8 segments · 158 companies · as of Sep 18, 2026
Consumer AI & Advertising
Assistants, creative tools and the engines that turn attention into purchases
Where it sits
Fed by: Models & Platforms
Consumer AI answers questions, creates media and connects people with products. Advertising funds much of the ecosystem: ranking models decide which content and offers get seen, while assistants and payment networks compete to own the path from discovery to checkout.
Why now
In 2026, assistants gain advertising and shopping integrations as creative models pressure content prices. Asian super-apps offer a separate distribution contest, and payment networks are building authorization and identity standards for agents.
Assistants, search & voice interfaces
People use conversational search, browser agents, companions and device voice assistants to find answers and complete tasks. Subscription retention, trusted results and distribution through phones, cars and restaurant ordering determine adoption.
ChatGPT combines web search, voice conversations and personal task agents in free and paid consumer plans
leaderGemini, AI Mode and AI Overviews combine an assistant with Google's existing search distribution
leaderClaude chat, research and consumer subscriptions extend an assistant business centered on work
challengerWhatsApp and Instagram distribute Meta AI; Muse adds a separate personal agent with its own browser workspace
majorConsumer Copilot brings voice, visual assistance and web answers to Windows and mobile users
majorGrok answers questions and analyzes images through its app and X; xAI now belongs to the listed space-and-connectivity parent
challengerSiri and Apple Intelligence combine device access with partner models; Gemini supports the announced assistant rebuild
challengerAlexa+ handles household requests; Alexa for Shopping, formerly Rufus, answers product questions and helps place orders
majorCited answers and Comet browser tasks reach consumers through subscriptions and Samsung integrations
challengerGalaxy AI combines Gemini with Perplexity-powered Bixby answers and preloaded assistant access on Galaxy S26
majorSearch incorporates Reddit Answers to summarize community discussions with links to original posts and comments
challengerLe Chat supplies multilingual consumer search and reasoning alongside a growing European enterprise business
nicheSmart Ordering serves IHOP and Five Guys; in-car voice assistants reach Stellantis and Hyundai drivers
majorxUI and CaLLM combine NVIDIA software and Azure; a Stellantis design win joins JLR and other automaker programs
majorCharacter chat and voice companions sell subscriptions; Google's licensing deal left an independent operator
nichePoe bundles chat with models from multiple labs and lets users build and distribute their own assistant bots
challengerAI Workspace turns natural-language requests into research, documents and live dashboards for subscription users
challengerAria browser answers and paid Neon agents turn browser distribution into consumer AI workflows
nicheAsk Brave synthesizes search results from its own index; Leo summarizes pages and documents inside the browser
nicheDuck.ai offers anonymized access to third-party chat models alongside DuckDuckGo search, including paid model tiers
nicheXiaoyi voice assistants control HarmonyOS devices and smart-home lighting through contextual spoken requests
majorMagenta AI distributes Perplexity on T Phone 3 and T Tablet 2; deeper Comet task execution remains a roadmap
nicheTask agents research and act across web services; consumer accounts continue through the announced Meta separation
challengerLuka operates personalized Replika companions with persistent chat, voice calls and paid relationship features
niche
Sources: openai.com, x.com, investors.soundhound.com, investors.cerence.com, manus.im, brave.com
Asian assistants & super-apps
Regional assistants compete through local language, messaging, search and payments. Chinese super-apps supply their own models and distribution, while Korean and Japanese platforms mix proprietary and partner models.
