The conversation around AI and PPC is constantly shifting. It’s not a question of if AI belongs in PPC anymore. It’s a question of how to use it wisely without losing the expertise and critical thinking that make campaigns succeed.

Now in its 8th edition, PPC Trends 2026 is SEJ’s most anticipated paid media report. It brings together six leading PPC professionals who share how they’re adapting to this new reality, balancing automation with strategy, rethinking measurement, and finding what still drives real performance.

You’ll learn how to:

• Practical ways to apply AI tools while keeping human strategy in the driver’s seat
• Maintaining control as platforms evolve into black-box, AI-first campaign types
• Building durable measurement frameworks amid privacy changes and signal loss
• How generative AI is reshaping ad creative, testing, and optimization

Featuring insights from Brooke Osmundson, Jyll Saskin Gales, Gil Gildner, Navah Hopkins, Jonathan Kagan, and Mike Ryan, this year’s edition captures an industry in transition, full of opportunity and open questions.

AI, automation, and evolving regulations are reshaping paid search and paid social. What will define PPC success in 2026?

PPC Trends is back for its eighth edition, bringing together top industry experts to share field-tested insights on how to stay visible, maintain control, and drive performance in increasingly AI-first ad ecosystems.

With strategies from 6 leading PPC professionals, this year’s edition will help you tackle the challenges of automation, privacy, and generative AI, and give you the tools to stay competitive in 2026.