Creating digital content and experiences has never been easier and more accessible. But making them matter? Creating digital works that stand out in an increasingly dense crowd? That might be harder than ever.
AI has saturated every channel with content, options, and noise. What used to signal impact and drive results—volume, speed, scale—now blurs into the background. In this reality, the brands that stand out won’t be the ones producing the most. They’ll be the ones publishing and crafting with the most care.
6 for 2026 is Fueled’s latest report on what’s ahead for digital product, content, and brand strategy. It’s an analytical and cerebral snapshot of the themes I’m tracking as Senior Director of Research & Design, and a provocation to design with more discernment, responsibility, and intent.
- Selection Beats Scale: Brands built on judgment, not volume, will rise. What matters is knowing what not to say.
- Personal Systems: Design must support changing contexts, not fixed personas.
- Artificial Age: In a world of synthetic content, emotional resonance and coherence are what build trust.
- Attention is Advantage: Attention isn’t just scarce, it’s under attack. The brands that can help people focus and cut down on the noise will have a competitive edge.
- Optimization is Killing Us: Real-life flows aren’t neat and linear. The most impactful experiences will be less rigid and more forgiving.
- From Human-Centered to Life-Centered: Brands that don’t only speak to impulsive and immediate individual needs, but appeal to a larger purpose and impact on the world around them will do well.
The report unpacks each trend, offers real-world examples of brands who are getting it right, and lays out concrete recommendations. It’s a call for a refreshed approach in an increasingly complex world.
