Marketecture Podcast Episode Summary: "How Dappier Is Building AI Agents for Media Companies"

Release Date: May 5, 2025
Host: Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi
Guests: Dan Geikman (CEO, Dappier) and Krish Arvapalli (CTO, Dappier)
Podcast: Marketecture: Get Smart. Fast.

Introduction

In this insightful episode of the Marketecture Podcast, hosts Ari Paparo and Eric Franchi engage in a deep conversation with Dan Geikman, CEO, and Krish Arvapalli, CTO of Dappier. Dappier, a burgeoning tech company founded just under two years ago, is making significant strides in the integration of AI agents within media companies to enhance content monetization and distribution.

Dappier's Mission and Role in the AI Landscape

Dan Geikman [01:20]

Dan Geikman opens the discussion by outlining Dappier's core mission:
"At Dappier, we view our role as monetizing the shift that's happening from pages to agents. We help media companies, brands, websites, ultimately get their content into a format that AI companies can interact with, help them monetize that transaction, and basically launch AI agents across their owned and operated sites and every consumer channel." ([01:20])

This shift signifies a transformative change in how consumers interact with and discover content, moving from traditional page-based interactions to dynamic AI-driven engagements.

Current Opportunities and Deployment Strategies

Dan Geikman [02:08]

When questioned about the immediacy of the AI opportunity, Dan explains:
"We structured our business to deal with the real opportunity right now is to help folks that have audience actually deploy agents to their owned and operated properties... We give media companies the tools to deploy those on their sites, monetize them in various surfaces." ([02:08])

Dappier is actively enabling media companies to integrate AI agents across their digital properties, allowing for enhanced content discovery and monetization through existing revenue streams like advertising.

Integration with Social Platforms and Enhanced User Experiences

Dan Geikman [03:22]

Ari probes into how Dappier's technology interfaces with platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Dan elaborates:
"On the other side of their X account is their AI agent. So essentially you can tag your account and it'll interact with you so you can have those conversations... on WhatsApp or Twitter channel." ([03:45])

This integration ensures that brands maintain a consistent and interactive voice across multiple consumer touchpoints, enhancing engagement and user experience.

Content Training and Data Utilization

Krish Arvapalli [05:56]

Krish delves into the technical aspects of how AI agents are trained:
"We have customers coming in with RSS feeds, MRSS feeds, PDFs, documents, they could be ebooks, publishing content... that's typically what we use as our data pipeline." ([06:01])

By leveraging diverse data sources, Dappier's AI agents are contextually aware, enabling them to provide richer, more relevant interactions for users navigating content.

Company Overview and Growth

Dan Geikman [06:24]

Dan provides a snapshot of Dappier's current status:
"The company is just under two years old... about seven full-time people. We've raised just under $2 million in capital to date." ([06:29])

Despite its nascent stage, Dappier has attracted notable clients, including mom.com and several news publishers like 9 and 10 News in Michigan.

Customer Success Stories and Scaling Up

Dan Geikman [06:45]

Highlighting early successes, Dan mentions:
"We're live with news publishers like 9 and 10 News in Michigan, all of the Morgan Murphy media properties around the country... dozens of media brands launching in the coming days and weeks." ([06:45])

These deployments showcase the practical applications of Dappier's AI agents in real-world media environments, driving engagement and revenue.

Business Model and Monetization

Dan Geikman [08:00]

When discussing Dappier's business model, Dan states:
"We do everything on a revenue share usage basis. So essentially if those agents are monetized, we work on a rev share basis with publishers. If they just want to use our tech infrastructure, there's a usage fee that is volume-based." ([08:21])

This flexible model ensures that clients can either share revenue generated through AI agent interactions or opt for a usage-based fee structure, catering to varying business needs.

Competitive Advantage and Market Positioning

Dan Geikman [08:00]

Dan highlights Dappier's unique position in the market:
"Our number one competitive advantage is we've built the full-stack solution with monetization. We help you build, distribute, and monetize them end-to-end." ([08:00])

Unlike competitors that may focus solely on building AI agents, Dappier offers a comprehensive solution encompassing creation, distribution, and monetization, thereby providing greater value to media companies.

Defending Against Industry Giants

Dan Geikman & Krish Arvapalli [08:49]

Addressing concerns about competition from tech giants like Amazon and Google, Dan argues:
"Any one of those players can do one thing well for themselves. You need to think about this from a new distribution paradigm and you need to think about the Rails to manage and monetize that." ([08:49])

Krish adds:
"We recently launched Adapt your Ms. Server which is becoming the Rails of content distribution into AI... RTMP server is the pathway to that." ([09:29])

Their approach emphasizes specialized infrastructure and partnerships that large companies may not prioritize, allowing Dappier to carve out a niche in the AI-driven content distribution space.

Simplifying Technical Concepts for Broader Understanding

Dan Geikman & Krish Arvapalli [10:01 - 10:57]

In an effort to make their technology more accessible, Dan provides a simplified explanation:
"Agents have data they're trained on, but they are not current. To inject net new data that's relevant and timely, you need to connect to a third-party source. MCP is a standard that's available so any data source can talk to any LLM." ([10:23])

This ensures that AI agents remain up-to-date and relevant by continuously integrating fresh data from various sources.

Lightning Round: Quick Insights

1. Number One Competitive Advantage
Dan Geikman [07:53 - 08:00]
"We've built the full-stack solution with monetization, helping you build, distribute, and monetize end-to-end."

2. Business Model
Dan Geikman [08:21]
"Revenue share usage basis: revenue sharing for monetized agents or volume-based usage fees."

3. Competition with Big Players
Dan Geikman [08:49]
"Big players can do one thing well, but we provide the infrastructure to manage and monetize content across the AI ecosystem."

4. Simple Example of Technology Usefulness
Dan Geikman [10:23]
"AI agents need current data; we connect them to third-party sources to keep information relevant and timely."

5. If Dappier Were an Animal
Dan Geikman & Krish Arvapalli [10:57 - 11:04]
"Horse."

Conclusion

The episode offers a comprehensive look into how Dappier is pioneering the integration of AI agents within media companies, focusing on content monetization and distribution. With a clear vision, innovative technology, and a strategic business model, Dappier positions itself as a vital partner for media brands navigating the evolving digital landscape.

Listeners gain valuable insights into the practical applications of AI in media, the company's growth trajectory, and the competitive landscape, making this episode a must-listen for professionals in advertising, marketing, and technology sectors.

Notable Quotes:

• Dan Geikman [01:20]: "At Dappier, we view our role as monetizing the shift that's happening from pages to agents."
• Dan Geikman [02:08]: "We give media companies the tools to deploy those on their sites, monetize them in various surfaces."
• Krish Arvapalli [05:56]: "We have customers coming in with RSS feeds, MRSS feeds, PDFs, documents..."
• Dan Geikman [08:00]: "Our number one competitive advantage is we've built the full-stack solution with monetization."
• Dan Geikman [08:49]: "Any one of those players can do one thing well for themselves."

Learn More:

For those interested in exploring the full podcast episode and accessing a library of executive interviews, visit marketecture.tv. Subscribe to their weekly newsletter for strategic insights on the latest industry news and join their vibrant Slack community at @adtech God.com.