Display ad budgets fall 30% in 2026

3.4 significance by Forrester Business December 2026

Why does it matter?

Display budget cuts would show generative AI changing where consumers spend attention online.

Direct quote

Advertisers will cut display ad budgets by 30% as consumers leave the open web. As consumer usage of generative AI platforms grows, click-through rates will decline, shrinking addressable audiences on the open web -- and the amount that advertisers spend to reach them with display formats (both static and outstream video).

Forrester