The Click Brief Podcast: September 2026

Jeremy Packee is flying solo again for September's Click Brief, covering another busy month of paid media updates, emerging advertising opportunities, and AI developments. Amazon introduced fully automated, full-funnel campaigns, while ChatGPT Ads expanded its capabilities with new Shopify and HubSpot integrations. Google continued improving measurement and first-party data tools, Pinterest introduced new visual search ad placements, and AI agents from Meta and OpenAI of Top Takeaways Biggest Platform Shift Amazon launched its new full-funnel campaigns for U.S. advertisers, combining Sponsored Ads, display, video, and streaming TV into a single AI-optimized campaign. While the format promises simplified management and long-term growth, advertisers have limited control over placements and audiences, making careful testing and performance evaluation essential. Platform to Watch ChatGPT Ads introduced new integrations with Shopify and HubSpot, making it easier for advertisers to manage campaigns, connect product data, track performance, and follow up on leads. Jeremy sees these integrations as a significant opportunity for e-commerce advertisers heading into the holiday shopping season. Visual Search Opportunity Pinterest announced new visual search ad placements for Performance+ campaigns, combining keyword relevance with AI-powered image recognition. Advertisers can reach shoppers as they explore products visually, creating additional opportunities to connect with users who may not know exactly what they're searching for. Measurement Upgrade Google expanded Data Manager integrations and introduced a new metric showing conversions recovered through first-party data. GA4 also added hostname include filters, giving advertisers more control over which domains can send event data and helping improve reporting accuracy. AI Agent Watch Meta introduced Muse, a personal AI agent capable of shopping, booking travel, and completing tasks, while OpenAI began rolling out Dots for ongoing work and research. These developments point toward a future where AI agents play a larger role in how consumers shop and how businesses manage everyday tasks. Other Platform & AI Updates Google made Meridian GeoX generally available for geographic experiments Google expanded Data Manager integrations and enhanced conversion capabilities GA4 introduced hostname include filters to help manage incoming event data Amazon announced a pilot partnership bringing advertising campaigns into ChatGPT Amazon introduced Branded Conversations, allowing shoppers to ask follow-up product questions through sponsored Alexa experiences TikTok and Shopify expanded connections between affiliate creator content and Spark Ads Reddit opened Max campaigns to all advertisers Microsoft made campaign experiments generally available and added a HubSpot integration Meta introduced additional AI tools for small businesses OpenAI and Anthropic released new AI models OpenAI began rolling out Dots, designed to manage ongoing tasks and provide updates between conversations Final Take September's updates highlight two major trends shaping digital advertising: platforms are continuing to automate campaign management, while AI-powered shopping and personal agents are changing how consumers discover and purchase products. From Amazon's full-funnel campaigns to ChatGPT's expanding advertising integrations, new opportunities are emerging for advertisers willing to test. The key remains understanding where automation adds value, maintaining visibility into performance, and making sure new technology delivers measurable business results. Follow The Click Brief for fast, no-fluff performance marketing updates. Visit The Click Brief blog for more in-depth analysis and updates from September.