ATS London 2026 is just around the corner, and we caught up with some of the speakers taking to the stage to find out what has them excited. Agentic AI, auction efficiency, the move from performance optimisation to orchestration… this year is about getting real on the economics actually shaping media, marketing and commerce.

We asked speakers from ITV, dentsu, Starcom, VML and more about what they think the hot topics are going to be. One thing came through loud and clear: in an industry that feels like it's built on shifting sands right now, getting the sharpest minds in the room together has never mattered more.

It’s rare to get an event that gets into the thick of the ecosystem and the unit economics underpinning (and sometimes undermining) it. The agency ecosystem, open internet and consistent, reliable measurement have been buffeted by all manner of overlapping headwinds over recent years (not least everyone’s two favourite vowels) so I’m really looking forward to talking to and hearing from the people building what’s next. 

Chris Andrews, Head of Marketing Technology, Miroma Founders Network

What sets ATS London apart is its ability to look past the hype cycle and tackle the true economics of our industry. ATS brings together the sharpest minds across media, marketing, and commerce and I am most looking forward to the raw, unfiltered stage discussions and the off-stage networking.

Topics I would expect to see are; Agentic AI & Auction Efficiency, Next-Gen Signal Aggregation, and Shift from Performance Optimisation to Performance Orchestration.

Jacques Du Preez, Head of Programmatic, Starcom

ATS London is one of my favourite events on the calendar. I've contributed to a number of these conferences over the years, and have enjoyed watching the event grow alongside the industry. I'm looking forward to being back this year and speaking on the "Maturity in Media" panel, looking at what's moving AI from hype to practical use across planning, buying, creative and measurement. I expect the evolution of data and AI from early-stage experimentation to scalable business benefit to be one of the day's recurring themes.

More broadly, I think this year's hot topics will centre on the shift from AI potential to AI economics - what it costs to deploy and maintain, and where it genuinely moves the needle on performance. I look forward to robust debate on the evolution of first-party data application beyond activation and measurement, to its more potent power, alongside AI, to create optionality and predictions that will inform better, braver decisions. Given how central data maturity is to all of this, I'd also expect honest conversation about the organisational and cultural change needed to embed these capabilities properly. It’s going to be a great event!

Lara Izlan, Director of Insights, ITV

It's fair to say that media and advertising are sitting on shifting sands right now. Without a crystal ball it's very hard to make a call on exactly what the future looks like. This being the case I reckon we should be in for some very lively debate at ATS this year!

OK, save the eye rolls for one mo, but i genuinely believe that AI has the power to transform how brands understand audiences, craft messages and scale their business. I'm keen to listen to people discuss practical examples of how AI has genuinely improved their effectiveness. The whole AI narrative has been so fear-based, and I'm excited to see some positivity creeping back in.

Nat Poulter, Co-founder & CEO, Restless

What I'm looking forward to at ATS London is hearing where AI is actually improving efficiency and performance for others today versus where it's still more promise than practice. As for the hot topics, the big one for me is how the industry consolidates a fragmented landscape into something teams can genuinely plan for.

Tim Hartmann, Media Business Director, VML

I'm particularly looking forward to having conversations in person. With AI expected to be one of the hottest topics at the event, I'm excited to make human connections and reinforce that in-person interaction is still crucial in our industry. I'm also looking forward to discussing the huge and growing importance of creators in building effective brand experiences, on a panel with some great minds.

Fran Hale, Senior Director, Head of Ad Sales & Brand Partnerships, EMEA & APAC, Moonbug Entertainment

What I'm looking forward to most about ATS is that it stays practical. The conversations are usually about what's actually landing in teams and platforms right now, not what's possible in the long term future. I expect the conversation this year to move past the tools themselves, into the unglamorous reality of what changes once they're switched on inside a real team.

Zac Selby, SVP Global Solutions, Data & Technology, dentsu

Hear more from the speakers at ATS London on September 15th. Secure your spot and check the agenda here.