Charles Manning on Why Measurement Is the Secret Weapon in the Age of Agentic AI

Описание: In this episode of Next in Media, recorded live at the Kochava Summit in Sandpoint, Idaho, I sit down with Charles Manning, founder and CEO of Kochava.

We explore the rapid shift to agentic advertising and AI-driven workflows. Charles argues this isn’t a slow evolution like programmatic — it’s a fundamental workflow transformation. The companies that treat first-party data as a strategic asset, rather than handing it to walled gardens, will win.

We also discuss Kochava’s expansion from mobile to CTV, powering measurement for platforms like LG, Samsung, Vizio, and Roku, and how TV + mobile is unlocking outcome-based measurement. Finally, we cover ad tech consolidation, what holding companies must fix, and introduce Station One — Kochava’s AI hub designed to give teams powerful AI workflows without sacrificing data control.

Key Highlights:
⚡ AI vs. Programmatic: The shift to agentic advertising is moving breathtakingly faster than programmatic did, with the entire workflow set to transform within the next 16 months.
🔒 Protect Your Data: Brands risk leaking their proprietary data to platforms like Meta.
📺 CTV Measurement Evolution: Kochava's Atlas Performance connects TV impressions to mobile actions, giving brands like LG, Samsung, Vizio, and Roku customers a real picture of business outcomes from their CTV spend.
🤖 Station One, a Slack for AI: Kochava's Station One is an integrative AI hub that lets teams connect models, codify skills, and share workflows, all while keeping full control of their own data.
📉 Ad Tech Consolidation Is Coming: Charles predicts a wave of take-privates and roll-ups over the next 16 months as companies restructure for the AI era, followed by a major bonanza of public offerings.
💼 The Future Workforce: The most valuable skill in media is shifting from data science to clear communication.


Resources & Next Steps:
🌐 Explore Kochava and learn more about Atlas Performance and Station One
🔗 Follow Charles Manning on LinkedIn
🎧 Subscribe to Next in Media on Apple Podcasts

YouTube Chapter Timestamps:
00:00 Cold open - AI disruption and the next 16 months
01:00 Welcome and introducing Charles Manning of Kochava
01:20 Revisiting a past conversation and what has changed
01:45 Setting the stage - agentic advertising and the metaverse PTSD problem
02:20 The next decade is really the next 16 months
03:10 How fast is this vs. the programmatic shift?
03:50 MCP, APIs, and how AI wraps the workflow
05:20 Machine learning from reach optimization to business outcomes
06:10 From post-campaign briefs to real-time workflow automation
07:20 Why big platforms like Meta and Google got even stronger with AI
08:00 The two biggest risks brands face in the AI era
09:00 The "how" is as important as the "what" - competitive differentiation
09:50 Can agencies avoid being commoditized by AI?
10:20 Vertical AI and why domain expertise matters
13:20 The racing clutch analogy - agile measurement for agile goals
14:00 Who fills the seats next? The shift from data scientists to communicators
15:00 Tasks that get reallocated and skills that become more valuable
16:00 How far away is autonomous agentic media buying?
16:30 Guardrails, budget constraints, and agent managers
17:10 Introducing Station One - Kochava's AI workflow hub
18:10 How teams transition from human workflows to AI-assisted execution
19:00 Kochava's CTV journey - from mobile app roots to the living room
20:10 The 80-inch mobile device and why OEMs saw the pattern
21:20 Why OEMs pushed back and how Atlas Performance was born
22:10 LG, Samsung, Vizio, Roku - how they became Kochava customers
23:00 Is CTV performance TV? How should we measure it?
23:40 The view-and-do combo - TV impressions and mobile actions
24:10 QSR and loyalty programs - CTV driving real consumer behavior
26:00 Station One as the connective tissue for CTV and the broader ecosystem
27:20 Will more ad dollars flow to television? Charles says yes, and soon
28:30 Audience Q&A - how to prove CTV incrementality to your CFO
31:30 Why media mix modeling finally works in the AI era
32:10 What happens to ad tech? The daisy chain gets disrupted
33:00 SSPs and DSPs are already moving into each other's territory
35:00 Premium inventory, exclusive access, and the sports betting parallel
36:10 IO-level programmatic guaranteed - a bold prediction
37:00 The biggest obstacle ahead - take-privates, roll-ups, and an IPO bonanza
38:30 Wrap-up and closing thoughts