C-Suite Perspectives Why 2026 Will Be the Year of Agentic Commerce
Feb 2, 2026
Ivan Pollard, leader of The Conference Board’s Marketing & Communications Center, brings expertise in marketing strategy and AI’s business impact. He discusses the 2026 C-Suite priorities, the rise of agentic commerce driven by autonomous AI agents, how marketing is adopting creative and agentic AI, and why customer experience and business model change are central this year.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
C-Suite Alignment On Growth
- CEOs and CMOs align on growth priorities but differ in intensity and focus.
- Better alignment reduces churn and makes marketing more accountable for profitable growth.
Proof Over Spend
- CEOs demand proof that marketing spend drives profitable growth, not just top-line expansion.
- Marketers face a creative tension between experimentation and proving short-term returns.
Business Model Change Tops List
- Business model change is the top CEO priority for 2026, outranking marketing moves.
- Marketing and promotional spending remain critical but must align with business-model shifts.