- Agentic AI is being used to automate the negotiation and execution of complex linear TV ad packages, a trend the Future of TV Briefing highlighted this week.
- Networks are testing “premium automation”: using AI agents to handle multi-slot, cross-channel deals that previously required human sales teams.
- The move promises faster deals, granular optimization and scale — but raises transparency, quality control and job-impact concerns.
- Advertisers and agencies must weigh efficiency gains against risks around measurement, creative fit and oversight.
What the briefing covered
This week’s Future of TV Briefing examined how agentic AI — autonomous or semi‑autonomous software agents that complete tasks on behalf of users — is being positioned to automate the sale of complex linear TV advertising packages. The concept, framed by industry observers as “premium automation,” focuses on applying AI agents to the kinds of multi‑slot, cross‑network deals that have traditionally required skilled sales teams and manual negotiation.
Why networks are testing AI agents
Broadcasters and network sales teams have long faced friction when assembling and selling premium linear packages: multiple markets, exacting placement demands, makegoods, and bespoke terms. Agentic AI promises to reduce that friction by autonomously matching inventory to buyer objectives, proposing optimized mixes of spots and negotiating terms faster than human workflows allow. For networks, the potential upsides are clear: scale, speed and the ability to monetise inventory more precisely.
Benefits for advertisers and agencies
From an advertiser perspective, AI agents could mean faster execution, more dynamic optimization across linear inventory, and the possibility of tailoring packages to performance signals. Agencies may gain access to richer, machine‑driven recommendations that can be incorporated into media plans. Those efficiency gains create a classic FOMO: buyers who don’t adopt automated workflows risk slower turnarounds and missed inventory opportunities.
Risks and unresolved questions
The briefing also flagged important caveats. Automation does not eliminate the need for transparency: advertisers will want to understand how an AI agent selects inventory and measures outcomes. Quality control and creative fit remain concerns when systems prioritize efficiency. There are also workforce implications: roles centered on negotiation and custom deal structure could evolve or shrink. Finally, measurement and verification systems must keep pace to prevent errors or unintended placements.
What to watch next
Expect pilot programs and guarded rollouts as networks and trading desks test agentic systems on lower‑risk packages before moving to marquee premium inventory. Industry standards around auditability, reporting and human oversight will be critical if premium automation is to scale without eroding trust. Advertisers and agencies should ask vendors about explainability, control knobs for creative and placement decisions, and safeguards for makegoods or disputes.
In short, agentic AI opens a clear path to speed and scale in linear TV sales, but the technology raises questions that stakeholders must address now if they want to capture benefits without sacrificing transparency, quality or accountability.
Image Referance: https://digiday.com/future-of-tv/future-of-tv-briefing-how-ai-agents-prime-tv-advertising-for-premium-automation/