Doubao leads Chinese assistant app usage; Douyin distribution and voice features broaden consumer reach
leaderQwen app links conversational search with Taobao, travel and local-service transactions
leaderLow-cost reasoning assistant ranks among China's largest AI apps; open models support wider distribution
majorYuanbao combines Hunyuan and DeepSeek answers with WeChat content and service distribution
majorKimi combines long-document questions, web research and task agents in consumer subscriptions and developer services
challengerErnie assistant and AI search defend search traffic as users migrate to dedicated AI apps
majorTalkie and Xingye sell AI companion subscriptions alongside Hailuo; consumer products generate material revenue
challengerSuper XiaoAI 2.0 uses MiMo models for cross-app and cross-device tasks in HyperOS; Expert mode adds subscriptions
majorQingyan assistant and AutoGLM task execution distribute GLM models to Chinese consumers
challengerLingguang creates consumer mini-apps from prompts; Afu adds a specialized health-assistant entry point
challengerAI Briefing and AI Tab bring conversational answers into Korean search, drawing on local content and merchant data
majorChatGPT and Kanana in KakaoTalk target messenger users; standalone Kanana closure is scheduled for October 2026
majorAgent i unifies LINE AI and Yahoo Japan AI Assistant across messaging, search and daily-service tasks
majorA. combines call summaries, translation and personal-assistant tasks with Korean telecom distribution
nicheSpark assistant uses Chinese speech recognition and language models across consumer apps and smart devices
nicheDiandian answers travel, beauty and lifestyle questions with cited RedNote posts and follow-up conversations
majorStep AI, formerly Yuewen, offers web search, document questions and voice tools through web, desktop and mobile apps
challengerSenseChat supplies localized Cantonese chat and SenseNova-powered multimodal assistance to Hong Kong users
nicheKorean-language chat and the Crack character service combine personal assistance with consumer companion subscriptions
challengerMi:dm underpins Genie TV and phone assistance; personalized My K and TV agents are planned for wider rollout
nicheixi-O summarizes calls, flags suspected voice scams and retrieves contextual information during conversations
nicheZhida conversational answers link users to community knowledge and are being integrated with Zhihu Search
nicheCitation-based research assistant targets students and knowledge workers through web and mobile subscriptions
nicheDonut uses a multimodal emotional model for voice and character companionship aimed at women
emerging
Sources: reuters.com, x.com, finance.yahoo.com, pandaily.com, stepfun.com, questmobile.com.cn
Feeds, retail media & ad engines
Consumer platforms use ranking and prediction to select feeds, recommendations and ads. Retail, streaming and social services turn their own interaction data into targeting and automated bids. Advertiser returns and user engagement determine monetization.
Performance Max, AI Max and YouTube recommendations automate ad allocation while AI answers reshape search clicks
leaderGEM, Andromeda and Advantage+ optimize ad ranking and conversion; ads remain the core earnings engine
leaderAds Agent automates DSP campaigns; shopping intent powers targeting across retail and streaming inventory
majorDouyin feed ranking and TikTok Smart+ optimize ads; the US joint venture licenses technology with a minority parent stake
majorHunyuan-enhanced ad ranking monetizes WeChat and Video Accounts through contextual matching and conversion prediction
majorAlimama models optimize Taobao and Tmall advertising as Qwen changes how shoppers find products
majorRecommendation and bidding models connect short-video ads with ecommerce conversion; Kling adds creative supply
majorCopilot and Bing ads pair conversational intent with automated campaign generation and targeting
majorPerformance+ automates targeting, bidding and generated catalog imagery for shopping-oriented advertisers
challengerMax Campaigns automate audience, creative and budget selection using community-level purchase intent
challengerSmart Campaign Solutions automate bidding and budgets while generative lenses supply new ad creative
challengerErnie-generated ads and search answers defend an advertising franchise exposed to assistant substitution
majorMercado Ads AI Advisor recommends budgets and return targets over WhatsApp; AI search improves sponsored-product ranking
majorConnect Ad Center uses purchase data and AI campaign assistance; Sparky-linked ad formats remain in testing
majorAI Briefing and personalized search ads connect Korean search intent with its merchant and shopping data
majorMessage-ad targeting uses KakaoTalk audience and shopping signals; Kanana supports planned campaign assistance
nicheAds Manager uses machine-learning automated bids; listening-context signals target audio, video and display campaigns
challengerAds Suite applies AI to media plans and creative adaptation; personalized ad loads and buying agents are in testing
challengerJourney Ads target ride destinations and trip context; Eats Sponsored Listings monetize delivery-shopping intent
challengerVideo-understanding models improve feed and ad matching; automated ad placement and AIGC tools serve video advertisers
challengerAI Smart Ads selects marketplace products and optimizes ad delivery against sellers' target return on spend
challengerBigo Live uses multimodal recommendations; BIGO Ads applies deep learning and smart bidding to mobile campaigns
challengerAI-assisted content marketing and ad optimization monetize the public Weibo feed; VibeThinker is a separate research effort
nicheChatGPT Ads pilots conversational placements with Amazon Ads buyers; Delta Vacations is an initial advertiser
emerging
Sources: investor.atmeta.com, sec.gov, about.netflix.com, theglobeandmail.com, ir.joyy.com, emarketer.com
Open-web ads, CTV & agencies
Independent buying, publishing and agency systems use AI to match ads, generate campaigns and prove results. They face platform competition and fee pressure as automation reduces manual planning and production.
