Predictions 2026
What does the future hold for the media and digital industries in 2026? The nextMedia Advisory Board has taken a look into the future for us.
role='presentation'What can we expect in 2026?
2026 will be a year of upheaval: AI is transforming value creation, media dynamics, and user behavior—while trust, attitude, and originality are regaining importance. Our advisory board has looked to the future for nextMedia.Hamburg: What trends will shape content, business models, technology, creativity, and market structures?
AI Becomes Infrastructure: Technology Shapes Business Models, Interfaces, and Content
Nina Peters
"2026 will mark a turning point for the German production landscape, and we must draw the right conclusions from it. The lack of a national tax incentive and an investment requirement for…
"2026 will mark a turning point for the German production landscape, and we must draw the right conclusions from it. The lack of a national tax incentive and an investment requirement for streaming services, combined with massive cost pressures on broadcasters and platforms, will trigger the disappearance of many small production companies and further mergers among firms. At the same time, AI tools are optimizing processes in the short term—in content development, planning, and post-production—and opening up new creative horizons in the long term: In the near future, we’ll be able to tell stories and explore genres from Germany that were previously reserved for Hollywood due to the budgets required. However, AI-generated content also poses the long-term threat of a glut of interchangeable content. The competition for the scarce commodity of audience attention will thus intensify once again. Starting in 2026, it will become even more crucial to determine who can hold their own against the algorithms through attitude, artistic vision, and genuine creativity—or, ideally, by combining both effectively."
Management; as of: Hamburg, Neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft
Michael Kutschinski
"Everyday life is becoming an interface. Tech companies around the world are focusing on the convergence of artificial intelligence and augmented reality. By the end of 2026, more than 50…
"Everyday life is becoming an interface.
Tech companies around the world are focusing on the convergence of artificial intelligence and augmented reality. By the end of 2026, more than 50 models of smart glasses are expected to hit the global market. Nearly half of them feature displays, cameras, and audio functions, and respond to voice commands, gestures, and eye movements.
These glasses know where we are, what we’re seeing, and what we need, and provide the relevant information.
Brands and media can seamlessly integrate digital content into the real world within its context.
“2026 marks the beginning of a new era of human-machine interaction.”
Creative Director; Photon Engine
Michael Kümmerle
"The Music Industry in 2026: Audio streaming remains central, AI becomes the standard for creativity and production, and fan monetization gains massive significance. Short-video platforms…
"The Music Industry in 2026: Audio streaming remains central, AI becomes the standard for creativity and production, and fan monetization gains massive significance. Short-video platforms completely dominate music marketing and increasingly determine reach, trends, and breakthroughs. At the same time, tech companies, labels, and live entertainment firms are entering the same playing field: tech players are aggressively developing music and live features, labels are investing in their own tech stacks and data expertise, while live entertainment companies are monetizing digital fan communities and hybrid events. The lines are blurring—everyone is competing for data, direct fan relationships, and exclusive content. Market dominance is no longer determined solely by music catalogs or tours, as it once was, but by control over platforms, technology, and fan engagement."
Ex-TikTok
Angela Broer
"AI remains the dominant topic. The big challenge for media companies in the coming year will be to get out of the experimental status and, in addition to efficiency projects, to realize real…
"AI remains the dominant topic. The big challenge for media companies in the coming year will be to get out of the experimental status and, in addition to efficiency projects, to realize real integrations of AI into the value chain or initial projects with dedicated AI agents. It would be great if we could invest more in partnerships and coalitions within the German media industry in order to set up and use data models together. AI also plays a major role in music. However, the even more important topic for us in 2026 will be to continue to promote local artists and local music with innovative services in a music market where digital growth is slowly slowing down and some competitors are withdrawing from the German market in order to maintain a strong, colorful and diverse music location in Germany." General Manager Operations; Believe Digital
Mirja Meyer
"Autonomous subscription models. In 2026, subscriptions will finally become smart! We’ll no longer have to adapt to rigid intervals—the subscriptions will adapt to us. AI will analyze…
"Autonomous subscription models. In 2026, subscriptions will finally become smart! We’ll no longer have to adapt to rigid intervals—the subscriptions will adapt to us. AI will analyze consumption patterns, mood, context, and priorities, and independently optimize prices, quantities, product combinations, and delivery cycles. A good subscription will feel like a personal assistant—invisible, reliable, always one step ahead. Subscriptions will become intelligent systems that think for themselves instead of being a nuisance.
The winners will be those brands that create radically customer-centric, dynamic, and empathetic subscription experiences—ones that don’t need to lock customers in because they inspire them."
