The short version

Ben Thompson predicted on February 12, 2026: “there’s this mindset in the Valley of this skepticism of advertising and people have sort of internalized that it’s bad and evil.” Verdict: Still evolving. The skepticism towards advertising by some in "the Valley" is an ongoing cultural observation, and its evolution is continuous. It could be argued that this skepticism remains present…

Prediction by

Ben Thompson

On February 12, 2026

“there’s this mindset in the Valley of this skepticism of advertising and people have sort of internalized that it’s bad and evil.”

Follow-up

The skepticism towards advertising by some in "the Valley" is an ongoing cultural observation, and its evolution is continuous. It could be argued that this skepticism remains present or shifts over time.

From the High Caliber AI network — see the AI for PR module in the course.