190. 2025 Recap, 2026 Roadmap: AI, Privacy, CTV, RMNs, and Supply Quality
Release Date: 01/08/2026
206. A Discussion on The signal brief, AI Search, and Ozone
Programmatic Digest
AI-driven search is changing how people discover information, and challenging the intent-based funnel publishers and advertisers have relied on for years. In this episode of the Programmatic Digest Podcast, I sit down with Christian Robinson of Ozone to explore what this shift means for publishers, programmatic traders, and the future of the open web. Christian shares how Ozone helps advertisers reach audiences across trusted, premium publisher environments while reducing duplication and wasted media spend. We discuss why first-party data, authenticated audiences, and journalistically safe...
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205. Conversational Ad Ops, AI agents, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) with Rob Janes
Programmatic Digest
In this episode of the Programmatic Digest Podcast, host and guest Rob JAnes, Head of Product at AdButler, discuss the rapidly changing landscape of publisher monetization and programmatic ad operations heading into 2025. Check out the interview on YouTube here: They break down the industry-wide adjustments following Google's unexpected decision not to deprecate third-party cookies and the subsequent pivot to internal identity resolution systems. A major focus of the conversation is the existential crisis content creators face due to declining traffic, driven by generative...
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204. Martech Architecture Explained: The Missing Layer in Ad Tech
Programmatic Digest
🎧 Summary: In this episode of the Programmatic Digest Podcast, Hélène Parker sits down with Sanarr McLaughlin to unpack one of the most overlooked challenges in programmatic advertising and digital marketing: martech structure. From disconnected tools and messy integrations to reporting confusion and operational inefficiencies, Sanarr explains why many agencies, brands, and media teams are struggling under the weight of their own systems. Together, they explore how poor martech architecture impacts campaign execution, data accuracy, internal productivity, and ultimately business growth....
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203. Are We Optimizing for Bots? Unpacking AI, CTR, and Ad Fraud with Dr. Fou
Programmatic Digest
In this episode of the Programmatic Digest, Hélène Parker sits down with Dr. Augustine Fou, founder of Fou Analytics, to unpack the realities of ad fraud, attribution, AI, and programmatic optimization. Dr. Fou challenges some of the metrics and tools our industry has relied on for years, explaining how bots can manipulate signals like CTR and how algorithms can unintentionally optimize toward fraudulent inventory. The conversation also explores the limitations of traditional fraud detection, the importance of independent verification, and how traders can use more granular data, including...
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202. Mastering Audience Optimization & DSP Transparency with Jenn Ha and Ed Hackney from Pearl Diver
Programmatic Digest
In part two of this special episode of the Programmatic Digest podcast, host Hélène Parker welcomes back Ed and introduces Jenny, the Head of Customer Experience at Pearl Diver Building on the previous episode's focus on audience discovery, this conversation dives deeply into audience optimization and the critical role of true partnership in ad tech. Jenny and Ed share insights on the optimal times to introduce new audience segments, highlighting that the best time to test an adjacent audience is actually when current campaigns are already performing well They also discuss their...
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201. Activating High-Intent Audiences with Ed Hackney and Trinity Lawry from Pearl Diver
Programmatic Digest
Most advertisers focus on people who are ready to buy today. But what happens when that audience runs out? In this episode, I chat with Ed Hackney and Trinity Lawry from Pearl Diver about how to find high-intent audiences, why balancing every stage of the marketing funnel matters, and how AI is making audience discovery easier for media buyers. This podcast was made possible thanks to the incredible support from Pearl Diver. In This Episode Why focusing only on conversions can quickly exhaust your audience. How behavioral data helps identify where consumers are in their buying...
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200. Behind 200 Episodes: The Real Work, the Real Joy, and the Real Impact with Manuela Cortes and Hélène Parker
Programmatic Digest
Celebrating 200 Episodes: Community, Representation, and the Future of Programmatic Digest Reaching 200 episodes is more than a milestone. It's a celebration of the incredible community that has supported Programmatic Digest from day one. In this special episode, Hélène Parker and Manuela Cortez reflect on the journey that brought them here, the lessons they've learned along the way, and the vision they're building for the future. From expanding the podcast into Spanish to creating opportunities for more diverse voices in ad tech, this conversation is a reminder that meaningful change...
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198. Performance Advertising in Programmatic
Programmatic Digest
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199. How To Be A Performance Marketer in Programmatic Media
Programmatic Digest
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197. July Focus: WTF is Programmatic Performance Media
Programmatic Digest
I attended a performance advertising workshop hosted by MediaMath and it reminded me of something I truly believe: The best way to learn something is to teach it. So this July, I'm dedicating all of our content to one topic: Programmatic Performance Advertising. Predictive targeting. Identity resolution. Dynamic budget allocation. Attribution. And more. New content every week. All month long. About Us: We help historically excluded individuals break into programmatic media buying and land jobs they love. Through our Reach and Frequency® program, coaching, and community, we make...
