PubMatic CEO Advocated for Agentic Buying Systems
Rajeev Goel introduced a suite of AI agents to streamline digital advertising processes and reduce industry complexity.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Advertising
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PubMatic CEO Rajeev Goel has called for a transition to agentic buying systems to simplify digital advertising. The company also launched its Agentic OS, a suite featuring more than 20 AI agents designed for planning, activation, and governance.
Why it matters
The digital advertising industry currently faces high costs and increased complexity due to intermediary layers between media makers and payers. These AI agents aim to bypass these hurdles while navigating data restrictions imposed by modern privacy regulations.
PubMatic's Agentic OS utilizes a Decision Fabric that integrates 300 data partners. The system currently supports hundreds of advertisers and dozens of independent agencies using its Activate product.
The players
Rajeev Goel
He is the CEO of PubMatic and an advocate for integrating agentic buying systems into digital advertising.
PubMatic
This is a digital advertising technology company that provides a sell-side platform for publishers and advertisers.
The details
The new Agentic OS includes specific agents that perform discovery, measurement, and fee transparency tasks to automate workflows. Its governance agent proactively checks campaign data against an advertiser's historical trading records to detect anomalies, such as unexpected CPM values.
Timeline
2006 marked the beginning of adding layers between media makers and payers in ad tech.
The Activate product has been in the market for approximately four years as of 2022.
Publishers created 4,000 deals using AI during the first and second quarters of 2026.
Rajeev Goel headlined the ATS London conference on September 28, 2026.
Market Landscape
The push for agentic AI marks a departure from the 20-year trend of adding intermediary layers between media makers and payers in ad tech, as firms seek to reduce complexity. This strategic move positions PubMatic to shift the power balance toward publishers and advertisers by shortening the supply chain.
Advertisers and publishers can expect increased transparency in fee structures and faster campaign planning through automated AI workflows. By utilizing these tools, agencies may see a reduction in the costs associated with moving data to various demand-side platforms.
The takeaway
The move toward agentic buying reflects a growing industry focus on efficiency through autonomous software agents. Businesses should prepare for a shift where AI agents become the primary oversight mechanism for trading logs and campaign management.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts, explore the Advertising section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Exchangewire.
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