Trends 2026

Artificial intelligence is changing not only what people do online, but also how they do it. AI systems increasingly help shape customer journeys – often unnoticed. They assist with information searches, suggest suitable products, answer questions via chatbot or handle tasks through voice assistants. This shifts a brand's touchpoints, making them more situational, contextual and individual.

For companies this means: Websites, platforms and digital services are becoming central data sources for AI. Content must be structured and understandable enough that systems can reliably read and meaningfully summarise it. Decisive factors are clear semantics, logical structure, currency, relevance and trustworthiness. At the same time, the technical foundation matters too — only when content is cleanly provided do brands appear correctly and in a positive light in AI answers.

Companies benefit especially when they understand customer journeys well and actively develop their touchpoints. This allows them to identify users with genuine interaction or transaction potential and guide them specifically to their own platforms. AI supports this by recognising patterns, assessing behaviour and automatically delivering suitable impulses.

Experiences with ChatGPT, Google's AI Overview, Perplexity and similar services shape user expectations – and these transfer directly to websites and business platforms. Classic search functions based on keywords and fixed filters are increasingly no longer sufficient for this. Instead, AI-based solutions are moving to the centre, such as modular RAG chatbots (Retrieval Augmented Generation), which turn company-specific knowledge into an intelligent assistant.

Visitors thus receive a chatbot trained on its own knowledge base that precisely answers industry-specific questions. It recognises connections, delivers relevant results along with sources, and adapts its answers to the individual usage context. Search thus becomes a dialogue – structured, personalised and capable of learning.

Thanks to modern language models and growing data quality within organisations, such solutions can now be developed and integrated quickly. Technologies such as RAG, semantic vector search, GPT-5 or voice input even enable fully voice-based use and interaction – hands-free too.

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Marketing is increasingly evolving into a learning system. AI-powered automation makes it possible to manage entire communication processes – from identifying potential new customers, through personalised outreach, to automated advice on digital platforms.

With this progress, however, responsibility also grows. Systems that analyse target groups in real time, predict needs and dynamically deliver content must remain stable, reliable and traceable. This requires companies to have a solid interplay of technologies, processes and data that ensures the right people are reached and sales actually receives qualified leads.

Marketing automation remains a key success factor here. Platforms that intelligently link user data recognise needs early and respond in a targeted way – for example through suitable information, services or product suggestions. At the same time: efficiency must not come at the expense of relevance. Not every process that can be automated should be automated.

The goal is marketing that remains scalable and effective. Systems should learn, support and relieve workload – not replace. What matters is understanding when automation delivers real added value and when personal exchange and consultation remain indispensable, especially for products and applications requiring explanation.

Companies that invest now in robust, GDPR-compliant and auditable automation solutions build a resilient communication infrastructure – a kind of digital immune system that stays stable even in difficult phases and responds flexibly to new market demands.

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Digital experience platforms (DXP) are evolving fast. Their core principle: a dynamic platform that orchestrates various (micro)services and data sources and delivers them consistently to users. Whether it's a trade fair campaign, product page, shop or customer portal – systems such as digital asset management, content management, marketing automation, CRM, PIM, ERP, shops or even HR solutions mesh together so seamlessly that users never notice how many systems are working together behind the scenes.

DXPs are thus transforming from pure information systems into flexible process platforms that intelligently connect content, commerce and services. Goal is no longer merely providing information, but enabling complex interactions that scale, stay secure and adapt quickly to new requirements.

The focus is on modularity, extensibility and security. Individual services – such as CMS, shop functionality or digital advisory tools – are seamlessly linked and can be more easily swapped or extended within a MACH architecture (microservices, API-first, cloud-native, headless). New applications can be integrated without jeopardising existing structures. This increases scalability and keeps platforms future-proof in the long run.

Meanwhile, way platforms get built also change. „Vibe coding“ and generative development approaches help generate code automatically, build interfaces faster and produce content dynamically. Developers become more *architects, orchestrating systems instead of coding line by line. Result: platforms that keep evolving continuously — at market pace.

DXPs are therefore no longer purely marketing tools, but the technological backbone of digital business models. They form the basis for growth, security and flexibility and become the central lever for shaping customer experiences holistically and sustainably.

More and more companies are investing specifically in commerce solutions because their benefit is clearly evident. Digital customer portals have long since become more than mere service areas – they are developing into central revenue drivers that bundle product sales, advice and customer loyalty into a single ecosystem.

What used to run through field sales or physical channels increasingly happens digitally today. Customers inform themselves, compare offers, order and manage their services independently. For companies, this means: digital sales is becoming an essential part of value creation. Those who consistently and sensibly digitalise sales processes not only meet users' expectations but actively help shape the interaction – and gain valuable data on behaviour, preferences and purchase motives.

This also changes the role of commerce systems. They're no longer just shop interfaces but integrated process platforms that connect product information, order logic, CRM data and service workflows. This creates digital journeys in which customers can act independently – from the first enquiry through to reorder.

The decisive success factor lies in integration: the more tightly commerce and portal structures are interlinked, the more efficient the processes. At the same time, expectations for performance, personalisation and security keep rising. A well-thought-out commerce strategy therefore not only boosts revenue but also strengthens customer loyalty – by reducing friction and creating fast, reliable experiences.

Especially in the B2B environment, now is the moment to professionalise digital sales processes in a targeted way. Those who invest early in scalable platforms, clean data models and AI-supported process logic gain a clear advantage – and turn digital touchpoints into genuine revenue sources.