Axon predicts conversion across third-party apps and ecommerce; sold owned games to focus on advertising
leaderKokai, Koa and Zuma agents automate independent media buying, audience selection and campaign optimization
leaderMachine-learning DSP and Commerce Media match users to ads for app developers and retail marketplaces
majorSpringServe and ClearLine add AI mediation; Kepler and MiQ test a buyer agent using Disney inventory
majorVector trains ad-response models on game-runtime signals to improve mobile user acquisition and monetization
challengerCortex models optimize mobile user acquisition and Vungle monetization after its June 2026 IPO
majorAI recommendations and retail-media bidding link merchant inventory with shoppers and external assistants
majorAthena uses OpenAI models for marketing insights and decision agents inside its customer-data platform
majorViantAI Outcomes uses its Lattice Brain and Household ID to automate open-internet bidding and campaign decisions
challengernexAI optimizes DSP campaigns using integrated supply and VIDAA viewing data; Ghost Bidding measures incremental outcomes
challengerScibids optimizes ad bids and Neura agents analyze campaign performance; verification becomes an AI control layer
majorRealize optimizes performance campaigns; DeeperDive turns publisher content into conversational answers with ad opportunities
majorAgenticOS automates publisher and buyer ad workflows across its independent supply-side platform
challengerPredictive targeting and creative optimization combine former Outbrain recommendations with premium video inventory
challengerAds Manager and AI audience optimization connect streaming inventory to performance advertisers
majorOutmax agents optimize Perion One campaigns across CTV, display and TikTok after the Microsoft-search margin reset
challengerDT iQ and Ignite Graph predict mobile ad response; SingleTap and OEM integrations connect ads to on-device installs
challengerAiDeal predicts conversion intent while CrossX optimizes campaign bids and audiences across advertising channels
challengerCoreAI and Epsilon combine creative and identity data; automated delivery challenges labor-based agency pricing
majorOmni combines Acxiom and agency workflows after IPG closed; AI automates planning, creative and buying
majorCampaign platform WPP Open automates campaign creation; AI self-service and client insourcing pressure agency fees
majorMerkury AI media allocation serves Carat, dentsu X and iProspect clients while automation pressures agency fees
majorKIWAMI Prediction scores creative performance before release and automates ad production for Japanese advertisers
nicheConnect AI agents support campaign briefs, concept generation and production for agency clients
niche
Sources: investors.thetradedesk.com, investor.omc.com, investors.viantinc.com, tenjin.com, linkedin.com, pixalate.com
Image, video & design generation
Subscription tools and model APIs generate images, video, avatars and designs for creators and marketers. Workflow integration and rights-cleared content matter as model competition lowers production costs and threatens stock libraries.
Firefly and partner models sit inside Photoshop, Express and video workflows; generative rivals challenge creative seats
leaderVeo, Flow and Gemini image generation supply consumer creation tools and third-party creative apps
leaderMagic Studio and Canva AI bundle generated designs into paid team and consumer editing subscriptions
majorSeedance and Jimeng generate video across CapCut and Doubao distribution; China short-drama demand drives use
majorKling generates and edits video for paying creators and API customers; Kuaishou supplies distribution and model development
majorChatGPT image generation remains a creative entry point after Sora shutdown and the Disney deal's cancellation
majorPaid image and video generation serves designers and creators through a bootstrapped subscription business
majorGen-series models support Lionsgate production; June 2026 partnership expansion adds joint original-IP development
majorWan image and video models support multi-shot storytelling and character-reference generation through Model Studio
majorHunyuan 3D turns text, sketches and images into textured assets; consumer tools and cloud APIs serve creators
majorMake turns prompts and designs into interactive prototypes inside collaborative product-design workflows
challengerFLUX image generation and editing models reach creators through APIs and Adobe's partner-model distribution
challengerDream Machine and Ray models generate video for creators; Adobe Firefly distributes Ray models inside its editing workflow
challengerHailuo video subscriptions and APIs monetize Chinese-developed models with substantial international demand
challengerSoul 2.0 generates images and Keyframes builds storyboards; video tools serve marketing and studio production workflows
challengerAvatar videos and multilingual dubbing replace manual corporate training and communication production
majorAvatar creation, lip-synced translation and video agents sell to creators and business marketing teams
challengerAI image editing and design subscriptions monetize beauty, portraits and merchant-content production
nicheStable Diffusion and enterprise creative models supply WPP and EA workflows amid a financing reset
challengerYouCam photo and video tools sell AI portrait editing, effects and generated content through consumer subscriptions
nicheHarmony combines Aria prompt-based website generation with manual visual editing for creators and small businesses
majorCreator-trained Fiverr Go models generate paid assets in a freelancer's style, with optional human editing and usage rights
nicheAI Image Generator offers partner image models; training-data licensing partly offsets pressure on stock-photo sales
majorGenerative AI by Getty Images offers licensed-image generation; editorial archives retain a distinct documentary role
major
Sources: reuters.com, alibabacloud.com, tencent.com, wix.com, petapixel.com
Music, games & media production
Audio and game models generate voices, songs, characters and production assets. Buyers include creators, studios and game developers; model capability, licensed rights and integration into editing or game tools determine adoption.
