CMORoom Weekly News Roundup 2026 (Feb 22-28, 2026)

One news brief. One weekly dose.

Essential news that makes a mark and shapes what’s next.

🤖 AI-Driven Advertising Tests Expand with Retail and Enterprise Partners

OpenAI has begun testing advertising inside ChatGPT in the United States with major retail partners including Target, Adobe, Williams-Sonoma, and Albertsons. These early pilots aim to explore how contextually relevant ads can appear alongside AI responses during product discovery moments. (PYMNTS)

🔎 Google Accelerates AI-Powered Commerce and Conversational Ad Formats

Google is pushing its agent-driven future for search and commerce that embeds advertising deeper into AI-mediated experiences. New formats within AI Mode and support for seamless shopping journeys reflect a shift toward AI-assisted discovery and conversion across Search and YouTube. (Search Engine Land)

💬 AI Advertising Inside Chat and Trust Signals Take Center Stage

As AI platforms explore ad integration inside chat interfaces, industry analysis highlights the challenge of balancing monetization with user trust. Experts warn that blending ads into conversational experiences could impact user behavior and brand perception. (MarTech.org)

💰 Big Tech’s AI Investment Surge Continues

Investments from major tech firms — including Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet — are expected to total roughly $650 billion in AI infrastructure and tools this year, underscoring broad confidence in AI as a core driver of future marketing technology and consumer engagement. (Campaign)

🛍️ AI-Mediated Discovery Alters Search Behavior

Google has introduced conversational shopping ads inside AI Mode that reach tens of millions of daily users, signaling that AI modes of search and discovery are becoming key channels where marketers must adapt creative formats and measurement strategies. (MarketingProfs)