Briefing: 20th Apr, 2026
We read the news, so you don't have to
Hello and welcome back to the Monday Knight Briefing - where we share five things worth knowing this week. Let’s dive in.
1. Meta set to overtake Google in ad revenue
There’s been a big shift at the top of the market, as Meta is forecast to overtake Google as the world’s largest digital advertising company for the first time. But just like our own Premier League title race, things are still neck-and-neck.
Meta, with 26.8% of global ad spend, is only slightly ahead of Google at a forecast 26.4%. So it’s still very close, but Meta closing the gap is what’s really remarkable here.
Growth in Reels and AI-driven performance products (not to mention the human obsession with spending hours on their apps every day) has pushed Meta forward as the main performance engine for a lot of advertisers.
2. Google is forcing the move to AI-powered search
Google has confirmed it will transition all Dynamic Search Ads into its new AI Max campaigns in September. In simple terms, more automation, fewer legacy formats, and less manual control. Not particularly surprising, but good to know!
3. Microsoft makes a play for PMax budgets
Microsoft has made it easier to import Google PMax campaigns directly into its platform. Not a major shift, but a simple reminder that you should, at a minimum, have Microsoft Ads set up with automatic imports. That now extends to PMax campaigns too, making it easier to mirror your Google setup and pick up incremental demand.
4. Zuck is trying to clone himself
If you’ve ever thought that one Zuckerberg just isn’t enough, you’re in luck. He is reportedly experimenting with creating an AI clone of himself to communicate with staff. On one hand, it’s quite a logical use of AI. On the other, it’s a slightly uncomfortable glimpse into where things might be heading.
5. Bonus thought: An unintentional AI newsletter
Because I couldn’t find a 5th update to share, I wanted to instead comment on the fact that although this isn’t an AI newsletter, almost every interesting bit of marketing news at the moment seems to come back to AI. Things are shifting quickly, and there’s a lot of opportunity for those who can stay on top of it - all the more reason to stay subscribed to a newsletter that keeps you in the loop!
And that’s a wrap for this week. Thanks for tuning in and checking out our weekly roundup. Hit reply if you want to chat!