Channel Surfing The Future, With NBCU

NBCU's early embrace of ad tech – led by Ryan McConville, its chief product officer and EVP of ad platforms – set the stage for a pandemic-fueled digital transformation that blurred the line between traditional TV and streaming. But that doesn't mean linear isn't still a top priority.

As brand safety standards evolve and oversight shifts from platforms to third-party vendors, Brittany Scott, SVP of global partnerships at Zefr, explains what the rise of generative AI – and Meta's decision to step away from MRC brand safety audits – means for the future of media quality.

Think you know Snapchat's audience? Think again, says Ajit Mohan, Snap's chief business officer. Mohan gets real and busts myths, including the idea that Snap is just for kids and its youngest users aren't big spenders.

Jay Richman, Amazon's VP of product and technology, on how AI-generated ad creative can still stand out at scale without becoming generic or too samey samey. Plus: The risks brands face if they wait too long to embrace AI.

The Economist is charting its own course in the age of AI, says Nada Arnot, the 182-year-old publication's EVP of marketing. It's steering clear of licensing deals and lawsuits and partnering with Claude on its own terms.

AI hype is everywhere, but Moloco CEO Ikkjin Ahn says the real winners in ad tech will be those who can move beyond flashy demos and harness AI at true hyperscale.

You can't buy your way to the top of a large-language model. At least not yet. But there are things that brands can do to influence how – and if – they get mentioned, says Tracy Morrissey, SVP of media and performance at full-service agency Innocean USA.

There are billions of mobile gamers in this world – mostly adult women with serious spending power – but advertisers are still lagging. It's time for brands to catch up with gaming audiences, says Gabrielle Heyman, Zynga's head of global brand sales and partnerships.

Jeff Cohen, Skai's new chief business development officer, unpacks why the smartest retailers and brands are already connecting the data dots and rethinking their playbooks for the AI era, even though the shopping bots aren't quite there yet.

Vidushi Dyall went from tracking cybercriminals at the Manhattan DA's office to dissecting online ad empires. In this episode, she breaks down the DOJ's antitrust battles with Google – and why she sometimes finds herself rooting for the so‑called evil empire.