Many marketers are still reacting to last week’s reports, but today’s consumers make purchase decisions in real time, across multiple digital channels, devices, and platforms. The question isn’t just how to reach them, but how to anticipate their needs, deliver relevant experiences, and measure impact at the scale and speed that modern audiences demand. That’s where AI transforms marketing from a reactive process into a proactive, autonomous engine for growth.
We spoke with Kaitlin Forbes, Director, Product Marketing at Quantcast, about the evolution of AI in marketing. She explained that artificial intelligence isn’t new, but the fundamental shift is from automation to autonomy. Unlike traditional tools that follow rigid rules, autonomous AI systems continuously adapt, learn, and optimize campaigns, making decisions minute by minute. For performance marketers and multi-channel strategists, this means campaigns that evolve with the audience, maximize return, and free teams from the endless cycle of manual optimization. As Kaitlin puts it, it’s the upgrade marketers have been waiting for.
AI in advertising has evolved from automation to autonomy. What’s the difference, and why should marketers care?
Automation has always been about rules: “if X happens, then do Y.” It saves time but is fundamentally limited by the parameters you set. Autonomy, on the other hand, is about adaptability. Autonomous AI doesn’t just follow instructions; it learns, optimizes, and makes real-time decisions.
For marketers, it means better-performing ads, faster speed to results, and the ability to scale campaigns in ways that manual workflows simply can’t achieve. Most importantly, it frees teams from the grind of repetitive tasks so they can focus on what matters: strategy, creativity, and growth.
Many marketers still spend hours on manual optimizations and reporting. What does an AI-driven, autonomous campaign look like day-to-day—and what work does it remove from the marketer’s plate?
Imagine walking into your Monday morning meeting without spending the weekend pulling reports or tweaking bids. Autonomous AI means campaigns continuously optimize in the background; for example, budgets might shift to higher-performing channels. That doesn’t eliminate the marketer—it elevates them. It creates space for marketers to lean into creativity, brand vision, and customer experience, where human ingenuity is irreplaceable.
How do autonomous AI agents adapt to changing consumer behavior across the open internet in real time?
Autonomous AI thrives on live signals. AI agents work to ingest data from multiple sources continuously, retrain models on the fly, and adjust targeting, spending, and creativity to stay aligned with shifting consumer intent. So if an audience suddenly starts engaging with a new trend, the system doesn’t wait for a weekly optimization meeting; it adjusts in the moment because it connects to the real behavior of audiences across the open internet.
What impact does AI have on omnichannel strategy, and how can marketers unify planning, activation, and measurement across channels?
AI is breaking down the walls between channels. Instead of running display, video, CTV, and native as separate efforts, autonomous AI uses a single decisioning engine to coordinate targeting, creative, and spend across the entire ecosystem. Measurement also becomes unified, helping marketers understand how every impression contributes to the bigger picture.
Marketers often fear “black box” AI. How can they trust and verify the decisions AI is making in their campaigns?
Marketers should demand visibility and validation. Trust comes from knowing that AI is not replacing human judgment but augmenting it with speed, precision, and data-backed reasoning.
What advice would you give to performance marketers making their first serious investment in AI-powered advertising?
Start small but be intentional. Define a test budget, set clear KPIs, and measure rigorously. Once you see results, scale with confidence. Choose platforms that offer transparency and a proven track record. Not all AI is created equal, and marketers should look for partners that can show real outcomes for advertisers, not just theoretical promise.
As Kaitlin Forbes explains, the real breakthrough for marketers comes when AI moves from simple automation to true autonomy. This shift allows campaigns to evolve with audiences in real time, giving marketers the freedom to focus more on creativity, strategy, and meaningful customer connections.
At IAB Canada, we are dedicated to spotlighting these kinds of industry shifts and providing a space where Canadian marketers can learn, share, and prepare for what’s next. Join the conversation and be part of IAB Canada as we continue exploring the ideas and innovations that are shaping the future of marketing.
Kaitlin Forbes is Director, Product Marketing at Quantcast, a high-performance advertising platform. A seasoned Product Marketing leader with over ten years of experience driving growth for ad-tech and SaaS companies, Kaitlin specializes in messaging, positioning, and go-to-market strategy, bringing deep product and industry knowledge to every initiative. Known for working seamlessly across product, sales, marketing, and customer success, Kaitlin helps companies launch effectively, differentiate in competitive markets, and, most importantly, solve customer pain points.