Decisions 2026 | Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Influence. Messaging. Action. The Rules Are Changing.
Venue
Venable LLP
600 Massachusetts Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20001
FREE for 4As Members
Non-Members: $100 for the first attendee; $50 for each additional attendee from the same agency
Whether you’re in the business of persuading consumers to buy, voters to go to the polls or policymakers to vote a certain way, one thing is increasingly clear: there’s no playbook anymore. The rapid convergence of an increasingly disgruntled, skeptical population with the advent of AI, analytics and influencers means that it’s harder than ever for companies to get the right message to the right person at the right moment.
While the ongoing arranged marriage between Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley is not without its friction, together, they’re coming-up with adaptive and evolving ways to keep the communications lines open.
Join us in Washington, DC for a first-of-its-kind 4As Decisions where we focus on pairing best-in-class technology with timeless emotional insight to help you deliver results for your clients. Explore the strategies and tools you need to navigate a new environment where the audience is more skeptical than ever of what you have to say, and the mediums for reaching them have never been more complicated.
Time
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Registration and Check-In
9:45 AM
Opening Remarks
Justin Thomas-Copeland, CEO, 4As
9:55 AM
Opening Keynote
As we transition from Generative AI to Agentic AI, the technology's role evolves from summarizing and content creation to orchestration and autonomous action. In this era, Agentic AI manages fleets of specialized models to execute complex media buying, real-time creative optimization and deep-funnel customer journeys with minimal human intervention. Explore the shift from general-purpose LLMs to specialized autonomous agents capable of serving as brand ambassadors, market researchers and strategic decision-makers. This session will dive into the "Agentic Hive" framework, where creative, media and reporting agents work in cohesion to re-architect marketing as a dynamic, data-driven engine. Get ready to bridge the gap between today’s manual workflows and the fully integrated, agent-powered ecosystems of 2026.
Speaker:
- Mark Penn, CEO, Stagwell
10:20 AM
From Goodness to Fairness: A Wake-Up Call for Corporate America
The "Fairness Factor" report by Michael Maslansky of Maslansky + Partners and Omnicom PR Group argues that in an "age of rage," demonstrating fairness is more critical for organizations than traditional "doing good" to build trust with a skeptical public. The report emphasizes that meaningful actions and clear language are necessary to improve perceptions of fairness.
Speaker:
- Michael Maslansky, CEO, Maslansky + Partners
10:45 AM
Generative AI and the Critical Role of Content Provenance
Generative AI is reshaping content creation, offering powerful tools for rapid iteration and personalization across images, video and audio. Yet, these advancements bring urgent challenges: the rise of deepfakes, misinformation and brand safety concerns. Join Google's leading UX, and policy experts as they dissect this creative-ethical crossroads. This panel will explore the necessity of transparency and disclosure, and reveal how content provenance is becoming the essential trust layer for content creators, advertisers and consumers alike.
Speakers:
- Ladika Jackto, Google
- Jenn Shreve, Senior User Experience Design Lead, Google
11:00 AM
Building the Innovation Engine: Technology-Driven Business Models & Innovation in Media
As emerging technologies reshape how audiences consume and interact with content, media organizations must evolve to stay relevant and competitive. This session explores how agencies, creators and platforms are leveraging tools like live streaming, immersive storytelling, VR/AR and mobile-first formats to drive engagement and growth. We will also examine how cross-sector partnerships between media, technology and policy stakeholders can foster responsible, sustainable innovation in a fast-changing digital landscape.
Speaker:
- Erin Lanuti, Chief Innovation Officer, Omnicom
11:30 AM
Beyond Inspiration: Using AI to Scale Creative Effectiveness in Media
Agencies are expected to do more than inspire with bold creative ideas; they must also drive business outcomes and fuel measurable growth. At the same time consumers increasingly expect personalized experiences. This session will explore how content is critical to success in algorithmic driven platforms, how media and creative are no longer separate levers, but a unified driver of business impact and how brands are leveraging AI-powered solutions to deliver personalization at scale, while maintaining their brand identity.
Speaker:
- Jason Dailey, Director, Head of Agency, Meta
11:50 AM
Session Coming Soon
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Lunch
12:50 PM
Data Policy Meets Platform Regulation
Innovation is moving fast — and so is the demand for accountability. Regulators and policymakers are redefining what it means to be responsible in the digital age, setting new standards for platform governance, competition, data privacy and ad tech transparency. From protecting children online to safeguarding digital rights and freedom of expression, this session unpacks the real-world challenges shaping the future of media and advertising.
Speakers:
- Alison Gaul, Senior Legal Counsel, BCG
- Joshua Lowcock, President, Media, Quad
- Heather West, Senior Director of Cybersecurity and Privacy Services, Venable
1:15 PM
Synthetic Data: A New Ingredient in Your Marketing Toolkit
Synthetic data is transforming strategic marketing, budget planning, and campaign analytics—offering tangible benefits to marketers right now.
Arima will demonstrate how to create privacy-compliant synthetic populations by combining person-level attributes from census data, market research, mobility patterns, and purchase behavior. The result: synthetic datasets that statistically mirror real society at the individual level, ready to power various marketing use cases.
Speakers:
- TS Kelly, Arima
- Winston Li, Arima
1:35 PM
Strengthening Trust and Integrity in Media Ecosystems
In an era of accelerating technological change and rising misinformation, sustaining public trust has become both a strategic and ethical imperative. This session explores how the media, data and technology ecosystem can strengthen integrity through transparent governance, responsible innovation and accountability. Discussion will include emerging frameworks for managing synthetic media and deepfakes, building oversight standards and ensuring credibility and how evolving business models can support a more resilient, trustworthy media ecosystem.
Speakers:
- Ben Hovaness, Chief Digital Officer, Omnicom
- Swapnil Patel, Co-President, Attention Arc
- Ron Pinelli, SVP Digital Research and Standards, MRC
2:20 PM - 2:25 PM
Break
2:25 PM
Navigating the AI Regulatory Maze: How Agencies Must Adapt to Federal vs. State Conflicts
A new federal Executive Order (EO) aims to establish a uniform national AI framework, directly challenging the variety of state-level AI regulations (like those in California). This looming federal-vs.-state conflict threatens to create significant compliance complexity for advertising agencies that rely heavily on AI for targeting, personalization and content creation. This session will provide a practical roadmap for agencies, examining how to manage risk, ensure consumer protection and maintain ethical standards while operating across jurisdictions.
Speaker:
- Michael A. Signorelli, Partner, Venable LLP
2:50 PM
Decoding the Algorithm: Taking Back the New Public Square
Master the algorithmic public square. Learn how digital platforms amplify or silence voices, then apply frameworks for building authentic influence with your consumers. You'll walk away with strategies to navigate algorithmic visibility, identify what drives virality versus credibility and lead responsibly when platforms—not people—set the agenda. Discover how to compete for attention without compromising integrity, decode the mechanics behind viral moments and build sustainable influence in an environment where algorithms control the conversation.
3:15 PM
Closing Keynote - The Advertising Supply Chain: What Broke, What Worked, What’s Next
As AI, walled gardens and platform convergence redefine advertising, the supply chain has become both more powerful — and more opaque. This keynote examines how the ecosystem evolved, where it’s breaking down and what agencies must do next to restore transparency, unify creative and media, and deliver true omnichannel outcomes. In an AI-driven world, trust, data and foundation matter more than ever.
Speaker:
- Bill Wise, Co-Founder and CEO, Mediaocean
3:40 PM
Closing Remarks
3:45 PM - 5:00 PM
