AI's integration into the advertising stack accelerated on multiple fronts this week, with announcements spanning the buy side, sell side, and agency world. Amazon's move to push conversational AI ad formats onto the open internet is perhaps the most consequential development — it suggests Amazon is no longer content to deploy its AI advertising capabilities solely within its own ecosystem, and wants to compete for open-web budgets with a differentiated, dialogue-driven ad experience. If it gains traction, this could pressure DSPs and publishers alike to develop comparable formats or risk disintermediation.
On the agency side, indie shop Dept launched what it describes as an open orchestration layer for AI — a direct shot at the proprietary AI stacks being built by the major holding companies. The move reflects a growing tension in the market: holdcos are investing heavily in closed, integrated AI platforms to lock in clients, while independents are betting that openness and interoperability will win out. Separately, both StackAdapt and Criteo announced OpenAI partnerships, joining a growing list of AdTech vendors embedding LLM capabilities into their platforms. The AI search boom is also beginning to reshape content investment strategies, with brands reportedly increasing content budgets ahead of media buys to ensure visibility in AI-driven search environments.