Warner Bros. Discovery Embraces Agentic AI for Advertising
Warner Bros. Discovery has embarked on a transformative journey to modernize its advertising technology infrastructure, centering its efforts on agentic AI for adtech in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). This strategic revamp aims to dismantle outdated, siloed workflows and introduce a more automated, data-driven approach to ad buying and campaign management.
Reinventing the Ad-Tech Stack with AWS Partnership
Leveraging the advanced capabilities of AWS, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is integrating agentic AI into every aspect of its adtech stack. According to a recent press release, the company’s new platform will utilize AI agents for media planning, dynamic forecasting, real-time campaign optimization, and closed-loop measurement. This innovation brings together linear TV and digital advertising into one unified system, allowing advertisers to allocate budgets more effectively across WBD’s extensive properties and experiment with emerging ad formats.
Central to this initiative are AWS technologies like Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, Amazon SageMaker, and Amazon Quick, which provide the backbone for WBD’s AI-driven solutions. These tools not only facilitate sophisticated automation but also ensure the highest standards of data protection and security, a priority as the company scales its AI capabilities.
How Agentic AI is Transforming Ad Buying
The move to agentic AI for adtech represents a significant shift in how advertising is managed at WBD. The company highlighted the role of AI agents in streamlining processes such as media planning and campaign optimization. By automating these traditionally manual tasks, WBD aims to deliver greater flexibility and efficiency for advertisers, enabling them to plan, target, and measure campaigns with more precision.
AI agents are designed to “continuously self-optimize,” learning from campaign data over time to enhance performance. This iterative improvement is expected to lead to better outcomes for both advertisers—through more effective ad spend—and viewers, who will receive more personalized and contextually relevant ads.
Importantly, WBD has emphasized that, despite the increased automation, human oversight remains critical. Key decisions will still be made by experienced professionals, ensuring that the benefits of AI are balanced with strategic judgment and creative direction.
Expanding Agentic Capabilities Across the Business
WBD’s adoption of agentic AI for adtech extends beyond media planning and optimization. The company has already begun implementing these technologies in areas such as direct response advertising, commercial workflows, audience forecasting, and attribution. In the third quarter, WBD plans to roll out a unified media planning tool, followed by advanced order management, pricing, and stewardship features—all underpinned by AI.
This comprehensive overhaul positions WBD at the forefront of the industry’s move toward AI-powered advertising solutions. The announcement comes amid a wave of similar initiatives from other major broadcasters, including Fox, which recently launched its own end-to-end agentic ad platform with the support of partners like WPP and Comcast’s Universal Ads.
Industry Context and Future Outlook
The timing of WBD’s announcement is strategic, as the Cannes Lions conference approaches—a major industry event where AI in advertising will be a key topic. With platforms and publishers racing to adopt agentic AI, WBD’s commitment to automation and data-driven strategies signals its intent to remain competitive and innovative in a rapidly evolving landscape.
While the full impact of agentic AI on advertising remains to be seen, early indications suggest that these technologies could significantly reshape the way campaigns are planned, executed, and measured. For WBD, this transformation comes at a critical moment, as its advertising revenue recently declined by 7% year over year, largely due to challenges in linear programming and shifting viewing habits.
Looking ahead, WBD’s planned merger with Paramount adds another layer of complexity and opportunity. The integration of agentic AI for adtech across an even larger combined entity could further enhance the company’s ability to deliver value to advertisers and audiences alike.
Conclusion: Setting a New Standard in AdTech
By centering its strategy on agentic AI for adtech with AWS support, Warner Bros. Discovery is redefining the possibilities of automated advertising. As the company continues to roll out new AI-powered tools and platforms, it stands poised to set a new standard for efficiency, flexibility, and innovation in the industry.
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