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Shownotes
Welcome to the first Programmatic Digest episode of 2026 with Ellen Parker and Manuela Cortez. This is a quick check-in, plus a trader-friendly breakdown of the biggest 2025 shifts and what to watch in 2026.
We cover five trends from 2025 (AI everywhere, privacy and cookieless reality, CTV growth, RMNs going more programmatic, and supply quality/transparency). Then we close with three 2026 predictions: curation becoming “default infrastructure,” AI as a co-pilot (not autopilot), and multi-identity strategies becoming standard.
This episode also includes the 2026 community focus: subscribe to YouTube + the newsletter, confirm your subscription, and reach out if you want to contribute (writing, audio, or guest spots).
Here’s What You’ll Learn
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What “AI everywhere” means for traders: less manual tuning, more strategy and interpretation
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Why privacy-first is still a day-to-day skill, even if cookies hang around longer than expected
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Why CTV is no longer “experimental” and how measurement expectations are changing
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Why more RMNs going programmatic changes how you think about signals and audiences
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What “supply quality + transparency” should actually include (fees, paths, reporting depth)
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2026 prediction: curation becomes the baseline (SSP curation vs curation houses vs curation desks)
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2026 prediction: AI moves from rules-based automation to agent-style workflows (co-pilot mindset)
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Why you still need foundations first (know how to do it manually before you let AI help)
Subscribe to the Programmatic Digest Podcast on your favorite platform (including Spotify)
https://www.heleneparker.com/programmatic-digest-podcast/
Subscribe to the Programmatic Digest YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@programmaticdigest
Join the newsletter and confirm your subscription: https://www.heleneparker.com/newsletter/
Access the Programmatic Training here: https://www.heleneparker.com/library/
No String Attached - MediaMath DSP (including Agent AI Connector): helene.parker@infillion.com
Timestamps
• 00:00 – Intro: Welcome to the first Programmatic Digest of 2026.
• 01:15 – Channel Updates: YouTube growth and the importance of the weekly newsletter.
• 03:30 – Hands-on Support: Tips, hacks, and activation-focused support in the newsletter.
• 05:45 – Calling for Contributors: Opportunities to host, write, and build industry authority.
• 08:20 – The Programmatic Training Library: Combining six years of workshops and courses.
• 11:00 – Micro-Workshops: Real-world DSP setup support and "programmatic ninja" coaching.
• 13:15 – 2025 Trend #1: AI Everywhere—Automated bidding, optimization, and predictive modeling.
• 16:00 – AI for Productivity: Using tools like ChatGPT to simplify industry jargon and workflows.
• 19:45 – 2025 Trend #2: Privacy-First & Cookieless—The multiple identity approach.
• 22:10 – 2025 Trend #3: CTV and Audio—Moving from experimental to action-driven channels.
• 25:30 – 2025 Trend #4: Retail Media Networks (RMN)—New players like Loves Media and Go Puff.
• 28:45 – The Value of Diversification: How audience insights drive revenue for traders.
• 31:15 – 2025 Trend #5: Supply Quality & Transparency—Demanding log-level data and fee clarity.
• 34:00 – 2026 Prediction #1: Curation as Default—SSP curation, Curation Houses, and Desks.
• 38:15 – 2026 Prediction #2: AI as Co-Pilot—Moving from "automated" to "agentic" intelligence.
• 41:30 – Media Math Agent Connector: Managing campaigns via AI prompts without UI clicks.
• 45:00 – The "Rice Cooker" Analogy: Why you must understand manual foundations before using AI.
• 48:15 – Advanced Reporting: Tying campaign data to real-world consumer behavior and brand impact.
• 51:45 – 2026 Prediction #3: Dual Identity Strategies—Using the Media Math X Graph.
• 54:30 – Under the Hood: Investigating "proprietary" tech and demanding the "Carfax" for AdTech.
• 57:00 – Final Takeaways: "Grace over Guilt" and putting your 2026 plans into action.
• 1:00:15 – Closing Encouragement: Mental and spiritual health for the year ahead
Meet The Team:
Hélène Parker - Chief Programmatic Coach
https://www.heleneparker.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker
Manuela Cortes - Co-Host
Programmatic Digest In Espanol:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-
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Programmatic Digest
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YouTube Keywords
programmatic advertising, The Trade Desk, TTD update, OpenPath, SSP, reseller definition, IAB, transaction ID, TxnID, header bidding, prebid, SPO, DPO, supply path optimization, demand path optimization, PMP, curation, publisher ad stack, viewability, ad density, ad quality, InfoLinks, Magnite, AppNexus, Gamera, Programmatic Digest Podcast, Hélène Parker