Affiliate Summit East 2026 highlighted one main message: partner marketing is becoming more strategic as AI reshapes consumer discovery, attribution, and performance measurement.
For growing brands, affiliate marketing is no longer just another acquisition channel; it’s becoming a critical part of a diversified growth strategy.
The Perhaps team attended Affiliate Summit East on July 27-28 in New York City, joining brands, publishers, creators, and technology partners to discuss where the industry is heading. Throughout the event, conversations centered on AI, creator partnerships, and the growing value of trusted business relationships.
“Affiliate Summit East is an incredible event, bringing together industry leaders in a dynamic and welcoming environment,” Strategic Accounts Director Brittany Martin said. “I always leave energized, inspired, and excited about the opportunities ahead.”
How Is AI Changing Affiliate Marketing?
AI is changing affiliate marketing by influencing how consumers discover products and how brands measure marketing performance. As AI-generated recommendations become more common, marketers are rethinking attribution models, publisher strategies, and long-term customer acquisition.
One topic discussed throughout Affiliate Summit East was zero-click attribution, where AI-generated answers or recommendations reduce the number of traditional website clicks before a purchase decision. Another recurring topic was agentic AI, which refers to AI systems capable of completing tasks and making decisions with limited human intervention.
The industry faces rapid changes as zero-click attribution and agentic AI transform how consumers buy and partners create, but trusted partnerships remain a driving force.
“Partner marketing in 2026 is becoming more data-driven, AI-enabled, and performance-focused,” Business Development Manager Samantha Venable said.
At ASE, key themes included the rise of creator and influencer partnerships within affiliate programs, the erosion of last-click attribution, and a stronger emphasis on building strategic partnerships that deliver both immediate and long-term impact, Samantha explained.
“We saw a growing focus on deeper collaboration over simply expanding partner networks,” Samantha said. “Authenticity over aesthetics.”
How Can Brands Stay Visible in AI Recommendations?
Brands remain visible in AI recommendations by building trusted partnerships across affiliates, influencers, and media while creating authoritative content that AI platforms recognize as credible. Strong partner marketing programs help brands expand their reach across the channels consumers increasingly rely on for product discovery.
This trend is particularly important for Shopify brands, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, CPG brands, and companies in industries such as Beauty, Health and Wellness, Apparel, and Home Goods that depend on trusted recommendations throughout the buying journey.
Perhaps team members spent the conference discussing these challenges with brands and explaining how integrated affiliate program management and partner marketing strategies can address them.
“One of the biggest challenges for brands is how to remain visible in AI-generated recommendations and discovery, and where affiliate marketing fits into that strategy,” Brittany explained.
As the partner marketing industry evolves, Brittany maintains these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and growth, with Perhaps helping guide the way.
“The most rewarding piece of feedback we received was Perhaps lives up to its commitment of being a partner, not just an agency,” Brittany said. According to clients, this collaborative approach to affiliate and influencer marketing was exactly what they needed.
“We’re excited to help brands and publishers achieve their growth goals by serving as a seamless extension of their teams,” Brittany said.
Why Are In-Person Events Still Important in the Age of Agentic AI?
AI continues to change how marketers work, but it hasn’t replaced the relationships that drive successful partnerships. Partner marketing remains a relationship-driven industry where trust, collaboration, and strategic conversations happen between people.
Agentic AI was a major topic throughout Affiliate Summit East, but discussions consistently returned to the value of face-to-face collaboration.
“AI is everywhere, and everyone has some solution that involves it. But bottom line is this remains a business of relationships,” Senior Business Development Manager Jeannine Crooks explained.
According to Jeannine, competition is growing for businesses building AI-powered products, raising expectations for transparency and measurable value.
“People aren’t just jumping on the AI bandwagon anymore,” Jeannine said. “You can’t say ‘we’re using AI,’ and expect everyone to be impressed. You need to explain what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and what makes you different from other providers to close a deal.”
Countless partnerships begin at Affiliate Summit East, allowing the conference to remain one of the industry’s most valuable networking events. Jeannine attended her 42nd consecutive Affiliate Summit, creating opportunities for new conversations and long-standing relationships.
“For Perhaps, I loved having brands tell me, ‘You’re just what we’ve been looking for,'” Jeannine said.
No matter how the industry changes over the next decade, these trusted partnerships are the reason marketing leaders continue to invest in events like Affiliate Summit East.
“We all agreed the in-person dynamics of the show could never be replicated or replaced by technology alone,” Senior Business Development Manager Tie Davidson said. “Person-to-person connections are what matter.”
What Do These Trends Mean for Growing Brands?
Affiliate Summit East reinforced that partner marketing continues to evolve alongside AI, not in competition with it. Brands that integrate affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, creator partnerships, and media relationships into a unified strategy will be better positioned as consumer discovery continues to change.
For growth-stage brands, particularly those operating on Shopify, Amazon, or TikTok Shop, the opportunity is becoming less about managing individual marketing channels and more about building a partner ecosystem that supports long-term growth.
Ready to Evaluate Your Partner Marketing Strategy?
As AI changes how consumers discover brands and how marketers measure performance, many affiliate programs need to evolve alongside it.
A partner marketing audit can identify opportunities to strengthen affiliate partnerships, improve publisher recruitment, and prepare your program for the next generation of search and AI-powered discovery.
If you’re evaluating your affiliate marketing strategy or looking to build a stronger partner program, connect with the Perhaps team to schedule a partner marketing audit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a partner marketing agency?
A partner marketing agency helps brands manage affiliate, influencer, and media partnerships through one integrated strategy designed to drive measurable business growth.
How is partner marketing different from affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is one component of partner marketing. Partner marketing also includes creators, influencers, media partnerships, and other performance-based relationships that support customer acquisition.
Why is AI changing affiliate marketing?
AI is changing how consumers discover products and how marketers measure attribution, making diversified partner strategies and trusted publisher relationships increasingly important.
