The first quarter of 2026 has come to an end. It was full of expectation, innovation and cautious optimism – but how did it really play out?

On this episode of the Performance Marketing Unlocked podcast, host Joe is joined by PMW's Editor Robin Langford to discuss the factors, events and trading conditions that have marked the opening quarter of the year, diving into the state of play as we begin Q2 by addressing everything from business confidence and investment opportunities to new in-demand skills among marketers and everything in between.

Also, the pair provide an update on OpenAI's ChatGPT Ads pilot, which has made headlines for a consecutive week. Despite murky early returns, OpenAI has announced an expansion of the pilot to new regions and an extension to its original timeline – but will the gamble pay off?

This podcast was hosted by PMW's Deputy Editor, Joseph Arthur.

~ Episode breakdown ~

(2:04) How has Q1 played out across adland?

(10:12) OpenAI expands and extends its ChatGPT Ads pilot

(19:10) Specificity is LLMs' superpower

~ Further reading ~

'The horse is definitely cantering!': 81% of UK performance agencies report upbeat start to 2026

Is the ChatGPT honeymoon over? 59% of UK performance agencies embedding bespoke AI in their work

‘The war could change business confidence’: UK marketing sentiment plummets 30% in a month

Top 4 agency 'hiring headaches': Analytics skills top shortage list

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