Eleven Music, Studio dubbing and Voice Design supply generated audio and multilingual production tools to creators
leaderLicensed v6 and v6-Wild models generate music using participating Warner and BMG catalogs; artist permissions limit scope
leaderUdio and Klay licensing deals put artist opt-in and compensation into AI music commercialization
majorSuno and Udio licensing settlements monetize authorized catalogs and reshape AI music distribution
majorAI DJ and Prompted Playlist use listening history and natural-language requests to personalize Premium music sessions
majorCube and 4D generation create functional game objects; creators can enable prompt-based creation in experiences
majorEditor-integrated Unity AI generates assets, modifies scenes and assists coding through a game-development agent in open beta
majorMotus demonstrates generative rigging and motion for interactive game characters; broad game deployment is not established
majorJustice and Where Winds Meet use language-model NPCs for player conversations and interactive game scenarios
majorUEFN Conversations lets Fortnite island creators give NPCs real-time AI voice dialogue and defined personas
majorAI music creation pivots to licensed UMG and Warner catalogs following copyright settlements
challengerA 200-character Sora licence lapsed when OpenAI closed the app; suits and notices bind Midjourney, Google and ByteDance
majorMusic rights arm licenses AI use through Klay and invests in Stability AI, shaping rights-based music generation
majorVenus/Vemus generates songs, vocals and stems with distribution into the QQ Music ecosystem
nicheUnderlord edits podcast and video recordings; Overdub generates replacement speech matched to a creator's voice
challengerStable Diffusion tools support artist-controlled texture generation and 3D pre-visualization through a Stability AI partnership
majorACE supplies speech and character models inside PUBG Ally, linking AI inference to live game interaction
majorPUBG Ally uses NVIDIA ACE for conversational co-play; Arcade Mode testing precedes broader companion deployment
challengerNC AI's VARCO 3D generates game assets; a wholly owned subsidiary extends these tools into other industries
nicheEyeline uses generative VFX in The Eternaut; AI reduces the cost and time of selected production shots
majorRunway tools support previsualization and production; joint development extends the partnership into original screen IP
nicheDragon Quest X tests Gemini-powered Chatty Slimey; a separate Gemini QA system demonstrates automated game testing
emergingByUs enables character conversations based on webtoon IP; opt-in CANVAS translation helps creators reach readers abroad
challengerVAM 1.0 generates interactive virtual hosts; Hextech ARAM assists players within its game-livestream ecosystem
niche
Sources: reuters.com, newsroom.spotify.com, fortnite.com, runway.com, nintendolife.com, report.thesiqa.com
Agentic commerce & travel
Merchants and marketplaces expose catalogs, inventory and booking options to assistants. Ownership of checkout and customer data is contested, so live discovery integrations must be distinguished from fully autonomous purchases.
