CTV 2026: Measurement Matures, Curation and AI Takeover
The article discusses how connected TV (CTV) advertising will evolve by 2026, focusing on the growing maturity of measurement capabilities and the rising importance of curated inventory and audiences. It also examines how AI-driven optimization will shape buying and selling strategies in the CTV ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
- Measurement reaches commercial maturity — cross‑platform attribution, deduplication and viewability improvements make ROI claims believable.
- Curation becomes the new premium: curated inventory and packaged audiences command higher CPMs, squeezing scale‑only sellers.
- AI moves from pilot to core: real‑time bidding, creative selection, and supply-path optimization automate trading and increase efficiency.
- Strategic priorities shift to first‑party identity, robust measurement stacks, and curated marketplace partnerships — winners consolidate ad-tech flows and pricing power.
Why It Matters
This isn't incremental change — it's a structural reweighting of the CTV economy. When measurement becomes reliable, buyers stop tolerating waste and reward curated, verifiable inventory; when AI runs optimization, execution speed and data quality determine yield. That creates concentrated value: publishers and marketplaces that standardize measurement and offer curated audiences will capture premium rates, while ad‑tech players that embed AI will control trading layers. For executives and investors, the actionable play is clear: prioritize identity, invest in measurement infrastructure, and back curated marketplace models where margins and negotiating leverage will accumulate.
Read full article at emarketer.com
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