From Ad Waste to Ad Value: How AI can transform impression-level buying

The digital ecosystem is drowning in waste. Billions are spent on MFAs, fraudulent traffic, and ads optimised toward the wrong goals. For brands, this means budgets disappear into black holes. For publishers, it means cluttered environments that degrade user experience. For audiences, it means irrelevant noise.

The old ways of buying and optimising no longer cut it. What’s needed is a shift from broad strokes to impression-level decisioning - all powered by AI.

The cost of ad waste

Consider the billions lost annually to low-quality inventory. Or the time spent optimising campaigns only to find half the budget was misallocated. This isn’t just inefficiency. It’s actively eroding trust in digital advertising.

Why impression-level matters

Audience segments and broad optimisation models operate at scale but lack nuance. Impression-level decisioning is different: it evaluates every single ad opportunity in real time, factoring in creative, context, and user environment. It means no wasted exposures, only placements that align with relevance.

AI as the engine of efficiency

AI enables this shift by analysing billions of signals in milliseconds. Instead of waiting until the end of a campaign to assess performance, optimisation happens instantly. The creative shown, the placement chosen, the bid made - all aligned to maximise value at that moment.

Turning waste into value

This approach doesn’t just cut costs. It elevates the entire ecosystem. Brands see higher ROI. Publishers see stronger monetisation. Users see fewer but better ads. Everyone benefits when waste is eliminated.

A new era of value

AI isn’t an experiment. It’s survival. It’s time to make every impression count.