In a bold forecast shaking the digital advertising world, David Cohen, CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, envisions traditional search engines fading into obsolescence by 2026 as artificial intelligence reshapes consumer discovery. Brands, he argues, will vie for prominence not through optimized keywords but within the opaque ‘latent space’ of large language models, where algorithms silently rank relevance.

This shift, detailed in Cohen’s recent Adweek op-ed, predicts AI agents handling queries directly, bypassing Google-like results pages. ‘Search will take a backseat,’ Cohen writes, urging marketers to adapt to a future where visibility hinges on embedding in AI training data rather than paid placements.

Latent Space: The New Advertising Frontier

Cohen describes latent space as the multidimensional realm inside AI models where concepts cluster based on training data patterns. Brands must now compete to associate closely with desired attributes—luxury, reliability, innovation—before users even ask. This invisible battleground demands investments in data licensing, synthetic content generation, and partnerships with AI developers.

Current experiments underscore the urgency. Platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT already deliver conversational answers laced with sponsored insertions, hinting at scalable ad models. Cohen warns that without proactive positioning, brands risk invisibility in AI outputs, much like failing to rank on page one today.

Industry Voices Echo the Warning

Debra Aho Williamson, analyst at Insider Intelligence, aligns with Cohen’s view, predicting in a PPC Land report that AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity will surge as ad destinations faster than social networks did. ‘AI platforms will become media giants in 2026,’ she states, forecasting explosive growth in programmatic buying within these systems.

Adweek’s companion piece on six AI trends for 2026 amplifies this, highlighting agent-to-agent media transactions and the decline of social discovery. Industry executives polled there foresee AI agents negotiating buys autonomously, further eroding human-driven search.

Brands Race to Optimize for AI Outputs

Fashion houses are early adopters. A Business of Fashion interview with Profound CEO James Cadwallader reveals how brands license product data to ensure surfacing in AI queries. ‘Brands are turning to startups like Profound to guarantee visibility on ChatGPT,’ Cadwallader explains, as the BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2026 report warns of profound disruptions.

Forbes contributors, in a roundup of 10 AI predictions for 2026, emphasize human-AI collaboration, with experts like those from OpenAI predicting softer skills will complement algorithmic discovery. This human-centric pivot challenges agencies to rethink creative strategies beyond SEO.

Posts on X Signal Growing Consensus

Recent posts on X from Adweek highlight Cohen’s thesis, noting ‘@iab CEO David Cohen predicts traditional search will fade by 2026 as AI reshapes how brands reach consumers.’ The platform buzzes with marketers debating tactics, from fine-tuning brand embeddings to lobbying for transparent AI ad policies.

Bloomberg’s finance leaders’ predictions add economic weight, with executives bullish on AI-driven efficiencies despite hype corrections outlined in MIT Technology Review’s 2025 reckoning analysis. Investments in AI infrastructure, they say, will accelerate brand adaptations.

Monetization Models Evolve Rapidly

AI firms experiment with ads: OpenAI tests shopping integrations, while Google’s Search Generative Experience blends results with promotions. Cohen anticipates a hybrid where latent space bidding replaces auctions, demanding real-time data feeds from brands.

Challenges loom, including antitrust scrutiny and data privacy. The IAB, under Cohen, pushes standards for ‘AI-ready’ advertising, as detailed in his piece. Agencies like GroupM explore AI wrappers around existing campaigns to test latent embeddings.

Strategic Imperatives for Marketers

To thrive, Cohen advises tripling down on first-party data and cultural relevance, ensuring brands populate AI training sets favorably. Partnerships with publishers and influencers gain primacy to amplify signals in model updates.

Pinterest’s 2026 trend forecast, boasting 88% accuracy, shows Gen Z driving AI-influenced searches, with 80 billion monthly queries revealing shifts toward voice and visual discovery.

Measuring Success in Opaque Systems

Attribution becomes trickier without clickstreams. New metrics—embedding proximity scores, lift in AI mention rates—emerge from startups like Profound. Integral Ad Science’s AI agent platform, launched recently, aids optimization amid these changes.

As 2026 nears, Cohen’s vision positions the IAB at the vanguard, hosting forums on latent space strategies. Brands ignoring this face obsolescence, while pioneers redefine visibility in AI’s core.