AI agents aren't coming to advertising. They're here.
In December 2025, PubMatic ran the first fully autonomous CTV campaign. In January 2026, NBCUniversal executed AI-agent-led NFL playoff ad buys.
What this means: AI software that can plan campaigns, negotiate with publishers, execute buys, and optimize performance — without human intervention for each decision.
What Agentic AI Actually Does
- •Plans campaigns based on natural language goals ("I want to reach homeowners interested in renovation")
- •Negotiates with publisher agents in real-time
- •Executes media buys across platforms
- •Optimizes automatically based on performance signals
- •Reports back only the decisions that need human approval
Early results: Viant's "no-human-in-the-loop" campaign achieved $15 cost per action vs. $45 from human traders. That's 3x efficiency.
The Protocols to Watch
| Protocol | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| MCP (Model Context Protocol) | Anthropic | How AI agents share context/goals |
| AdCP (Ad Context Protocol) | Scope3, PubMatic, Yahoo | OpenRTB for the AI era |
| ACP (Agentic Commerce Protocol) | OpenAI | Agent-to-merchant transactions |
| A2A (Agent-to-Agent) | Agent coordination | |
| ARTF (Agentic RTB Framework) | IAB Tech Lab | Real-time auction standards |
Meanwhile: Managing Google and Meta Today
Agentic advertising is the future. But your clients need results now on the platforms that drive revenue today.
Ryze AI focuses on what matters right now: Google Ads and Meta Ads management. Not autonomous agents negotiating in real-time — practical AI tools that help you manage campaigns more efficiently across the platforms where your clients actually spend money.
The stack for 2026:
| Channel | Status | How to Access |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads (Search, Shopping, PMax) | Live | Ryze AI + Google Ads |
| Google AI Overviews | Live | AI Max in Google Ads |
| Meta Ads (FB, IG) | Live | Ryze AI + Meta Ads |
| Microsoft Copilot | Live | Microsoft Ads |
| AI Chatbot Networks | Live | Kontext, Thrad, Koah |
| ChatGPT Ads | Coming 2026 | Waitlist |
| Agentic/Autonomous | Early stage | PubMatic, Viant pilots |
What This Means for Agencies
Short-term (2026):
Focus on platforms that are live and accessible. Google, Meta, Microsoft Copilot, AI chatbot networks. Use tools like Ryze AI to manage Google and Meta efficiently while you build expertise in emerging channels.
Medium-term (2027-2028):
Agentic tools will mature. Agencies that understand the protocols and have experience with AI-assisted management will transition smoothly. Those starting from zero will struggle.
The Gartner prediction: 70% of customer journeys through AI interfaces by 2028.
Action Items
- Use Ryze AI for Google and Meta campaign management today
- Watch IAB Tech Lab's Agentic AI webinars (Jan 28, 2026 kickoff)
- Experiment with Microsoft Copilot ads (live now, 73% higher CTR)
- Test Kontext or Thrad for AI chatbot network ads
- Build internal expertise before clients start asking about agentic
