My synthesis of the past seven days of announcements and events in adtech:
Innovation is accelerating, pushing our industry headfirst into an AI-driven future. The technology path is starting to come into focus - but the future of marketing and media remains full of open questions.
Seven days ago, our portfolio company Scope3 unveiled what they’ve been building in LLM-based brand safety and media agents. Much has already been written (I recommend reading Brian O'Kelley’s blog Bokonads for a first-hand take), so I won’t add to the pile. I’ll just say this: the LLM genie is out of the bottle, and we’re only beginning to glimpse what’s possible in an agentic world.
Four days ago, our portfolio company Marketecture Media hosted its first-ever live event. It was amazing in every way. From my vantage point, two moments stood out - both involving Brett Wilson from SwiftVC.
First, Brett sat down with Taz Patel from Perplexity, who shared how one of the world’s most important LLMs is approaching advertising. Some have criticized their measured rollout - just a dozen customers, CPM pricing - but in my view, that’s shortsighted. We’re in the early innings of the Post-Web Era. Everything right now is an experiment.
Next, Brett and I hosted a startup showcase featuring seven early-stage companies building AI-driven products - from custom algorithms and AI-edited video to LLM-powered creative and SEO for LLMs. It was yet more proof that the adtech infrastructure is being rebuilt in real time. These aren’t just prototypes - they’re products you can build, buy, and use today.
Finally (!) two days ago, I participated in the AdTech Economic Forum, hosted by Tom Triscari and Rob Beeler. It was a phenomenal event. Hopefully, videos will be posted soon - topics ranged from investing to M&A to macro dynamics - but one theme rang loud across sessions:
As consumer habits shift due to AI, the open web, as we know it, is about to change in ways we can’t yet fully grasp. But we know it will.
Here’s how I’m thinking about it all:
a) Adtech is undergoing its first infrastructure shift in 15 years, since the rise of programmatic. Now it’s about LLM-based capabilities and agents. The products are starting to arrive. The direction is clear.
Yes, it’s early. But the question isn’t if it’s happening - it’s how fast.
b) We’re at the very beginning of the Post-Web Era - and it will be more disruptive, more impactful, and more value-creating (and potentially value-destructive) than many anticipate.
Big questions loom:
What happens to publishers when answers live inside your LLM of choice?
What happens to brands when the purchase journey is reimagined?
What happens when people and agents start interacting?
There are far more questions than answers including who ends up the winner(s) on the other side of this platform shift. (My money’s on the innovators - but yes, I’m biased.)
One thing is clear: it’s going to be an incredible 1–3 years ahead in adtech.
