The industry is at an inflexion point. While change has been a constant throughout the years, affiliate and performance are entering an era of unprecedented and seismic shifts: the commerce agents are coming; customer journeys are fragmented; attribution models are being tested, and last-click is failing.
In the last few years, there’s been a significant uptick in the number of people using AI to shop. Research from Adobe found that for those already using AI platforms, 72% said it was their primary tool for researching products and brands, while earlier this year, NIQ research found that 42% of consumers now use AI tools to shop.
And looking ahead, Mastercard recently predicted that by 2030, one in 10 people will “routinely” use AI agents to shop and pay.
In an industry built on measurability and proof points, devising a solution to meet the strain of this upheaval is not an easy task. But it's a challenge that also comes with opportunity — one that could scale the industry tenfold. Networks are now taking aim.
In the last few years, we’ve seen the launch of new analytics features and AI visibility tracking, AI visibility and optimisation technologies, zero-click measurement solutions, and partnerships focused on surfacing AI insights. Verifying influence is now the aim of the game, and networks are vying to build the economic infrastructure that will power the next chapter.
Now, for the first time, the CEOs and co-founders of Partnerize, impact.com, Awin and CJ — Sean Sewell, Todd Crawford, Adam Ross, and Santi Pierini — are coming together at PI LIVE Europe for a candid conversation to hash out where they think the industry is heading and what needs to happen next.
In a keynote moderated by industry veteran Jennifer Goodwin, the gloves will be off — after all, as Goodwin says, the future of partnerships “won’t be built on safe conversations.”
