By 2030, News may belong to influencers, AI and not legacy media, WPP Media warns in latest report
From skepticism around autonomous in-transit ad revenue to doubts over subscription fatigue and VR dominance, WPP’s latest survey reveals experts split on how far disruption can really go.
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The advertising industry may be headed for seismic shifts by 2030, but many of the boldest predictions are being met with skepticism, according to WPP Media’s latest “Advertising in 2030” report.
The survey, which captured the views of 62 experts across global markets, finds that while digital platforms and new technologies will expand their influence, ambitious projections around transit advertising, subscription-driven commerce, and immersive virtual worlds face tough barriers.
One of the most striking forecasts is that transit and transportation-based advertising- including within ride-sharing and self-driving vehicles- could surpass 10% of total global ad revenue by 2030.
Yet, nearly 63% of respondents dismissed this as unlikely, citing concerns over limited inventory, consumer attention, and the uncertain pace of autonomous vehicle adoption.
Even as Uber and Waymo expand their mobility services, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi himself cautioned recently that the road to commercialization for driverless cars remains long.
"Subscription will not be extended to most categories"
Another hotly debated projection is the idea that most products and services will be purchased via subscriptions. While subscriptions dominate media, software, and household goods, experts- 66% of them- say it won’t extend to “most” categories. The reasons: subscription fatigue, regional disparities such as the dominance of offline retail in Asia-Pacific, and the impracticality of applying the model to physical goods.
Some respondents suggested AI-powered assistants and smart sensors could make subscriptions smarter and frictionless in the future, but trust and adoption hurdles remain steep.
"News consumption heavily tilted toward independent creators/ AI-generated content"
When it comes to media consumption and platform dominance, the report finds continuity rather than disruption.
Google, Meta, and Microsoft are still expected to remain intact through the next decade, despite challenges from AI-native competitors such as OpenAI, xAI, Anthropic, and Mistral. “Respondents aren’t convinced the leaders will be toppled within the next five years,” WPP notes.
Meanwhile, the much-hyped “virtual worlds” future- where people spend more time in immersive VR spaces than the physical world- was rejected by nearly 63% of experts. Although gaming, video calls, and social media already dominate digital interactions, the barriers to mass adoption of VR headsets and metaverse ecosystems remain formidable.
On the other hand, news consumption is projected to tilt heavily toward independent creators, citizen journalists, and AI-generated content.
Almost 63% of experts said this shift is likely, reflecting the rise of influencer-led media and the fragmentation of traditional news models. While this may democratize voices, many warn of deepening credibility crises and misinformation. “They are the new trusted messengers and sadly, the investment into traditional news is declining,” one respondent remarked.
The survey also highlights uncertainty around the evolution of social media.
While some predict users will retreat into private networks, leaving public feeds dominated by brands and institutions, others argue the innate allure of being “seen” will preserve public posting. Platforms, too, have a vested interest in preventing a full pivot toward closed communities, where ad monetization is less straightforward.
It might be in the platforms’ best interest to fight such changes. “I can’t see social media platforms wanting that shift,” said Karen Nelson-Field of Amplified Intelligence. “Promotional content actually works more efficiently inside communities, where people are more engaged and recommendations carry more weight.”
Other respondents agreed, noting that brands would have the motivation to find ways of engaging within closed networks and relevant communities as well as within the public domain.
The report concluded saying, "Advertising will remain a critical plank of the economy. And not just for traditional media publishers, but also for retail, transit, and other sectors that are moving into the space."
