25 Years of AI in Advertising: What's Actually Changed and What's Next

Neal Richter has been building AI systems since 1999 — before "machine learning" was a buzzword, before programmatic existed, before anyone imagined AI writing ad copy. In this keynote, Neal takes the DMEXCO audience on a journey through 25+ years of AI evolution in advertising: from early data mining and recommendation engines, through the programmatic revolution and real-time bidding, to today's generative and agentic AI. With the unique perspective of someone who has lived every chapter, Neal separates hype from reality, shares what actually changed the industry, and offers a grounded, credible vision of what the next five years will bring.