2025 trends and predictions: AI maturity
AI will reinvent advertising for major media companies as linear streaming expands.
Dave Dembowski, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Operative:
“In 2025, media companies will continue their advancement into ad-supported streaming, live sports will continue to expand the Linear Streaming category for broadcasters and digital streamers, and media companies will leverage exciting technology innovations like AI and LLMs to streamline their business and increase performance.
“Selling advertising for streaming content, especially live events, incorporates elements of linear and digital. This year, we have seen record streaming audiences for events like the Olympics and the SuperBowl and that shows no sign of slowing down in 2025. No matter which side media companies are on, they need to deliver best-in-class streaming ad products to brands. Brands want to reach audiences across screens seamlessly, and they want to optimize campaigns in real time across channels.
“What this has meant for media companies depends on what side of the media industry they are on. Linear broadcasters have been scrambling to build out streaming infrastructure to be able to sell and deliver dynamically, while digital streamers are working to establish sales and workflows that can accommodate linear-style fixed placements and up-front deals. All media companies are faced with increasingly complex advertising businesses that require huge amounts of planning, proposal building and delivery work that threatens to crush media companies if they don’t build out better technology and infrastructure.
“Luckily, new technology solutions based on AI are emerging that can help media companies in several ways.