Our world in 2026

If 2023 was the year that AI broke out and showed its potential to the world, and 2024 was the year that tech platforms invested billions of dollars in making that vision reality, then 2025 showed it will take an external catalyst for many of the world’s biggest corporations to commit to AI transformation wholeheartedly.

Here we unpack the hype, the hopes and the hard truths about how far AI can take us. Sir Martin Sorrell and fellow Monks answer key questions, such as: Will 2026 be an accelerator year? Can AI ever think strategically? How is AI rewriting agency-client dynamics and media investment decisions? What are the biggest roadblocks to AI adoption? How do you balance global AI strategy with regional nuance? Where do humans still reign?