EPISODE · Feb 16, 2026 · 32 MIN
The Click Brief Podcast: January 2026
from Getting Granular · host Granular, Emily Anderson, Jeremy Packee
Episode NotesOpenAI Tests Ads in ChatGPTAds rolling out to Free and Go users in the U.S.~$60 CPM chatter for high-intent queriesStrict privacy guardrails emphasizedRelevancy and user trust will determine long-term viabilityTikTok Smart Plus + Platform UpdatesSmart Plus automation reduces manual setupTikTok One centralizes creator tools and productionPulse Suite expands premium adjacency optionsMarket Scope introduces deeper first-party analyticsGoogle’s Agentic Commerce PushUniversal Commerce Protocol (UCP) standardizes AI-to-retailer communicationAI Mode and Gemini enable direct checkout within the interfaceBranded AI agents and in-AI offers reshape the purchase journeyStructured product data becomes increasingly criticalOther Platform UpdatesGoogle expands PMax controls and budget optionsMicrosoft introduces Copilot checkoutPinterest highlights Gen Z’s pushback against algorithmic samenessSuper Bowl AI Ad ReactionsOpenAI: “You can just build things” — inspirational but abstractAnthropic (Claude): Anti-ad positioning with humorGoogle Gemini: Emotional, practical demonstration of real-world AI useFollow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates.Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from January
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What this episode covers
January didn’t ease into 2026, it accelerated it. Jeremy Packee and Emily Anderson break down OpenAI officially testing ads in ChatGPT, TikTok’s sweeping Smart Plus automation updates, and Google’s push into agentic commerce with AI-native checkout and a new Universal Commerce Protocol. They also react to this year’s AI-heavy Super Bowl ads from OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), and Google Gemini — and debate who actually communicated value best. They also react to this year’s AI-heavy Super Bowl ads from OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), and Google Gemini, and debate which brand actually demonstrated real value for everyday users. If December was quiet, January made it clear: AI-driven advertising is moving fast and the commerce experience is changing with it.
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The Click Brief Podcast: January 2026
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