Shifting dynamics in the advertising ecosystem are prompting a rethink of long-standing agency partnerships. With growing concerns about transparency, accountability, and efficiency in media buying, brands are increasingly exploring alternatives—and AI agents are emerging as a promising solution.
AI agents, designed to replicate the decision-making abilities of junior-level media buyers, are transforming how brands approach campaign planning and execution. These systems can manage campaign data, set up dashboards, and make real-time budget adjustments—tasks that once required weeks of coordination and hands-on agency involvement.
Industry experts believe that AI, in general, isn’t just about speed—it’s about rebuilding trust. As brands become more vigilant about media investments, many are turning to AI tools to identify inefficiencies and drive transparency.
Executive Chairman of S4 Capital, Sir Martin Sorrell, told Storyboard18 that AI could help media agencies and clients reduce any frictions or inefficiencies in the system. “Technological efficiency and technological implementation, particularly AI, will become more and more important as clients demand faster, better, and cheaper work. AI will be implemented even faster.”
“AI will improve the portfolio investment of advertising. AI algorithms will not replace people totally but will improve their productivity and output. So it will make the allocation of advertising revenues more efficient and more effective,” he added.
In India, several brands are already channeling investments into AI tools to reduce their dependence on traditional media agencies. “Based on their media budgets, many advertisers are exploring AI to boost efficiency and ensure greater transparency in media buying,” said a senior marketer. He noted that AI is delivering what brands are increasingly seeking: tangible proof. “By integrating AI into their media operations, brands aren’t just ironing out inefficiencies—they’re restoring trust both within their organizations and with external partners. In the future, the most reliable media plans will also be the smartest,” he added.
Leading Indian advertisers, including Hindustan Unilever, are integrating AI at scale. These brands use AI to automate bidding, optimize placements across digital platforms, and dynamically shift budgets based on performance—making campaign execution faster, more targeted, and sharply results-driven.
As advertisers dig deeper into their media operations, many are uncovering long-standing opacity in planning, execution, and performance metrics. This is where AI enters as a game-changer – not just as a tool but as a driver of clarity.
“AI doesn’t play favourites, doesn’t work backroom deals, and doesn’t inflate numbers. It can help brands track every rupee, optimise in real-time, and benchmark results against clean, unbiased data,” said Sushant Sadamate, COO and co-founder of Buzzlab. “From predictive modelling and automated bidding to fraud detection and transparent attribution, AI brings marketers clarity, control, and accountability—three things the traditional ecosystem has sorely lacked.”
Andy Gilroy, VP-APAC at Peach, agrees that AI is already transforming media buying across global markets. While AI may not completely replace human media planners in the near term, it is proving to be a powerful tool for boosting productivity, automating repetitive processes, and optimizing ad spend.
“Technology is accelerating the shift to in-house media buying. AI-powered DSPs (demand-side platforms) dynamically adjust bids in real time to maximise ROI. They process massive datasets to pinpoint the most effective audience segments, test ad variations, and detect fraud—safeguarding every ad dollar,” Gilroy explained.
Agencies like New York-based Jellyfish, part of Brandtech Group, are already deploying AI agents across platforms like Google, Meta, and Amazon. These systems automate campaign setups and enhance performance, reducing launch times by 65% and minimizing the need for large operational teams.
For its part, Buzzlab has used AI to boost workflow efficiency by 10–15% and reduce turnaround time by 20%.
Popular AI-powered tools like Google’s Performance Max and Meta’s Advantage+ automate placements, optimize spends, and refine targeting with minimal human input. Solutions such as DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science (IAS) further ensure brand safety by verifying ad placements and reducing spend waste.
Globally, retail media networks like Amazon and Walmart are also embracing AI to empower brands to buy ads directly, bypassing intermediaries altogether.
But even with all its promise, experts caution that AI is a partner—not a panacea.
“AI is a tool, not a strategist. It can optimise a plan, but it can’t build one rooted in business context, human emotion, or cultural nuance. The best media buyers of tomorrow will be those who know how to partner with AI, not compete with it—bringing judgment, creativity, and brand understanding to the table,” concluded a media planner.