Managing Director, Jung von Matt TECH
Platform Power & Creator Ecosystems: Whoever Controls Visibility Wins
Adil Sbai
"By 2026, creators will no longer be just the faces of campaigns, but will increasingly become platforms within platforms. The most successful creators are building their own ecosystems: apps…
"By 2026, creators will no longer be just the faces of campaigns, but will increasingly become platforms within platforms. The most successful creators are building their own ecosystems: apps, brands, studios, educational formats—and perhaps soon AI-powered avatars. TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are increasingly evolving into operating systems for these mini-media companies—with integrated shops or subscription models. The line between creators, brands, and media is blurring. For example, for the first time, Gen Z is getting most of its news from influencers—even more so than from media brands. It would be desirable for “conventional” players in the media landscape to have the courage to help shape this paradigm shift. Because even in 2026, young target audiences will continue to shift their attention toward social media and smartphone content—established media outlets should take the creator economy more seriously.”
CEO, WeCreate
Lukas Becker
"In the book industry, new business models will need to emerge in the future—the old retail model only works to a limited extent anymore. That’s why, in my view, publishers need to think more in…
"In the book industry, new business models will need to emerge in the future—the old retail model only works to a limited extent anymore. That’s why, in my view, publishers need to think more in terms of communities—moving away from the mass market and toward a specific niche, where the target audience is no longer served with individual products but with a curated, comprehensive offering. It will no longer be the individual book that counts, but rather a kind of membership with full access. Whether this will become a reality as early as 2026, however, I cannot say."
Chief Operating Officer, Murmann Publishers
Kristina von Domarus
"From SEO to AEO. A Capgemini study from January 2025 shows that over 58% of consumers now use Gen AI tools instead of traditional search—up from 25% in 2023. This shift is more than just…
"From SEO to AEO. A Capgemini study from January 2025 shows that over 58% of consumers now use Gen AI tools instead of traditional search—up from 25% in 2023. This shift is more than just technological: it’s changing how trust is built.
When AI no longer searches but responds, visibility no longer depends on budgets, but on credibility and public reputation. Publicly visible trust is becoming the new ticket to digital relevance.
The key question in marketing for 2026 is therefore no longer: How do I improve my Google ranking? But rather: How do I stay visible at all?
The shift from SEO to AEO means that trust is becoming the ranking factor of the future!"
Head of Account Management DACH, Trustpilot
Marc Recker
"We live in an emotionally charged era. We live in a 'social-first' world. Algorithms dictate communication. Our media consumption has become accustomed to short-term triggers—both positive and…
"We live in an emotionally charged era. We live in a 'social-first' world. Algorithms dictate communication. Our media consumption has become accustomed to short-term triggers—both positive and negative. Brands and companies must learn to navigate this 'age of emotion.' To do so, it’s important to understand context and the spirit of the times. Factual information and arguments are taking a back seat. It matters less what is said and more how it is said. Brands and personalities that succeed in creating a ‘vibe’ around themselves, establishing a space for resonance, and leveraging these ‘codes’ to their advantage will set the trends.”
Managing Director, fischerappelt Relations
Trust Over Traffic: A Return to Attitude, Depth, and Originality
Christian Röpke
"In 2026, it’s not the click that counts, but the relationship. Loyal reader relationships will replace pure traffic as the measure of success. The race for attention will become economically…
"In 2026, it’s not the click that counts, but the relationship. Loyal reader relationships will replace pure traffic as the measure of success. The race for attention will become economically obsolete due to AI-generated content. Only those brands that build genuine trust through a clear stance and reliability will be sustainable. After all, only loyal readers are willing to pay for quality in the long term and make a brand an integral part of their lives. Sustainable business models emerge where trust leads people to read, listen to, and experience our content day after day."
Chief Product Officer, ZEIT Publishing Group
Colin Hauer
"Content with edge, character, and soul instead of generic AI drivel … Even the last remaining digital skeptics have now tried out the latest generative AI tool and realized that while it…
"Content with edge, character, and soul instead of generic AI drivel
Even the last remaining digital skeptics have now tried out the latest generative AI tool and realized that while it produces some amusing experiments at first, it quickly becomes boring.
This AI fatigue creates an opportunity to return to human originality and surprising content. For their next audiobook, listeners are looking for attitude and a distinctive style—for authentic voices and stories crafted with care rather than churned out on an assembly line.
Yet even in 2026, the following remains true: A willingness to experiment and an openness to technology pay off. Those who intelligently outsource tedious work in repetitive processes—thereby increasing efficiency and creating space for original content—will inspire people even more than before."
