As the tech industry transitions into 2026, insights from Rubeena Singh, Managing Director of NP Digital India, highlight the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on marketing strategies over the past year. In a recent conversation, Singh noted that 2025 marked a significant shift, where AI moved from a supplementary tool to an essential component shaping the core of modern marketing operations.
“2025 was when AI stopped being a nice-to-have and became the engine room of marketing,” Singh remarked. This evolution transformed brand strategies, shifting execution from manual tasks to automated systems capable of self-learning and improvement. Teams leveraging AI-driven optimization experienced faster workflows, smarter spending, and more predictable outcomes. “It was not about working harder but it was about working with intelligence baked in,” she added.
Looking ahead, Singh anticipates that 2026 will be pivotal not just for AI-driven marketing systems, but for the broader realms of discovery, personalization, and commerce. She identifies three fundamental trends that will redefine brand-consumer connections in the coming year.
The first trend, termed Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), reflects a shift in how consumers discover information. No longer limited to traditional search results, discovery will increasingly rely on AI systems that summarize and interpret data. For brands, establishing clear authority and structured content that AI systems can cite will be crucial. Although search engine optimization (SEO) remains relevant, it is set to expand significantly. Companies that adapt their content structures early will gain control over visibility on both traditional search engines and emerging AI interfaces.
The second trend, Privacy-First Personalisation, acknowledges that privacy constraints are now driving innovation. As third-party cookies fade into obsolescence, brands must harness AI to provide hyper-personalized experiences without intruding on user privacy. In 2026, AI systems are expected to predict user needs based on broad signals rather than tracking personal histories. This shift represents a movement from individual tracking to understanding intent, fostering trust while maintaining the relevance required for effective performance marketing.
Lastly, Singh emphasizes the rise of Conversational Commerce, which she describes as a significant evolution in the shopping interface. Powered by voice and visual search technologies, conversational commerce is set to dominate the retail landscape in 2026. Brands will need to create and optimize their offerings for these new search modalities. As this trend progresses, the importance of trust as a purchase catalyst will increase, with user-generated content reviews and community validation gaining prominence over traditional brand messaging. To remain competitive, companies must ensure their assets are discoverable across various formats and platforms, accessible to both sight and sound, and validated by peers.
As Singh reflects on the changes of 2025 and anticipates the developments in 2026, it is clear that the integration of AI into marketing strategies is no longer a trend but a necessity for brands aiming to thrive in an increasingly complex digital landscape. The insights gleaned from this conversation underline the imperative for businesses to adapt and innovate in order to meet the evolving expectations of consumers.
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