Podcast Summary: AdTechGod Pod – Ep. 117

Title: From Hype to Reality: AI, Advertising, and What’s Next with David Cohen (IAB CEO)
Host: AdTechGod
Guest: David Cohen, CEO of IAB
Date: January 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of the AdTechGod Pod features an in-depth discussion with David Cohen, the CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), centered on the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) within advertising. The episode explores how the buzz and hype around AI has translated into concrete industry change, the challenges still facing adtech, and what to expect at the upcoming IAB Annual Leadership Meeting (ALM) in Palm Springs. Cohen delivers candid insights on industry shifts, persistent data headaches, the responsibilities of innovation, and the need for standards in a disruptive landscape.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Transformation of AI in Advertising

• Industry Shifts Over 12 Months

  • AI has exploded from “a very soft topic” last year into dominating every industry conversation, outpacing previous advertising obsessions like cookie deprecation. [00:53–03:06]
  • AI is now being practically applied in creative production, operational efficiencies, data management, and hyper-personalization.
  • Quote:

    "AI has gone, you know, from a dead start three years ago...to basically taking over every conversation that we have."
    — David Cohen [01:36]

• Beyond Generative AI: Practical Applications

  • The past year has seen dramatic creative improvements; AI powers not just the creative but also data segmentations, faster decision-making, and refined consumer targeting.
  • AI-assisted insights and measurement tools have eased manual data collection, but industry-wide data cleanliness remains an issue.
  • Quote:

    "If you don't have a stable and solid data foundation, it's really hard to build a lot of these systems on top of it."
    — David Cohen [04:18]

2. Concerns and Cautions Around AI Adoption

• Speed vs. Standards

  • The rush to AI brings risk—solutions are advancing faster than infrastructure or industry alignment can keep up.
  • There’s a “land grab, gold rush” for new solutions, but clarity on what specific problems need solving is lacking.
  • Quote:

    "Code moves faster than standards and we need lots and lots of good tests and experiments to figure out what exactly works, doesn't work, and how do we kind of align on standards."
    — David Cohen [06:15]

  • The host emphasizes ongoing challenges (measurement, frequency, consumer behavior) need to be addressed before jumping into every new framework. [07:00–07:46]

• Publishers and Monetization Challenges

  • Publishers face upheaval as AI becomes the new interface for discovery and commerce, disrupting long-standing industry mechanics. [05:08–08:10]
  • Cohen mentions commercial internet structures for yield and optimization are “falling apart right before our eyes.”
  • Monetization, discoverability, and legacy infrastructures are top pain points for both publishers and brands.

3. What’s Hot in 2026: Brand & Agency Perspective

• 2026 Industry Growth Areas

  • Cohen previews an IAB outlook survey showing continued industry growth, especially in CTV (connected TV), commerce, and creator economies. Streaming audio and video also on the rise.
  • Notable brand engagement (e.g., Unilever) underscores the mainstreaming of the creator economy.
  • Quote:

    "CTB Commerce creator...those are the three big winners...Streaming audio and video are both growing at a nice clip."
    — David Cohen [10:25]

• Creator Economy’s Transformation

  • The host acknowledges the massive influx of newly discovered and valuable content creators, fueled by social media and new formats. [10:59–11:50]

4. IAB ALM 2026: Aims, Content, and Influence

• Goals for ALM

  • Focus on operationalizing AI responsibly, supporting publishers, and deep-diving into themes like measurement, privacy, commerce, creator economy, and streaming. [11:50–13:13]
  • Cohesive agenda built from ongoing member feedback, regular industry surveys, and adaptability for late-breaking trends (using an 80/20 planning rule).
  • ALM serves as both a thought-leadership platform and a “validator” for IAB’s strategic direction.
  • Quote:

    "We use ALM as a validator for are we heading in the right direction, do we need to pivot...we listen as much as we talk."
    — David Cohen [14:53]

• Programming and Speaker Selection

  • Speaker lineup features high-profile names (Kevin Bacon) and industry leaders from Outfront, Snowflake, Spark, etc.
  • Main stage slots are merit-based, not pay-to-play; content must be relevant and delivered by top industry representatives. [17:51–19:48]

5. Looking Back to Move Forward

• Industry Culture & Reset Wishes

  • Cohen hopes the industry will shift from prioritizing efficiency (and cheapness) to valuing effectiveness—calling out the persistent but misleading reliance on metrics like click-through rates.
  • Quote:

    "I wish that we would move or change the value equation from efficiency to effectiveness..."
    — David Cohen [16:00]

  • He criticizes how “cheaper is better” is a “fictitious belief” eroding real value in advertising. [15:47–17:04]

• 30 Years of IAB: Reflection and Celebration

  • 2026 marks IAB’s 30th anniversary, celebrated at ALM with a gathering of past chairs discussing the organization’s evolution and industry growth (all but four years since 1996 have seen double-digit revenue increases).
  • Quote:

    "I think our job certainly at IB and personally is to leave the industry better than we found it. That's one of the reasons why I took this job..."
    — David Cohen [22:43]

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On rapid industry change:

  "We have more choice, more options, more automation, and probably a less well defined signal."
  — David Cohen [02:49]

• On unstructured data as a limiting factor:

  "We still have folks that have dirty data, for lack of a better term, not structured in the way that it needs to be structured."
  — David Cohen [04:23]

• On AI’s risk to industry alignment:

  "The land grab gold rush, I've been in this business for a long time, probably unlike anything I could remember seeing..."
  — David Cohen [06:36]

• On ALM event value:

  "The caliber of people that attend IEB ALM is by far top notch. Like there's no other way around it."
  — AdTechGod [11:30]

• On legacy mindsets:

  "I still see clicks and click through rates and that as a measure of success for kind of marketers..."
  — David Cohen [16:24]

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• State of AI & Ad Tech: What’s Changed (00:53–03:52)
• Risks and Worries about AI (“Land Grab”) (04:53–07:46)
• Brand & Agency Trends and Hot Topics (09:32–10:59)
• ALM Programming and Event Strategy (11:50–15:39)
• Cultural and Metric Reset Wishes (15:39–17:04)
• Event Organization & Speaker Philosophy (17:51–19:48)
• IAB 30th Anniversary Reflections (20:22–22:43)

Episode Tone and Closing

This episode maintains an energetic, pragmatic, and insightful tone, driven by the host’s enthusiasm and Cohen’s blend of candor and optimism. Both stress gratitude for the adtech community’s growth, resilience, and creativity while advocating a responsible approach to innovation and a focus on industry fundamentals.

For Further Info

Listeners interested in connecting with AdTechGod, joining the community, or learning more about the IAB ALM can find resources and links on social and the AdTechGod website.