Agentic Storefronts distribute merchant catalogs; UCP co-developer retains merchant checkout in the ChatGPT pivot
leaderAlexa for Shopping converts product questions to purchases; external-agent access remains legally contested
leaderUCP and AI Mode connect product discovery with eligible merchant checkout, co-developed with major retailers
majorQwen links Taobao product discovery, local services and travel into a conversational commerce entry point
majorSparky plus OpenAI and Google partnerships expose retail inventory and fulfillment to assistant-led shopping
majorChatGPT shopping shifts from broad Instant Checkout to merchant apps and discovery after weak early adoption
challengerShopping answers and Comet help research products; Buy with Pro offers checkout for supported US merchants
challengerShopping Agent uses merchant inventory, preferences and delivery data to recommend products and route orders
majorChatGPT grocery app turns recipe intent into retailer baskets with payment and delivery integration
majorChatGPT shopping app and UCP participation connect product discovery with its retail checkout and fulfillment
majorAI Trip Planner and ChatGPT distribution connect hotel recommendations to live travel inventory
majorChatGPT app displays live hotel and flight prices and maps, handing bookings into its travel workflow
majorDongdong shopping agents and JoyAI connect product discovery to JD inventory, logistics and customer-service workflows
challengerWen Xiaotuan uses LongCat and live local-service data to recommend restaurants, delivery and travel orders
challengerUCP co-development and ChatGPT product discovery expose independent sellers to conversational shopping
majorEats Cart Assistant builds editable grocery baskets from text or images using live store inventory; access remains in beta
challengerIts own AI shopping agent personalizes discovery while terms restrict unauthorized autonomous buying tools
challengerChatGPT grocery app turns recipe suggestions into a shoppable list and sends the cart to DoorDash checkout
challengerShopping concierge Rakuten AI entered the Ichiba mobile app in January 2026 for text, voice and image-based shopping
challengerAI marketplace search improves product discovery; a shopping assistant is being A/B tested with selected consumers
emergingThe ChatGPT app uses Mercari MCP to search resale listings and draft descriptions for sellers
nicheAssistant recommends fashion and beauty products with personalized conversational guidance linked to the retail catalog
challengerAI travel assistant builds editable itineraries from reviews and live prices, linking hotel and experience discovery
nicheUCP co-developer supplies home-furnishing inventory for Google AI shopping and eligible checkout flows
niche
Sources: blog.google, cnbc.com, perplexity.ai, uber.com, finance.yahoo.com, envisionhorizons.com
Agentic payment rails
Networks, processors and specialist startups authorize and settle purchases initiated by software. Tokenized credentials, explicit spending permission, fraud controls and merchant acceptance determine whether agents can transact reliably.
Intelligent Commerce and Trusted Agent Protocol provide delegated card tokens and agent identity to partners
leaderAgent Pay verifies intent and uses agentic tokens; bank partners conduct authorized consumer payment deployments
leaderACP and shared payment tokens connect agents to merchant checkout; Tempo adds programmable stablecoin rails
majorAgent Ready exposes merchant acceptance and buyer protection across assistant shopping and payment protocols
majorAlipay AI Pay and APASS check agent identity and user intent; wallet agents extend delegated payment workflows
majorWeChat Pay AI AgentPay Card connects agent Pay Skills to wallets; each purchase still requires phone confirmation
majorUCP and AP2 participation bring merchant acquiring, authentication and settlement to agent-initiated checkout
majorx402 and Agentic Wallets let software pay for APIs and services using stablecoins on supported networks
challengerUSDC settlement and Agent Stack tools support machine payments; adoption is early relative to total stablecoin activity
challengerWorldpay supports ACP, UCP and agent-aware checkout; Google partnership extends merchant acceptance
challengerMerchant and issuer infrastructure supports partner agent-payment programs, including American Express ACE
majorIssuer services connect Visa and Mastercard agent credentials with bank authorization, subject to partner rollout
challengerACE developer kit defines delegated payments; Agent Purchase Protection is announced, with final rollout still pending
challengerMirakl Nexus and J.P. Morgan Payments test agent checkout in a closed retailer beta; broader availability is planned
emergingMCP tools expose virtual-card issuance and transaction controls to agents; real-time authorization limits delegated spending
challengerAP2 participation brings merchant acquiring and payment authentication to agent-checkout integrations
challengerStripe shared tokens and UCP support planned pay-later agent checkout; merchant and agent enablement remain conditions
challengerGoogle Pay integration brings pay-over-time options to AI Mode and Gemini checkout; AP2 supports agent authorization
challengerMerchant acceptance and ING authentication completed a live Mastercard agent-payment transaction in the Netherlands
challengerAgent identity and payment accounts connect to Visa Intelligent Commerce pilots with explicit spend controls
emergingCredential vault and authorization tools execute Visa closed-beta agent purchases; backed by Visa and Amex Ventures
emergingFirmly Connect embeds merchant checkout in AI shopping channels; Perplexity integration preserves merchants' seller status
emergingAgent accounts enforce spending policies across fiat and stablecoin payments; access is limited and bank charter is pending
emergingThe x402 wallet and stablecoin settlement proof of concept tests agent-initiated payments; commercialization remains pending
emerging
Sources: corporate.visa.com, cloud.google.com, mirakl.com, worldline.com, catena.xyz, firmly.ai
Glossary
- Agentic commerce
- Software discovers products or executes purchases with a shopper's permission.
- Walled garden
- A platform that controls its own user data, advertising inventory and measurement.
- DSP
- A demand-side platform buys advertising across publishers using automated auctions.
- Tokenization
- Replacing payment credentials with limited-use tokens that agents can use within authorized rules.
Heat, spend, exposure and shares are editorial estimates. How to read the map ↗