AI was everywhere at CES 2026, from robots to toilets and toys. The race to define the next computing interface is on, agentic ad tech is emerging, and health wearables are pushing further into physiological data. Best in show: Lego’s Smart Brick.

Magnite and MNTN are partnering to expand access to live streaming ads in an integration that opens live inventory to performance marketers new to TV.

Amazon is going all-in on AI-powered advertising solutions for small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). SMBs can now create high-quality campaigns without requiring costly resources, giving SMBs access to creative capabilities that were once out of reach.

Magnite launched a Live Scheduler tool on Tuesday, an industry-first asset that enables media owners to seamlessly plan, execute, and evaluate ad campaigns around live events. Live Scheduler turns chaotic, real-time tentpole events into a predictable, scalable, and programmatic marketplace—giving advertisers the opportunity to capitalize on major cultural moments without as much unpredictability.

Sell-side company Magnite announced a private marketplace in collaboration with ITN on Thursday that will enable programmatic access to local linear TV, representing a new milestone in linear. The private marketplace represents a new opportunity in linear that helps reignite its relevance for brands. Automation helps modernize linear programmatic advertising, delivering the same efficiency capabilities that are standard in digital.

The connected TV (CTV) landscape is evolving rapidly from an exclusive channel to a democratized medium that drives action for brands of all sizes. In a conversation with EMARKETER, Mike Laband, group SVP of revenue at Magnite, shared his insights on democratization, how Magnite is investing in innovation, and where CTV ad formats are headed. Marketers who ride the wave of CTV innovation will be best positioned to succeed as the medium becomes heavily saturated with ads.

Ad tech leader PubMatic and self-service connected TV (CTV) ad platform MNTN have teamed up to give smaller advertisers access to prime CTV property, per Adweek. Smaller advertisers can take advantage of the PubMatic-MNTN deal to initiate or accelerate investment in a high barrier to entry format with proven results as CTV evolves into a more inclusive marketplace.

Sell-side ad company Magnite announced a lawsuit against Google on Tuesday over alleged monopolistic and anticompetitive behavior in ad exchanges that hindered Magnite’s growth, following an April ruling that Google operates an illegal ad tech monopoly. The lawsuits against Google give advertisers a rare chance to strengthen their own position without overhauling their tech stack.

Google staff are quietly preparing Ad Manager for life as a potential stand-alone company, per The Information. Employees recently met with ad agencies—an unusual move for a publisher-facing business—as a federal court considers whether Google must divest its ad tech unit. Ad Manager generates an estimated $5 billion in annual revenues but faces declining demand and complaints from streaming players and publishers about slow innovation. With DOJ regulators pressing for a spinoff and rivals like Magnite and PubMatic gaining ground, Google’s outreach underscores how seriously it views the threat of breakup and the need for buyer-side relationships.

The news: Magnite today introduced pause ads across several streaming providers, including DirecTV, Fubo, and Dish Media, to capitalize on the momentum of pause ads as a key opportunity to engage and convert connected TV (CTV) viewers. Our take: Pause ads have demonstrated their worth in the quickly growing CTV landscape—but those who see the most success with the format will be the ones who innovate before pause ads become standard practice.

Spotify’s Ad Exchange is reshaping podcast monetization by moving beyond one-to-one sponsorships toward scalable, automated buying. With adoption up 60% since spring and expanded DSP integrations via Google DV360, Magnite, and The Trade Desk, the platform is positioning itself to capture a larger share of the $5.5B global podcast ad market. While CPM and performance gaps remain compared with host-read ads, programmatic’s potential for reach and efficiency could push rivals to upgrade their own offerings.

Pinterest reported a breakout Q2 2025 with $998 million in revenue, up 17% YoY—beating guidance and analyst expectations. Monthly active users hit an all-time high of 578 million, with profitability improving and ARPU rising globally. Gains were driven by GenAI tools like auto-collages, stronger commerce integration via Instacart, and a lean ad tech approach powered by Magnite. Pinterest’s ad business continues to grow steadily, with advertiser spending up and margins expanding to 25%. While still underweight in media plans, Pinterest is proving itself as a differentiated, performance-ready platform with rising traction among Gen Z and global users.

The news: Magnite and Dentsu are expanding their partnership in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region to streamline video and connected TV (CTV) capabilities, per a press release. The agreement will use Magnite’s SpringServe video platform across markets like the UK and Spain to support Dentsu’s programmatic CTV offering, Total TV. Our take: Magnite and Dentsu’s partnership marks a critical expansion, giving advertisers a better opportunity to deliver impactful, precise, and measurable video and CTV experiences at scale across key markets.

The news: Spotify is expanding its automated podcast buying capabilities, giving advertisers the opportunity to reach podcast listeners through two automated buying channels. Spotify Ads Manager is evolving to give advertisers in several regions “direct access to premium podcast inventory,” including content from original and licensed podcasts.. Our take: The updates could enable Spotify to increase its share of ad dollars, attracting advertisers looking for more opportunities to reach engaged audiences representing key demographics. But to continue attracting spending, Spotify will need to shift some focus to drawing in more listeners to keep its podcast offerings attractive.

Inside Amazon’s partnerships with InfoSum and Magnite: The new integrations highlight Amazon’s goal to be an essential platform for advertisers.

Samsung Ads expands its partnership with Magnite: The integration of Magnite Access boosts audience targeting and global campaign agility across Samsung TV Plus.

Disney’s ad-supported automated inventory goes global: The move unlocks new opportunities for advertisers to capitalize on Disney’s massive reach.

Netflix to develop in-house ad platform: The streaming giant will end its Microsoft partnership to offer better targeting and analytics.

Reels' next frontier: Instagram's strategic play against TikTok's and YouTube's video offerings, maximizing advertising opportunities.