The news: NBCUniversal, RPA, FreeWheel, and Newton Research unveiled a proof-of-concept that uses agentic AI to plan, execute, and optimize a single premium video investment across linear TV and streaming in seconds.
- The first live deployment is scheduled for an unnamed major brand’s Q1 2026 campaign and will include premium inventory such as live football playoff games, marking the first use of AI agents to automate live sports buying on linear television.
- The system enables real-time orchestration across NBCUniversal’s portfolio, shifting traditionally manual media operations toward AI-assisted execution while keeping humans in control of decisions.
- On the sell side, NBCUniversal and FreeWheel are deploying AI sales agents for linear and digital inventory, while Newton Research has built buy-side agents operating on behalf of RPA.
- The system uses Model Context Protocol (MCP) to allow buying and selling agents to communicate, creating a unified workflow for planning, optimization, and measurement across platforms.
- FreeWheel and Newton Research say the test shows how linear and connected TV can move toward automated optimization without eroding the value of premium inventory.
Why it matters: This offering is leaning into growing advertiser demand for automation.
- According to DoubleVerify, 46% of marketers planned to use AI for bidding and mid-flight optimization in 2025, up from 41% in 2024. Campaign activation shows one of the biggest YoY jumps in AI adoption, rising from 31% in 2024 to 41% planned in 2025, aligning directly with NBCUniversal’s promise of near-instant activation across linear and streaming.
- Autonomous campaign orchestration (28%) is an appealing use case according to marketers worldwide employing agentic AI, per SAS.