IAB Tech Lab
Technical standards body of the IAB, developing open specifications for digital advertising infrastructure globally.
Last refreshed: 28 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will IAB Tech Lab's agentic buying standards shape the next era of digital advertising?
Timeline for IAB Tech Lab
Consolidated agentic ad-buying specifications under the single AAMP standard
Media's AI Pivot: IAB folds agentic ad-buying into AAMPMentioned in: WPP convenes six rivals on AI buying
Media's AI PivotWhat does IAB Tech Lab do?
Why is IAB Tech Lab involved in AI advertising standards?
What is OpenRTB and who created it?
Background
IAB Tech Lab is the technical standards division of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), responsible for developing and maintaining open specifications that govern digital advertising infrastructure globally. Its published standards include OpenRTB (the protocol underpinning programmatic bidding markets), ads.txt (a supply-chain authentication mechanism), and VAST (video ad serving). Operating as a non-profit body funded by IAB member companies, it works to ensure interoperability across advertisers, agencies, publishers, and technology vendors.
In June 2026, IAB Tech Lab joined WPP's Agentic Standards Initiative at Cannes Lions alongside Prebid, providing technical-standards backing for agentic AI buying systems built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The initiative brought together Disney, Netflix, Fox Corporation, NBCUniversal, Paramount Skydance, and Comcast's FreeWheel to establish common protocols for AI agents that negotiate and place video advertising.
IAB Tech Lab's historical role in standardising OpenRTB created the structural foundation for the entire programmatic advertising ecosystem. A comparable standardisation effort around agentic buying protocols could prove equally consequential: common interfaces would lower barriers to entry for smaller agencies and publishers, while also setting the terms on which AI-driven procurement becomes the default mechanism for video advertising across streaming and broadcast inventory.