header-background

AdCP (Ad Context Protocol): What This New Industry Standard Means for Programmatic

In mid-October 2025, a coalition of adtech companies officially rolled out AdCP (Ad Context Protocol), with its full technical specification now live on GitHub.

Backed by founding members like Yahoo, PubMatic, and Scope3, this new standard is built to support AI-powered "agentic" media buying, integrating with the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) frameworks.

AdCP is widely viewed as one of the most significant interoperability efforts in digital advertising since OpenRTB. Its core goal is to create a "shared road" for adtech systems, so that autonomous agents can plan, activate, and manage campaigns across environments from CTV to the open web, without getting stuck in fragmented tools.

What AdCP Actually Does

At its simplest, AdCP solves the "language barrier" between adtech tools. Before, planning a cross-platform campaign meant logging into multiple systems, manually recreating targeting rules, and waiting days for approvals. With AdCP, a single request gets done in minutes.

It works by unifying how systems share data: inventory details, audience targeting, pricing, and performance metrics all follow the same format. This serves as the foundation for agentic advertising, where AI tools collaborate independently to streamline workflows.

Why AdCP Matters for Programmatic Advertising

1. It Builds the "Infrastructure" for Agentic Advertising

Everyone in adtech is talking about "agentic" AI, but without a common protocol, these tools can’t work together. AdCP fixes that by creating a universal framework: autonomous agents (AI tools for targeting, buying, or creative) can communicate seamlessly across platforms, no custom integrations required.

For example, an AI agent for audience targeting can share data with an agent for budget optimization, which in turn syncs with an agent for reporting, all in real time. This turns agentic advertising from a buzzword into an actionable workflow.

2. It Addresses Long-Standing Fragmentation (But Relies on Adoption)

AdCP’s promise lies in uniting adtech systems that have long operated in silos. By letting any platform implement the standard, it aims to end the cycle of "custom work", where teams spend months integrating new tools instead of focusing on strategy.

But industry watchers caution: AdCP’s success hinges on widespread adoption. As early reactions noted, "top publishers need to get on board for it to work." Without buy-in from major content owners and platforms, the standard risks becoming a niche tool rather than an industry-wide solution.

3. Publishers & Media Owners: Unlocks More Efficient Monetization

For publishers, AdCP simplifies how they showcase inventory to advertisers. By standardizing how inventory, pricing models, and audience segments are represented, AdCP makes it easier for buyers to find and activate their ad space, cutting down on negotiation time and missed opportunities.

For smaller publishers, this is especially valuable: they no longer need to build custom integrations to work with multiple DSPs. The standard levels the playing field, letting them compete with larger publishers for advertiser budgets.

4. Ad Tech Platforms: Expands Reach Without Custom Work

AdCP lets ad tech platforms (DSPs, SSPs, ad servers) expose their capabilities to a broader ecosystem. Instead of building one-off integrations to partner with AI tools or other platforms, they can use AdCP’s framework to connect with external systems, saving resources and opening up new client opportunities.

Large players (independent adtech giants, big tech firms) are particularly well-positioned here: they have the infrastructure and talent to build enterprise-grade agentic tools that leverage AdCP. Startups may drive innovation in niche areas, but scaling agentic AI will likely depend on these larger companies' investment.

Key Industry Questions (From Early Reactions)

While AdCP has generated excitement, it also raises critical questions from the community:

  • Where is IAB TechLab? Early feedback wondered why the industry’s established standards body isn’t involved—a notable gap, as IAB has historically guided adtech interoperability.
  • How does it interact with OpenRTB? There’s confusion around whether AdCP will "replace" OpenRTB or complement it. Critics ask: If AdCP gains traction in private deals (PG, PMP), will it siphon transactions from OpenRTB, even as it's framed as a "complimentary" tool?
  • Can it scale beyond early adopters? Most adtech companies still lack mature agentic capabilities. Building these tools requires rethinking operating models, hiring specialized talent, and investing in compute infrastructure—barriers that may slow widespread adoption.

Practical Next Steps for Industry Peers

If you’re looking to engage with AdCP, here’s how to start:

  • Explore the spec: Dive into the GitHub repository to understand how AdCP integrates with your existing tools (DSP, SSP, or ad server).
  • Test with low-risk projects: Pilot AdCP with a simple campaign to assess time savings and integration gaps; focus on use cases where fragmentation currently slows you down.
  • Track adoption trends: Keep an eye on which publishers and platforms are joining AdCP. Widespread buy-in from top players will be a key signal of its long-term value.
  • Join the conversation: Participate in industry discussions about AdCP’s direction, especially around unresolved questions like OpenRTB compatibility or IAB involvement. Your input can shape how the standard evolves.

Wrapping Up: AdCP’s Potential (and Uncertainties)

AdCP represents a meaningful step toward fixing programmatic's fragmentation problem, and unlocking the full potential of agentic advertising. However, its success depends on whether the industry can rally around it, from top publishers to small adtech firms.

For now, AdCP is a promising start, a framework that could redefine how programmatic works, if given the time and adoption to mature. As the industry tests, adapts, and refines it, one thing is clear: AdCP is a signal of where programmatic is heading, toward more automation, more collaboration, and less friction.


If you’re looking to craft more effective, AI-driven ad experiences, start with GatherStar today. And if you want dedicated expert support to maximize your results, reach out to the GatherStar team to explore how we can help elevate your programmatic campaigns.