The GPT-5 rollout quietly exposed how much defaults shape trust, perception, and engagement. When technology changes without context, even progress can feel like loss. In AI and advertising alike, it’s a reminder that the way we present intelligence — not just how we build it — determines what people understand, value, and believe.
The IAB’s new ACIF standard brings much-needed structure to creative asset tracking in programmatic advertising. It’s a meaningful step — but knowing what was served isn’t the same as knowing if it mattered. This piece explores what ACIF fixes, what it doesn’t, and why understanding the experience of an ad is key to measuring true impact.
Today’s media teams aren’t just asked to drive results; they’re asked to defend them. In a market where ad budgets are under the microscope and every dollar must prove its worth, clarity and efficiency win. It’s no longer about spending more — it’s about spending smarter. The brands that can surface waste, double down on what works, and adapt in real time will be the ones that thrive in this new media economy.
You can have the best ad in the world – high-performing creative, long time in view, shown to an engaged user. But if it’s squeezed between seven other ads on a cluttered page? It’s not going to land. That’s the part we don’t talk about enough. The environment. The layout. The density. The visual noise around the impression. Let’s talk about two under appreciated KPIs that shape that environment.
Today, according to recent stats, 31.5% of internet users globally use ad blockers at least occasionally. While most traffic now comes from mobile devices, desktop still dominates ad blocking. This, of course, comes with considerable cost implications. Just this year, the popular use of ad blockers is estimated to cost publishers $54 billion in lost advertising revenue. But the situation isn’t as bad as it once was. Ad blocking is no longer a massive problem for publishers.
In a move that signals a potential shift in the media landscape, Condé Nast licensed content to OpenAI to fuel ChatGPT and SearchGPT. This would be content from leading brands under Condé Nast, such as GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue.
Google Has an Illegal Grip on the Search Market As if the judge’s siding with the Department of Justice (DOJ) isn’t bad enough for Google, some of the evidence against the trust came from where nobody expected, its own witnesses in the trial.
OpenAI just dropped something big – meet SearchGPT, the all-new search prototype based on artificial intelligence. While still in the testing phase, SearchGPT might be the new Google, but with a twist. SearchGPT wants to redefine the search experience and deliver AI-powered results to search queries that are free of ads and more user-friendly.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to ad density, striking the right balance is essential for maximizing revenue while ensuring a positive user experience.
The ongoing clashes between revenue, product, and editorial teams are painful to say the least. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Learn how to respect readers’ privacy and provide a personalized user experience without jeopardizing revenue.
Revenue, product, and editorial teams are in a continuous battle over what appear to be conflicting needs.