CEO, Hörbuch Hamburg
Caren Siebold
"Media 2026: Time for radical honesty—and a little courage to provoke. The media industry is at a turning point in 2026. Anyone who still believes today that a little social media and a pinch of…
"Media 2026: Time for radical honesty—and a little courage to provoke. The media industry is at a turning point in 2026. Anyone who still believes today that a little social media and a pinch of AI are enough to master this transformation hasn’t gotten the message. We’re facing a revolution that calls everything into question.
Artificial intelligence is no longer just a fun toy from the innovation department. It’s the elephant in the room, turning our work, our content, and our credibility upside down. When algorithms decide what’s relevant and deepfakes are virtually indistinguishable from reality, we have to ask ourselves: Are we still in the driver’s seat, or have we long since become the driven?
The platforms dictate the rules. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram—they determine what gets seen. We’re guests at other people’s parties—and the hosts can kick us out at any time.
The audience is no longer the audience of yesterday. It wants a stance, but not to be patronized. It wants diversity, but not arbitrariness. Today, what counts is dialogue, meeting people on equal footing, and sometimes disagreement.
And what about money? People are willing to pay for content—but only for content that truly offers something of value. Those who focus solely on volume will be run over by AI. Those who focus on quality must deliver.
What remains? The courage to change. A willingness to experiment. The media industry of 2026 needs pioneers, bridge-builders. Perhaps that is the real challenge: not wanting to know everything better, but wanting to do things better. Those who succeed will have a future. Those who don’t will be run over."
Chief Product Officer, dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
Beatrice Kemner
"Enough with the whining! By 2026, the media and digital industries will stop complaining about the flood of AI-generated content and slumping traffic. We’ll focus on our own strengths: In…
"Enough with the whining! By 2026, the media and digital industries will stop complaining about the flood of AI-generated content and slumping traffic. We’ll focus on our own strengths:
In content strategy, exceptional, human-curated content will once again take center stage—content that, with expertise and unique value, stands out from the AI-generated mass. For media and professional development, this means a return to original research, real protagonists and case studies, and depth.
We accept that relevant content is becoming increasingly “invisible” and serves only as fodder for large language models (LLMs). Instead of traditional traffic metrics, impact metrics and GEO are therefore coming to the forefront, demonstrating the added value of (media) brands.
As a counterpoint to digitalization, physical live experiences will gain enormous relevance in 2026. The trust factor of real people and the personal on-site experience will attract target audiences and brands."
Executive Management and Head of Product, OMR Education
The Media Industry Under Stress: New Strategies for an Industry in the Thick of a Major Transformation
Anke J. Pätzold
"A Upheaval in the (Media) World? The world and its context are changing faster and more profoundly than expected. Ecology, geopolitics, economics, technology, and society are all simultaneously…
"A Upheaval in the (Media) World? The world and its context are changing faster and more profoundly than expected. Ecology, geopolitics, economics, technology, and society are all simultaneously putting pressure on familiar systems whose design no longer works. This creates cracks, friction, and growing uncertainty. The media industry serves as an early warning system. Consumption, communication, and the need for information are changing in parallel. Attention is becoming more fragmented, trust is becoming a scarce commodity, and relevance is replacing sheer reach. Familiar formulas no longer work here. New, meaningful questions are more important than old answers.
Will advertising disappear? No. Will it remain as it is today? No.
The implication for companies: Invest. In interoperable measurement systems, hybrid teams combining data, creativity, and strategy, and in business models that reward resilience and added value. Invest in strategy. And in asking the right questions."
Head of Strategic Operations, Ströer
Roland Bös
"2026 will be a litmus test—and an opportunity to rise above ourselves. The polycrisis and pressure to cut costs require us, as agencies, to demonstrate the value of creative work every day.
"2026 will be a litmus test—and an opportunity to rise above ourselves. The polycrisis and pressure to cut costs require us, as agencies, to demonstrate the value of creative work every day. After all, creativity is not a luxury, but a key driver of success—especially in uncertain times.
Artificial intelligence is propelling processes into new dimensions, yet our brains remain the epicenter of innovation. Hamburg’s vibrant creative ecosystem is predestined to be the hotspot for new business models born of this symbiosis between technology and human genius.
The key lies in inspiring exchange and benchmarking best practices. With OMR, the German Creative Economy Summit, and the ADC Festival, the Hanseatic city offers beacons for creative visions and networking. We look forward to setting sail together this January at the GWA New Year’s Reception 2026 at the Zeisehof!"
Managing Director & Partner, Scholz & Friends
