Observed Signal · May 20, 2026 · Podcast Episode · Source: https://martech.org/feed/ · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Future of AI and RCS in Mobile Messaging
This MarTech Conversations podcast episode (published May 20, 2026) features Eric Miao, chief strategy officer at Attentive, discussing how AI and RCS (Rich Communication Services) are reshaping branded mobile messaging. The conversation covers consumer fatigue from high message volume, the potential for AI-driven personalization to improve relevance or exacerbate spam, and the technical and policy challenges brands face—including Apple and Google 'unknown sender' filters that affect deliverability. Miao and host Mike Pastore explore RCS’s capabilities for richer, trusted brand experiences and the balance marketers must strike between personalization and consumer trust. The episode frames RCS as a strategic opportunity for more engaging messaging while warning about the operational and platform-level constraints that could limit adoption.
RCS adoption and AI-driven personalization affect how brands engage consumers via mobile messaging and influence deliverability and trust, but this is a sector discussion/interview rather than a platform policy change or major product launch.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Article/podcast published May 20, 2026
- Episode features Eric Miao, Chief Strategy Officer at Attentive
- Discussion focuses on RCS (Rich Communication Services) as a game-changer for branded messaging
- Mentions Apple and Google 'unknown sender' filters as technical/policy challenges for brands
- Published on MarTech; MarTech is owned by Semrush and produced by Third Door Media
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Attentive Launches Visibility AI for RCS Deliverability
Attentive introduced Visibility AI, a new targeting layer for its omnichannel marketing platform designed to improve inbox visibility, deliverability and revenue performance for RCS for Business. The release, announced via Business Wire and published on May 20, 2026, describes Visibility AI as an iOS 26‑optimized targeting layer that chooses whether a subscriber is more likely to engage with an RCS message or an existing SMS thread. The company also launched Auto-upgrade (which converts SMS/MMS to RCS equivalents) and RCS-specific testing and agent-approval tooling to help brands scale RCS campaigns. Attentive says it has supported hundreds of millions of messages, 250+ approved RCS agents, and cites FragranceNet campaign lifts vs. SMS (e.g., 45% CTR, 37% conversion, 36% revenue per send). Google and Brand partners are quoted endorsing the move toward scaled RCS adoption.
RCS Revolutionizes Mobile Marketing: What You Must Know
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is accelerating as a marketing channel after Apple added RCS support to iPhones (iOS 18) and Apple and Google began testing cross-platform RCS encryption. Adoption and daily usage metrics rose sharply in 2024–2025: Google reported over 1 billion RCS messages daily in May 2025, T-Mobile users sent ~613 million daily RCS messages, and Infobip reported 550% RCS adoption growth in 2024. Vendors and platforms launched RCS-focused features and services — Twilio introduced Rich Content Cards and later announced general availability of RCS for customers, Attentive launched RCS Business Messaging in the U.S., Infobip deployed RCS across the four major U.S. carriers, and Cordial added RCS support. Reports highlight benefits (higher open and click rates) and risks (projected growth in RCS fraud). Marketers and vendors expect RCS to enable richer, measurable mobile experiences and new commerce flows inside messaging.
RCS: The New Standard for Customer Messaging
RCS (Rich Communication Services) merges the reach of SMS with interactive features from modern messenger apps, enabling brands to deliver images, buttons, product details, and payment links directly within the chat. Since 2024, RCS is available on current iPhones and Android devices, offering a pathway from traditional SMS without requiring a separate app. Marketers anticipate benefits from personalization, with a Sinch survey noting 42% of consumers want behavior- or interest-based messages and 79% trust messages with verified logos. Pilot deployments across sectors show impact: Picard reports triple-click rates and a 10% rise in website traffic; financial services observe greater trust in security notices; healthcare uses automated reminders to reduce missed appointments. Adoption is supported by APIs and platform solutions, with SMS fallback for non-RCS devices to enable gradual, hybrid rollout. Companies are urged to test Use Cases, leverage verified sender branding, and measure campaign performance via analytics.
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