Taboola Finds 76% of Advertisers Seeing Gains From Agentic AI, Signals Shift to Open Web

Why It Matters

The study underscores a growing consensus that autonomous AI can unlock efficiency gains across the digital advertising stack, not just within the major platforms. For marketers, the ability to shift a portion of budget to the open web without sacrificing performance could broaden reach and reduce dependence on a few dominant players. At the same time, the integration challenges highlighted for larger spenders signal that technology alone will not drive adoption; firms will need to overhaul processes, data pipelines, and governance frameworks to fully harness agentic AI. The outcome will likely influence how ad tech vendors prioritize product development and how publishers position themselves in a more automated marketplace.

Key Takeaways

• 76% of surveyed advertisers report performance gains from agentic AI tools.
• 80% would increase spend on the open web if comparable AI products were available.
• 86% say they would shift up to 25% of their performance budget to autonomous solutions.
• Integration is cited as a barrier by 74% of advertisers spending $1‑$4.9 million monthly.
• Taboola’s Realise+ beta combines a Decision Engine and Element Generator to automate budget, creative, and targeting.

Pulse Analysis

Taboola’s findings arrive at a moment when the digital ad market is grappling with the dual pressures of platform concentration and rising AI expectations. Historically, performance marketers have relied on the sophisticated machine‑learning engines of Google and Meta, which offer granular data and automated bidding. The open web, despite its massive audience, has lagged due to fragmented inventory and less mature optimization tools. By quantifying advertiser willingness to move spend, Taboola is effectively mapping a demand curve that could justify significant investment in AI‑driven infrastructure for publishers.

The integration hurdle for larger spenders is a critical inflection point. Companies with $1 million‑plus monthly budgets typically operate across multiple agencies, data warehouses, and compliance layers. Overcoming these silos will require not just plug‑and‑play technology but also organizational change management. Vendors that can bundle AI capabilities with robust workflow orchestration will likely capture the next wave of spend. Conversely, firms that underestimate the complexity may see adoption stall, reinforcing the dominance of the walled gardens.

Looking ahead, the success of Realise+ could set a benchmark for the broader industry. If the beta demonstrates measurable lift comparable to search and social, it may trigger a cascade of similar products from other ad networks, intensifying competition on the open web. This could ultimately drive down CPMs, improve inventory quality, and give advertisers a more diversified toolkit for performance marketing. The next quarter will be telling as Taboola releases performance data and as other players respond to the evident appetite for agentic AI.