Just got back from two packed weeks in the States. ANA Media Conference in Nashville and AdTech Economic Forum in New York City — and countless meetings in between.

The ANA conference is one of those places where you truly feel the pulse of the industry. This year, AI in media buying dominated the conversations — but not in a hype-driven way. Real substance: how AI is reshaping campaign execution, where new risks are emerging, and why media governance is becoming a boardroom topic, not just an operational one.

A few observations that stuck with me:

The industry is getting louder about one thing — technology alone isn't enough. Brand safety verification? Everyone has it. But is it actually activated in every campaign, across every market? The honest answer is often: no. The problem isn't the absence of tools. It's the gap between having them and actually implementing them.

Conversations with media leaders from the world's largest global brands made one thing clear: pressure for full execution transparency is growing. "We have the strategy — but is the campaign actually set up the way we intended?" That question came up again and again.

AI accelerates execution, but it also scales mistakes. One misconfigured setting in a centrally managed campaign is no longer a problem for one market — it's a problem for twenty, simultaneously.

Above all though — it was the people that made these two weeks truly special. So many great conversations, fresh perspectives, and meaningful connections. Grateful for every single one. See you all soon! 😊