is redefining CTV advertising in 2026:
Hyper-Personalized Creative at Scale
Generative AI has democratized high-end production. In 2026, 86% of ad buyers utilize GenAI to create video content, and AI-generated content is projected to account for 40% of all video ads by year-end (Source: IAB 2025 Video Ad Spend & Strategy Report).
- The Shift: Brands can create hundreds of personalized variations in seconds, tailoring visuals, voiceovers, and promotions to a viewer’s specific neighborhood or weather.
- The Win: Products seen on TV reappear on mobile and DOOH screens. This reinforced narrative has been shown to boost brand engagement by up to 34% (Source: TrueFan AI / WPP TYNY).
Smarter Targeting Across Screens
In 2026, the Smart TV “Home Screen” has become the new prime time. 75% of executives now agree that OS-level AI assistants (like those on Roku or Amazon Fire TV) determine which content and ads are surfaced to viewers (Source: EMARKETER / CES 2026 Trends).
- Omnichannel 2.0: AI analyzes cross-device signals in real-time, ensuring mobile, CTV, and in-store media work in sync.
- Efficiency: AI-driven media planning is now standard; at least 25% of all video campaigns are planned entirely by AI, allowing for “attention-adjusted” bidding that optimizes spend based on real-time engagement (Source: AI Digital / WARC).
Interactive and Shoppable CTV Ads
AI-driven interactivity has turned the largest screen in the house into a direct conversion channel.
- The Conversion Lift: Recent 2026 data shows that shopping journeys incorporating AI-guided commerce features lead to 53% more purchases within 30 minutes of interaction compared to standard ads (Source: tvScientific / Firework).
- Retail Media Power: With Retail Media spend hitting $69.33 billion this year, AI connects first-party retail data directly to CTV, converting passive attention into measurable checkouts (Source: EMARKETER).
With the total sunset of third-party cookies, AI-driven contextual intelligence is now essential.
- Contextual Alignment: AI scans streaming content in real-time to align ads with the sentiment of a scene rather than tracking individual user IDs.
- Trust as Currency: Brands leveraging AI for contextual relevance report higher credibility, as ads feel like a natural part of the viewing experience (Source: IAB Europe / Orange Business).
Enhanced Measurement and Fraud Prevention
AI safeguards campaigns by ensuring they run on premium, fraud-free inventory, a core tenet of the Cognitive Customer Experience (CCX) framework.
- Unified View: Over 90% of CTV advertising is now transacted programmatically, up significantly from previous years (Source: Basis Technologies / IAB).
- India’s Growth Spot: India has reached a tipping point with 129 million CTV users and an ad spend of ₹2,500 crore, as 35% of traditional linear budgets have officially migrated to streaming (Source: TrueFan AI / WPP TYNY 2026).
AI doesn’t just assist CTV advertising in 2026; it transforms it into a performance powerhouse. Brands embracing AI-powered CTV as part of an omnichannel strategy don’t just reach audiences; they influence behavior. At Lemma, we merge AI-driven precision with omnichannel, creating CTV experiences that don’t just perform, they predict performance.
