AI stopped being a buzzword in 2025. It moved from tool to operating system. Platforms rebuilt their systems around it. Advertisers ran thousands of campaigns with it. And consumers shifted how they search, shop, and discover because of it.
At CES 2026, the industry made it clear: AI isn't coming - it's already operating campaigns, coordinating channels, and determining which brands show up in conversational search. The question isn't whether to adopt AI. It's whether you're using the right kind.
That's why we created Local Lens 2026: AI's Breakout Year in Advertising - Madhive's year-end report on how AI reshaped local advertising in 2025 and what it means for 2026.
No hype. No vendor pitches. Just the insights you need to compete.
This edition breaks down into three acts, each addressing a critical shift in how local advertising works now:
Where the industry stands right now. Access unlocked - 75% of CTV buys are programmatic and barriers have dropped. Outcomes became currency - and measurement capabilities are catching up.
What actually workedversus what was marketing theater. Everyone claimed AI, but outcomes separated signal from noise. Platforms that rebuilt their systems to operate campaigns autonomously delivered 22% ROAS improvements. Those that added AI labels without execution? Clients moved on.
The shifts that will define local advertising this year. Cross-channel execution becomes the performance baseline - campaigns that AI orchestrates will outperform campaigns planned in silos. GEO becomes the new SEO as visibility moves from search results to AI recommendations. And AI becomes the operating layer - embedded in workflows, not bolted on - as the execution gap closes between ideation (86% adoption) and actual campaign management (44%).
Staying competitive in local advertising isn't about having the biggest budget. It's about understanding which AI shifts matter and which are just noise.
Download Local Lens: AI’s breakthrough year in advertising to get the full report with data, competitive insights, and what to prioritize in 2026.
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