In this episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire’s head of marketing, Grainne Reid, is joined by COO Lindsay Rowntree and John Still, head of content, to discuss three shifts across the AI, advertising, and digital media landscapes.  

They look into Amazon Ads' Model Context Protocol (MCP), OpenAI introducing a minimum spend for ChatGPT advertising, and Google shutting down an initiative comparing YouTube viewing with traditional TV and streaming.

Amazon opens advertising stack to AI agents

Amazon is opening its advertising platform to AI agents, a new integration layer aimed at simplifying how advertisers and ad tech partners connect automated tools to its systems.

At the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting, the company unveiled the open beta of its Amazon Ads Model Context Protocol Server. The MCP lets AI agents interact with Amazon Ads through a single standardised connection, eliminating the need for bespoke integrations for each workflow.

OpenAI introduces $200,000 minimum spend for ChatGPT advertising

OpenAI has begun asking a small group of advertisers to commit a minimum spend of USD$200,000 (£148,000) as it tests advertising on ChatGPT, the company has confirmed. The initiative is being run as a tightly managed beta, with participation limited to a select number of brands.

According to an OpenAI spokesperson, the restricted rollout is intentional and designed to assess which types of advertising deliver meaningful value to users within the ChatGPT experience.

Google shuts down service comparing YouTube and TV viewing

Google has stepped in to halt a UK initiative aimed at measuring YouTube viewing alongside traditional TV and streaming platforms, highlighting growing friction between the tech giant and established media measurement systems.

The intervention came in the form of a legal "cease and desist" letter to Kantar Media, forcing the suspension of its joint project with Barb, the UK’s official TV writings body, just months after its launch.