What the IAB Tech Lab’s Agentic Roadmap Means for the Future of Digital Advertising
Artificial intelligence is already embedded across the digital advertising ecosystem, but the next phase of evolution is moving beyond optimization tools and into agentic systems. These are autonomous software agents that can plan, negotiate, and execute advertising tasks on behalf of buyers and sellers.
IAB Tech Lab Publishes New CTV Ad Portfolio to Standardize Connected TV Advertising Formats
The IAB Tech Lab announced the release of its Connected TV (CTV) Ad Portfolio, a new industry framework that standardizes key CTV advertising formats, alongside an updated Guide to Programmatic CTV.
IAB Tech Lab Opens Public Comment on New Deals API Specification
IAB Tech Lab has released the Deals API Specification for public comment through January 31, 2026. The Deals API is intended to provide one standardized schema for programmatic deal metadata, so buyers, sellers, and intermediaries can describe and interpret deal terms the same way across platforms.
Preparing for the Agentic Era: IAB Tech Lab Advances New Infrastructure with the User Context Protocol
IAB Tech Lab has introduced the User Context Protocol, a new open standard built for the agentic AI era where intelligent systems rely on fast, interoperable, and privacy-aware signal exchange. Powered by embeddings rather than traditional text-based data, UCP enables more efficient ad selection, real-time intent understanding, and trusted communication across the supply chain. As AI reshapes programmatic decisioning, this new framework offers the modern infrastructure the industry needs, and IAB Canada encourages members to stay engaged as these standards take shape.
Global Alignment on Privacy: UK Regulator Endorses IAB Tech Lab’s Data Deletion Request Framework
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has formally recognized the Data Deletion Request Framework (DDRF) in its latest Online Tracking Strategy Update, calling out the specification as a meaningful step forward in improving how deletion and withdrawal requests are handled by third-party digital advertising participants.
The Dawn of Pay-Per-Crawl Triggers AI and Monetization Standards
Cloudflare’s latest launch and IAB Tech Lab’s Content Ingest API mark a turning point for fair use in the age of generative AI.
IAB Tech Lab Launches Containerization Project
The IAB Tech Lab has launched a new global initiative aimed at modernizing the infrastructure behind programmatic advertising. The Containerization Project is designed to tackle growing complexity in the supply chain and create a more efficient and scalable framework for real-time bidding (RTB).
IAB Tech Lab invites Canadian Digital Stakeholders to Shape AI’s Use of Online Content
As AI transforms the way people discover and consume information, it is also changing how publisher and brand content appears online.
IAB and MRC Release Draft Guidelines for Attention Measurement
Attention is quickly becoming the name of the game as marketers and media buyers seek meaningful ways to evaluate advertising performance beyond traditional reach and impression metrics. With growing demand for more relevant, outcome-based signals, attention is emerging as a key component in the shift toward new media currencies.
IAB Tech Lab Introduces Trusted Server, to Help Publishers Regain Control of Digital Advertising Amid Browser Lockdowns
IAB Tech Lab, announced today the launch of Trusted Server. This new open-source server-side ad management framework gives publishers complete control over ad monetization in an era of increasing browser restrictions and signal loss.