This week, advertising, streaming, and regulation converged as platforms doubled down on monetisation while facing growing scrutiny. On today’s MadTech Daily, we discuss OpenAI building a tool to track ChatGPT ad conversions, UK MPs voting down under-16 social media ban for a second time, and Publicis’ CEO ruling out launching a rival for The Trade Desk.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is pushing the industry towards greater structure in the AI era, unveiling its Building a Competitive Commerce Media Ecosystem guide at its Connected Commerce Summit in New York. The framework sets out how commerce media networks can evolve beyond rapid expansion into a more mature phase defined by operational efficiency, measurable performance, and sustainable growth.

That transition is already evident in agency performance. Publicis Groupe reported its 20th consecutive quarter of growth, with 6.4% gross revenue growth and 4.5% net revenue growth in Q1 2026. While slightly softer than last year, the results highlight the scale of its AI integration, with 86% of revenues now tied to AI-powered services, reinforcing how deeply embedded the technology has become in agency models.

On the streaming front, Freely is expanding its proposition with the launch of ‘Spotlight Channels’, allowing CTV operating system partners to integrate their own FAST channels directly into its live TV guide.

At the same time, regulatory pressure on the advertising ecosystem continues to build. The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly in settlement talks with major agency groups including Publicis Groupe, WPP, Dentsu, Havas, and Horizon Media over an antitrust probe into alleged coordinated ad boycotts. The case reflects intensifying scrutiny over how collective media buying power is exercised in the market.

In parallel, OpenAI is quietly accelerating its push into advertising, rolling out an ads manager with self-serve capabilities for a limited group of advertisers. The tool, which mirrors features seen in established platforms like Google Ads, signals OpenAI’s ambition to compete more directly in the digital advertising ecosystem while lowering barriers to entry through reduced minimum spend.

Finally, Meta Platforms is navigating fresh legal fallout, removing ads on Facebook and Instagram that sought to recruit plaintiffs for addiction-related lawsuits. The move follows a landmark ruling involving Meta and YouTube, and points to a growing wave of litigation that could reshape how platforms manage both their products and the advertising that surrounds them.