Agentic AI and automation becoming standard for programmatic ads
2026 will mark the beginning of the end for manual buying of programmatic advertising as GenAI gives way to agentic AI and automation becomes the industry standard. Marketers must prepare now for AI to take on a larger role in the programmatic process; those that don’t may get left behind, online marketing firm Emarketer says in a newsletter to customers.
“As GenAI becomes standard, agentic AI will take on a larger role within programmatic advertising, eventually automating end-to-end campaign workflows.”
The report says it is unlikely that programmatic will be fully agentic within the year but more parts of a marketer’s process are expected to be more automated, especially around performance reporting/analysis and customer journey operations.
It is stressed that GenAI can evaluate hundreds of campaign inputs to set the best bid.
“In real time, AI dynamically adjusts bidding strategies and spend allocation with minimal intervention needed.”
In 2026, GenAI will be able to refine and update audiences based on instantaneous performance indicators or create audience personas from custom prompts, the report says.
“Now is the time for teams to build the skills and confidence needed to use AI-driven insights in daily decision-making. Marketers who start today will move into 2026 better equipped for what comes next: The shift toward agentic AI.”
“As GenAI becomes standard, agentic AI will take on a larger role within programmatic advertising, eventually automating end-to-end campaign workflows.”
The report is stressing that marketers require more trust and transparency around how agents make decisions before handing over the reins.
“For example, 60% of US ad industry professionals say concerns about accuracy/transparency are a top barrier to AI adoption in media campaigns, per IAB.”
Emarketer’s recommendations:
- Prioritise data integration and readiness for agentic AI.
- Invest in AI literacy and learning.
- Rethink measurement.
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