Home Content Studio Optimism On The Croisette: AI, The Open Web And Programmatic Advertising With Equativ’s Michael Lehman
Content Studio

Optimism On The Croisette: AI, The Open Web And Programmatic Advertising With Equativ’s Michael Lehman

By

SHARE:
Optimism on the Croisette: Equativ’s Michael Lehman on AI, the Open Web, Programmatic Advertising and Why He’s Still Bullish

The mood at Cannes 2026 is complicated — rosé in one hand, existential dread in the other. AdExchanger Editorial Director Sara Sluis sat down with Michael Lehman, President, Americas of Equativ, aboard the company’s yacht to cut through the noise. What they got was a rare thing: a genuinely optimistic take on AI’s impact on the open web, publisher futures, transparency in programmatic advertising, and why pausing your marketing spend right now might be a decision you regret in three years. Lehman draws a pointed parallel between today’s AI anxiety and the early days of RTB — and makes the case that the industry has been here before, and came out stronger. If you’re tired of doom-scrolling the trade press, this one’s for you.  Watch now.

Channel Planning Is Dead | Digitas' Liane Nadeau on the Fluid Funnel Era | Cannes 2026 | AdExchanger

 

 

Tagged in:

Related Stories

Must Read

AI

Programmatic IO: Insurers Are Building Ad Tech’s AI Accountability Layer

Agencies and marketers discussed the future of AI governance at AdExchanger’s Programmatic IO NYC this week. The main takeaway? Expect insurers to play an increasingly important role in managing AI compliance.

Platforms

Apple’s Latest Operating System Blocks The Trade Desk From Serving Ads On Safari

The Trade Desk is unable to serve ads to the Safari browser for Apple device owners that have downloaded iOS 27. Apple has been investigating the issue since last week.

Display

Who Will Stand Up For The Open Web?

The open web is done, stick a fork in it. Banner blindness is near universal, search traffic has run dry and publishers are struggling for oxygen. But what if that’s … not true?

Privacy! Commerce! Connected TV! Read all about it. Subscribe to AdExchanger Newsletters
A comic showing lab techs as stand-ins for legislators experimenting with provisions for US state privacy laws, including restrictions on collecting sensitive data.
Data Privacy Roundup

What Publishers Don't Know About New Jersey’s Data Broker Law Could Cost Them

Attention, publishers: Although you might not think of yourself as a data broker, in the great state of New Jersey, that’s not really your call anymore.

Predict Bowl Icon. Magician Element, Forecasting Symbol – Vector.
Measurement

Why This Marketing Measurement Company Just Open-Sourced Its Forecasting Engine

MMM can tell marketers what worked, but Lifesight’s open-sourced forecasting tool aims to tell them what to do next.

audio

Podcasts Are Becoming More Programmatic. But Now Advertisers Have To Keep The Ad Load In Check

As programmatic buying becomes more common in audio, marketers and platforms fight the temptation to cram in as many placements as possible.

Popular

  1. Apple’s Latest Operating System Blocks The Trade Desk From Serving Ads On Safari
    Platforms

    Apple’s Latest Operating System Blocks The Trade Desk From Serving Ads On Safari

  2. Who Will Stand Up For The Open Web?
    Display

    Who Will Stand Up For The Open Web?

  3. PubMatic Jumps On The Show-Level CTV Targeting Bandwagon
    CTV

    PubMatic Jumps On The Show-Level CTV Targeting Bandwagon

  4. SQREEM Touts The Large Behavioral Model – Not The LLM – As The Winning Predictive Engine
    AI

    SQREEM Touts The Large Behavioral Model – Not The LLM – As The Winning Predictive Engine

  5. Why This Marketing Measurement Company Just Open-Sourced Its Forecasting Engine
    Measurement

    Why This Marketing Measurement Company Just Open-Sourced Its Forecasting Engine