Kantar: AI Agents, Synthetic Data, GEO Redefine 2026 Marketing

Kantar's 2026 marketing outlook reveals that AI agents, synthetic data, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) are set to redefine the industry. A new report from Kantar warns that brands must adapt to both human and machine decision-makers to stay relevant. With 24% of AI users already using autonomous shopping assistants (Kantar), the study emphasizes these three interconnected trends as the foundation for all future growth recommendations.

The Three Pillars of 2026 Marketing: AI Agents, Synthetic Data, and GEO

Kantar's 2026 forecast identifies three critical marketing trends: autonomous AI shopping agents that require machine-readable data, privacy-safe synthetic data for hyper-targeting audiences with 95% accuracy, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to ensure visibility within AI-powered search results. These pillars represent a fundamental shift for CMOs.

The rise of AI agents marks a shift from novelty to mainstream utility. Soon, consumers will delegate tasks like finding and purchasing products to digital assistants. Kantar advises brands to prioritize machine-readable structured data for these agents while continuing to build brand equity through traditional channels. According to their research, predisposing an AI agent with quality data can boost sales as effectively as persuading a human customer.

Synthetic data offers a powerful solution for audience modeling. By blending first-party data with AI-generated 'digital twins,' marketers can achieve up to 95% predictive accuracy. However, Kantar emphasizes that success depends on impeccable data quality and strict governance. Brands are advised to partner with analytics experts before exploring advanced applications like VR or voice modeling.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) emerges as the third critical pillar, replacing traditional SEO tactics. Since Large Language Models (LLMs) pull answers directly from their training data, brand visibility now hinges on being cited within tools like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews. As reported by eMarketer, fewer than 10% of sources cited by major LLMs appear in Google's top 10 organic results (eMarketer). GEO prioritizes authoritative content, structured data, and branded search queries over conventional backlinks.

Maximizing ROI in Retail Media and Creator Partnerships

Investment in retail media networks (RMNs) is surging, with a net 38% of marketers planning budget increases for 2026. These platforms promise impressive returns, delivering 1.8x better overall results and 3x higher purchase intent than standard display ads. The primary challenge remains fragmentation across over 200 separate networks, making unified shopper data a prerequisite for scaling investment effectively.

Creator marketing continues to gain momentum, with 61% of advertisers planning to increase their budgets. However, a significant measurement gap exists, as only 27% effectively link creator campaigns to core brand metrics (ContentGrip). To close this gap, Kantar recommends focusing on long-term partnerships, clear brand guardrails, and holistic measurement that tracks both upper-funnel impact and cross-channel effects.

Strategic Checklist for CMOs: 2025-2026

• Optimize product feeds with rich, accurate data for 'non-human consumers' like AI agents.
• Prioritize data quality and governance to ensure synthetic audiences enhance targeting, not amplify bias.
• Integrate GEO into SEO workflows, with a focus on tracking AI citations and branded query volume.
• Demand closed-loop attribution from retail media partners to validate ROI claims.
• Establish clear creator benchmarks that connect content strategy directly to sales and brand lift before increasing budgets.

Underpinning all these trends is the imperative for robust experimentation. Kantar highlights that disruptor brands generated $6.6 trillion in value over two decades by embracing rapid test-and-learn cycles. For leaders navigating the future, a commitment to high-velocity testing, combined with responsible data stewardship, is the most effective strategy for thriving in an era of AI-accelerated change.