Rajeev Goel, CEO of PubMatic, joins Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi to discuss how agentic AI and AdCP are reshaping the media buying process, collapsing the ad tech value chain, and creating new opportunities for publishers and advertisers to compete with walled gardens.

Takeaways

Agentic AI can automate planning, buying, and optimization beyond today’s DSP workflows.
PubMatic’s AgenticOS lets advertisers transact through AI agents using AdCP.
AI efficiency may grow digital ad spend and shift more ROI budgets to the open internet.
Seller agents and marketplaces could help publishers unlock demand without big sales teams.
The open web will compete better with stronger identity, measurement, and a simpler supply chain.

Chapter

00:00 Travel check and AI kickoff

01:05 Moltbot and why autonomous assistants matter

01:56 Rajeev Goel on agentic AI at PubMatic

07:00 RTB automates only the impression moment

08:37 RFPs, emails, spreadsheets — the manual reality

10:05 Agents scaling campaign management

15:15 Butler Till and Clubtails case study setup

18:37 PubMatic agent recommends inventory, audiences, and data

22:34 Agents compress the value chain, weaken DSP lock-in

45:05 OpenAI ads debate, CPM economics, answer engine ads

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